1 Corinthians 9:19-23

“For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings” (NRSV)

Who am I? I grew up in the free love/free spirit days when one of the overwhelming questions of life (and priorities) was to define ourselves. The consensus of my generation was that society had placed demands on our parents with social context defining them and my generation wanted the freedom to define itself. In a sense, Paul was very much like those of my generation. He had lived under the strict regiment of Jewish law. In fact, he had submitted himself to the very strictest code of the Pharisees. And now, as a believer, he found himself freed from that code. He could eat what he wanted, travel as far as he liked, socialize with whomever came his way.

Paul’s freedom, at the time of his conversion, was even more than this. As a Pharisee, he had the right to rule over Jews. The only Jewish rulers, in fact, were the religious leaders. Civilly, Israel was ruled by Rome. So, Paul, as a trained Pharisee, had the right to tell others what to do. As a citizen of Rome, Paul also had immense rights, rights not granted to non-citizens (many of which were his fellow Jews). So, Paul had dual civil rights. This made him both unique and uniquely powerful because it gave him a freedom to travel, to speak in the synogogues, and to teach scripture without rebuff. But Paul understood that this freedom—which wasn’t a license to sin, but was rather a return to the obedience of the Spirit—had only one purpose. It’s purpose was to share the gospel with everyone in his path and nothing in his personal culture was going to be allowed to interfere with that purpose.

Paul defined himself in 2 Corinthians 11:

“But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death” (v. 21-23 NRSV).

He had the right to place himself in both spiritual and civil authority over many, and yet he chose to be a slave to all. Slavery, while still practiced in some parts of the world today, isn’t something we like to think about because it connotes the giving up of one’s identity and rights completely to another. When people become slaves to another (whether willingly or by being forced by another), they no longer have any rights to any part of their lives. They literally become property with the owner being legally allowed to do what he wills with them. This is the image that Paul gives, an image of complete submission in order to share the gospel. Paul had the right to become ruler over most of the early Church and yet he gave up that right in order to achieve a greater purpose, sharing the gospel.

What am I willing to give up to share the gospel? If I have positions of influence or power—even the Church or in my family—am I willing to humble myself and submit to the wishes and will of others? If I have an opportunity for a promotion, am I willing to step aside for the sake of the gospel? If I have the power that money brings, am I willing to use that money for the Lord’s purposes and not my own, even allowing others to determine those purposes? There is a real sense of both specific purpose and of submission in Paul’s words that I often fail to grasp.

Paul, in a real sense, gave up his right to be angry when he was inconvenienced or put upon in order to witness to the purpose who had offended him. Even when people wronged him, he put aside that wrong in order to witness. In Acts 16, scripture tells about an incident when Paul, and his traveling companion Silas, were wrongly imprisoned and beaten for releasing a slave girl from demon possession. In the middle of the night, a great earthquake released them from their chains. Paul, who as a Roman citizen had been imprisoned and beaten illegally, wasn’t concerned about his ability—and right—to confront the guilty jailer, but instead used the opportunity to lead the jailer and his family to the Lord.

Paul used every opportunity to witness. He saw every circumstance in life as that open opportunity and he saw every person as potential believers.

What am I willing to lay aside my rights in order to share the gospel? It is a question I should be asking myself every minute of every day.

© 2011 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.