Monday, February 25, 2019

The Gospel of Christ Without Charge 1 Corinthians 9:18


While sharing the “gospel of Jesus Christ”, Paul the apostle told the Corinthian church members, “if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me”, and in chapter nine and verse eighteen of First Corinthians, Paul told the Corinthians how he “preached”, “the gospel of Christ without charge” where we read:

What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

The verse begins, What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, ...” Paul began with the word, “What” or “which” “is my reward” or “is Paul's dues paid for work, wages or hire resulting from toil” “then” which means “therefore, accordingly and consequently”? “Verily that” or “in order that and so”, “when I preach” which means “at the time Paul brought, announced and told” “the gospel” or “the good news of the joyful tidings of God's kindness, in particular of the Messianic blessings, of the coming kingdom of God and of the salvation to be obtained in it through Christ”, “I may make” which means “that Paul might set, put and place” “the gospel” or “the good news” “of Christ” who is “the anointed one, the Messiah and the Son of God” “without charge” which means “not having expense, requiring no outlay and costing nothing”. Paul counted it a “reward” to be able to share “the gospel of Jesus Christ” without any “cost” to the Corinthian church members.

The verse continues, “... that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” Paul added the words, “that I abuse not” or “that Paul would not use much or excessively and fully consume by use” “my power” which means “Paul's liberty, ability and power of choice and doing as he pleases” “in the gospel” which means “in the glad tidings of the kingdom of God soon to be set up and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah who is the founder of this kingdom”. Paul would not allow himself to “abuse” his “liberty” or “freedom” for the sake of the “gospel”.

When we consider these words from Paul, we understand how important “the gospel” was to Paul. He would not allow any remuneration to be perceived as an inhibitor to the “salvation” that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. He shared the “gospel” “without charge”, and though as a minister of Jesus Christ he was due wages for his work, he did it for nothing. The value of the “gospel” should be evaluated this way, and there should never be an “abuse of power” from any authority who is sharing Jesus' “good news” with others. The minister is “due” “wages” for his “toils”, but that should never be the drive and motive for ministering. May the Lord Jesus help us know the “value” of the “good news” of Jesus, and may we be motivated by Paul to share it as much as possible “without cost”.

Next time Paul tells the church members though he was, “free from all men” he had “made” himself “servant to all”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites,
http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.





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