In chapter nine, Paul uses himself as an example for those Corinthians who are lording their under freedom over others. Keep in mind these people’s statement: “Everything is permissible for me.”

Both slavery and freedom were ever present in the Roman world. Roman citizens, like Paul, had not fear of enslavement within the Empire; however, this is not true for others. Freedom in Paul’s world contained two ideas: freedom from and freedom for. It was the freedom from slavery and the freedom for exercising one’s rights. Paul discusses both of these elements here in this chapter. 

As we learned in last chapter, certain members of the Corinthian church had rightly declared that they were free to eat anything that they desired; this included food that had be offered as sacrifices to idols. Paul was concerned that their laissez faire attitude would hinder the spiritual growth of other members of the congregation. Paul’s agrees that Christians are free to act as they see fit but that every choice that they make may not be beneficial to them. And based upon many other topics the apostle discusses in this letter, it is a safe assumption that their eating habits were not the only things with which they were taking liberties.

In these first two verses, Paul is calling into question the Corinthian’s understanding of Christian freedom. Even though he is a Roman citizen—and thus free from slavery and free to exercise his rights—Paul explains here that his freedom does not derive from Rome but from his apostleship; in other words, he is free because of Jesus. His encounter with Christ freed him to do the work of the evangelist, and they are the only proof of this that is necessary. These Corinthians believed they had been made free to do whatever they wanted—like any good Roman would—but Paul tells them otherwise. 

As any Roman would have the freedom to exercise his or her rights, so does Paul as an apostle of Christ. He has the right to marry, the right to eat and drink, the right to get paid for his work, and the right to reap the benefits of the harvest. 

“Is God really concerned about oxen [getting their rightful wage]?” Paul tells the Corinthians that he deserves to “reap material benefits” from them since he has laid the foundation of Jesus Christ in their hearts (back in chapter 3). Like the soldier and the vinedresser and the shepherd and, even, the ox, he is free to claim any benefit as his right. Yet he hasn’t chosen to exercise this right. Instead, he endures “everything so that [he] will not hinder the gospel of Christ.” Just because you can, it doesn’t mean that you’ll benefit from it; and just because you can doesn’t mean you should. And to beat that dead horse just a little more:

Paul has not said these things to the Corinthians to guilt them into providing him with financial support. In fact, he would rather die “than for anyone to deprive [him] of [his] boast!” This may be a little bit of an over exaggeration, but his point is that if he took even the smallest payment from them, his witness—his example—would be for nothing. His boast is not in what he has done through his own choice but what has been accomplished through him by God. He says:

He expounds on this further:

Paul does not take pride in himself or his choice to preach. If he did, he wouldn’t be much of a witness. Here he tells us that he is compelled by Christ to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles. He is commissioned—or called—to do so, and it has, therefore, become his responsibility. And a person should not receive praise for doing what he or she is supposed to do. 

Remember Paul’s story. He didn’t want anything to do with Jesus; he was a sworn enemy of the church, yet on that fateful day, Jesus Christ compelled him to preach the gospel to the nations of the world. How funny that this Jew-of-Jews was commissioned to love the Gentiles. This, Paul states in verse eighteen is his only reward: to forgo his rights as a follower of Jesus Christ and “To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge”. But to be clear, Paul gives up much more than his freedom for the exercise of his rights; he also gives up his freedom from slavery and submits to Christ’s yoke. 

What Paul tells the Corinthians that he has done will seem delusional and wrong in a culture that elevates identity above everything else. In his self-enslavement to Christ and to his calling Paul’s identity no longer matters to him. What he was, a Jew, doesn’t matter, and who the Corinthians are, Gentiles, doesn’t matter either. Remember what he told the Galatians: that he no longer lived but it is Christ who lives in him. Neither social standing and personal achievement nor race and culture mean anything to him anymore, since his identity is now solely found in Christ. 

Critics today might say that Paul is culturally appropriating or pandering, but they would be mistaken. People who culturally appropriate intentionally or pander typically do so for their own benefit—to game the system or as a means to stand-out or simply to deceive. Paul tells us his motivation in verse twenty-two: “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” Paul realizes something that the Corinthians nor most of us today don’t: He’s not that important; the world does not revolve around him, and he whether he lives or dies, God will still be God. 

Paul says that we must do whatever we can to save as many as we can. If this means giving up one’s inflated self-opinion or identity, then to quote an athletic apparel company’s slogan, “Just Do It”. Later in this letter Paul will remind the Corinthians that each of them has been commissioned by Christ for a purpose, and this purpose must be completed.  “Run in such a way to win the prize.” If that means feed them and they will come, so be it. If that means breaking with tradition, so be it. If that means forgoing your rights and becoming a slave to others, so be it. In a city like Corinth—in a place like America—anywhere where personal merit and identity are king and queen—this is a tough pill to swallow. 

If the athlete is willing to sacrifice everything to win a crown made of leaves—if you are willing to eschew those who love you for the sake of money or a promotion or power—then there should be no question what you are willing to sacrifice to help save other people’s souls. This is intentional. It is something that we do intentionally so that others might encounter Christ Jesus and His lifegiving Spirit. Paul closes this chapter with a statement that may be shocking to many believers. 

Paul lives his faith—he exercises the authority of his commission—deliberately. He knows that his relationship with God in Christ Jesus is not for his salvation but for other people’s salvation. The Corinthians live their lives for themselves, for their position and advancement, to lord their understanding over those with none; they live in pride. They do what they do to feel better about themselves. Paul does not. In fact, Paul works to keep himself in check—to keep himself grounded in belief that he has been crucified with Christ and is now alive in only Him. He doesn’t need to elevate himself at the expense of others; he doesn’t need to be correct—to put others in their places—to feel good about himself. Paul does this so that he might not find himself “disqualified.” 

We all have to run the race, and we all hope to finish the race, but if we disqualify ourselves how can we? Within Christianity there are traditions—denominations—that teach the doctrine of “once saved always saved”. It has a friend in the Calvinist belief of the Perseverance of the Saints. The belief is that once a person’s relationship with Christ begins, that person is “saved” and will hear the words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” This last verse of 1 Corinthians 9 seems to contradict this teaching.

Paul was specifically and personally chosen by Jesus for a purpose—as already mentioned. He was commissioned when Jesus established a personal relationship with him. The teaching goes that once there is an established relationship with Christ, a person is always saved. So why then would Paul have to worry about being disqualified after preaching the gospel to others? Just something to think about.