A Good Example: Paul's Rights
1 Corinthians 9, verse 1. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 2. If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 3. My defense to those who examine me is this: 1 Corinthians 9, verse 4. Do we have no right to eat and drink? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 5. Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 6. Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 7. Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 8. Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 9. For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 10. Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 11. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 12. If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 13. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 1 Corinthians 9, verse 14. Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
Paul's Obligations
1 Corinthians 9, verse 15. But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 16. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9, verse 17. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 18. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 19. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 1 Corinthians 9, verse 20. and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 1 Corinthians 9, verse 21. to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 1 Corinthians 9, verse 22. to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 23. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Paul's Spiritual Discipline
1 Corinthians 9, verse 24. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 25. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 26. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 27. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.