Freedom That Sacrifices: A Lesson in Sacrificial Living
What matters more, holding tightly to your rights or laying them down for the sake of others? The Apostle Paul challenges us to rethink Christian freedom, self-control, and what it really means to live for the gospel.
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Paul Surrenders His Rights
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,[a] as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
The Apostle’s Example: Sacrificing Rights for the Gospel’s Sake
In 1 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul continued addressing the problem of believers who possessed correct knowledge but wrong hearts. The Corinthians had been eating meat sacrificed to idols, causing weaker believers to stumble, despite the apostle’s instruction that love should guide their exercise of Christian liberty. To drive home His point about sacrificial love, Paul used His own ministry as a powerful illustration.
Rather than merely preaching about giving up rights for others’ spiritual benefit, the Apostle Paul demonstrated this principle through his refusal to accept financial support from the Corinthian church. Though he possessed every right to receive compensation for his apostolic ministry, Paul deliberately set aside this right to remove any obstacles to the gospel’s advancement.
This personal example revealed the heart of Christian maturity: willingness to sacrifice legitimate rights for the sake of the gospel and the spiritual welfare of others.
Paul’s Right to Financial Support
The Apostle Paul began His defense by establishing five clear reasons why He had every right to expect financial support from the Corinthian believers.
1) His Apostleship
Paul’s calling as an apostle gave him the same rights as other apostolic leaders. Despite the hurricane-force cultural winds opposing biblical truth in Corinth, Paul had persevered because a greater power dwelled within him than any external opposition. The truths he proclaimed emanated from the Creator and were embedded in universal reality.
Paul had personally seen Jesus and been called to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4), witnessing eternal realities that sustained him through opposition. He knew God was drawing people to Himself in Corinth and would birth His church through their conversion. In verses 1-2, Paul declared:
“Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”
The Corinthian church itself served as proof of Paul’s authentic apostolic calling. The fruit that only God could produce through his life validated his divine commissioning.
2) Common Experience
Paul appealed to everyday logic, asking in 1 Corinthians 9:7:
“Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?”
These rhetorical questions established that workers deserve compensation for their labor. If this principle held true in secular employment, it certainly applied to spiritual ministry.
3) Old Testament Law
Paul cited Deuteronomy 25:4, ”You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” as biblical support for ministerial support. As Martin Luther humorously observed about this passage, “This is not written because of the oxen, since they do not know how to read.” The command served as a metaphor for Christian workers who deserved material support for their spiritual labor.
4) Old Testament Practice:
In 1 Corinthians 9:13, the Apostle Paul referenced the Levitical system:
“Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?”
The Old Covenant priests lived from the sacrifices and offerings brought to the temple. If Old Testament ministers received support from those they served, New Covenant ministers deserved similar provision.
5) Jesus’ Teaching
The Apostle Paul concluded by appealing to Christ’s direct command in 1 Corinthians 9:14: “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” Jesus Himself had instructed His disciples in Luke 10:7, “Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages.”
These five arguments proved conclusively that Paul possessed a biblically-grounded, kingdom-oriented right to financial support from the Corinthian church. Yet he deliberately refused their assistance. Why would an apostle forfeit such legitimate compensation?
Why Did the Apostle Paul Forfeit Compensation?
1) Motivation: A White-Hot Passion for the Gospel
The Apostle Paul’s first reason for sacrificing His rights centered on His consuming passion for gospel advancement. In verses 15-18, He explained that He would rather die than accept payment that might compromise His ministry’s credibility. Paul had been entrusted with a divine stewardship, and His ultimate reward was the joy of preaching the gospel free of charge.
This sacrificial approach eliminated any possibility of accusers claiming Paul had ulterior motives or that His ministry was financially driven. The Apostle recognized that some in His era had brought reproach upon Christ’s name through emphasis on monetary gain. By refusing compensation, Paul ensured that no one could question His sincerity or suggest He preached for profit.
Paul’s passion burned so intensely that He wrote, “Necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (verse 16). Like a child at Disney World who becomes so engrossed in enjoying rides that they don’t realize they’ve lost their parents, people in Corinth were busy with life’s pleasures while remaining oblivious to their spiritual lostness. Paul’s love for God and people compelled Him to share the gospel that reconciles sinners to their Creator.
This white-hot passion for the gospel should characterize every believer. Christians are called to burn with similar love for God and people, willing to sacrifice personal comfort for the sake of gospel advancement.
2) Method: Building Bridges to the Lost
The Apostle Paul’s second motivation involved His strategy for reaching different people groups. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, He described becoming “all things to all people” to win them to Christ. This approach required sacrificing personal preferences and comfort zones to build relational bridges with unbelievers.
However, Paul wasn’t advocating that believers become chameleons who compromise their message to please audiences. He remained an ambassador of Jesus, not a politician pandering for votes. Instead, the Apostle Paul adapted his communication style and cultural approach without altering the gospel’s content.
When preaching to Jews, Paul began with Old Testament patriarchs and fulfilled prophecies.
When addressing Gentiles, He started with the God of creation.
This principle recognizes that “it takes tact to make contact.” Paul humbled himself by becoming a servant, following Christ’s example of incarnational ministry.
Modern believers can apply this principle by entering into genuine relationships with unbelievers, learning their interests and concerns, and earning the right to be heard. The gospel spreads most effectively through deep relationships rather than superficial encounters. This might mean learning about someone’s hobbies, understanding their struggles, or simply becoming a good listener, all requiring personal sacrifice for the sake of gospel advancement.
3) Perspective: An Eternal Prize
The Apostle Paul’s third motivation focused on the eternal reward awaiting faithful servants. Using athletic metaphors familiar to Corinthians who knew both the Olympic games and local Isthmian games, Paul compared Christian living to disciplined training for competition.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul wrote:
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.”
Athletes in Paul’s day were renowned for their self-control regarding sexuality and diet. Some reportedly swore oaths avoiding sexual intercourse, certain meats, and wine for 10 months before competition. Paul used this example to exhort Corinthian believers toward similar discipline, especially regarding the sexual immorality and dietary issues He had been addressing throughout his letter.
The motivation for such self-discipline wasn’t merely a perishable Olympic wreath but an imperishable, eternal reward. Paul also employed boxing imagery, clarifying that His opponent wasn’t other people but his own fallen nature with its immoral desires. He disciplined his body to maintain spiritual qualification, avoiding the disqualification that comes from moral failure.
This eternal perspective should motivate every believer toward spiritual discipline. Just as athletes endure rigorous training for temporary trophies, Christians should exercise greater self-control for eternal rewards that will never fade or be taken away.
The Gospel’s Cleansing Power
The Apostle Paul’s example ultimately pointed to the transforming power of the gospel itself. Just as the Apostle was willing to become “all things to all people” to share Christ’s love, the gospel demonstrates God’s willingness to reach humanity despite our spiritual bankruptcy.
Scripture teaches that human righteousness resembles filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). Yet through Christ’s sacrifice, God offers complete cleansing. Isaiah 1:18 promises, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” The gospel transforms the spiritually destitute into recipients of Christ’s righteousness.
This transformation occurs because Christ “knew no sin” yet “bore our sins” at the cross so believers might “become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We’re assured in 1 John 1:9 that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This gospel truth penetrated the hearts of Corinthians despite fierce cultural opposition to biblical values. The same transforming power that birthed the Corinthian church continues working today, cleansing sinners and empowering them to live sacrificially for others’ spiritual benefit.
Application for Modern Believers
The Apostle Paul’s example challenges contemporary Christians to examine their willingness to sacrifice personal rights for gospel advancement. Several applications emerge from His testimony:
1) Passionate Gospel Focus
Like Paul, believers should burn with consuming passion for sharing Christ’s love with others. This passion should motivate the sacrifice of comfort, convenience, and personal preferences when they might hinder gospel effectiveness.
2) Relational Bridge-Building
Effective evangelism often requires entering into genuine relationships with unbelievers, learning their interests and concerns, and earning the right to be heard. This demands personal sacrifice as believers invest time and energy in people who may initially seem uninterested in spiritual matters.
3) Eternal Perspective
The promise of imperishable eternal rewards should motivate greater spiritual discipline than athletes demonstrate for temporary trophies. Believers should exercise self-control regarding sexuality, materialism, and other areas where cultural pressures oppose biblical standards.
4) Financial Integrity
While ministers deserve financial support, Paul’s example warns against any appearance of preaching for profit. Church leaders and members alike should maintain financial integrity that protects the gospel’s reputation.
5) Selfless Service
Paul’s willingness to forfeit legitimate rights for others’ spiritual benefit exemplifies the love that should characterize all Christian relationships. Believers should ask not “What are my rights?” but “How can I build up others?”
The Call to Sacrificial Living
First Corinthians nine presents the Apostle Paul’s personal testimony of sacrificial love in action. Rather than merely teaching about giving up rights for others’ spiritual welfare, the Apostle demonstrated this principle through his own ministry choices.
This example calls every believer to a similar sacrifice. Whether in family relationships, workplace interactions, or community involvement, Christians should prioritize others’ spiritual good over personal comfort or convenience.
Such sacrifice isn’t merely human effort but flows from understanding the gospel’s transforming power. The same Christ who sacrificed His divine rights to redeem humanity empowers His followers to live similarly selfless lives.
Paul’s burning passion for the gospel, his willingness to build bridges with unbelievers, and His focus on eternal rewards rather than temporary comfort provide a template for faithful Christian living. His example challenges modern believers to examine whether they’re truly willing to sacrifice their rights for the sake of the gospel and the spiritual welfare of others.
The Corinthian church needed to see what sacrificial love looked like in practice. Through the Apostle Paul’s example, they witnessed how mature believers willingly forfeit legitimate rights to remove obstacles from the gospel’s path. This same example continues to challenge Christians today to live with similar selflessness, passion, and eternal perspective.
In a culture that often emphasizes personal rights and individual fulfillment, Paul’s testimony offers a radically different approach: finding joy and reward in sacrificing rights for the gospel’s advancement and others’ spiritual benefit. This is the heart of Christian maturity and the pathway to experiencing the gospel’s transforming power in daily life.
TL;DR
In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul shows what sacrificial love looks like in action. Though he had a clear biblical right to financial support, he refused payment from the Corinthian church to prevent any obstacle to the gospel. His example reveals three driving motivations:
Passion for the Gospel — Paul’s joy was to preach free of charge, with no suspicion of personal gain.
Building Bridges — He became “all things to all people,” adapting to cultural settings without compromising truth.
Eternal Perspective — Like a disciplined athlete, he fixed his eyes on the imperishable prize of eternal life.
Paul’s example calls modern believers to use freedom not for self-indulgence but to serve others, build gospel bridges, and live with eternity in view.
