Articles
It is MY Right - 1Corinthians 9
It is MY Right - 1Corinthians 9
To illustrate the principle of love foregoing a right if it benefits the other person, Paul uses his own right to receive financial support. It is instructive to see how Paul puts before us illustration after illustration of the right to receive support from one's labor.
- A soldier serving has his needs provided for.
- A vineyard owner lives off the fruit of the vineyard.
- A shepherd lives off the sheep.
- The working OX is not to be muzzled.
- The plowman eats of the field.
- Those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple.
- Those who attend to the altar have their share from the altar.
“SO also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel” (vs. 14).
Having established this right of remuneration, he then explained that he simply refused to use it in his relationship with them. “I have used none of these things” (vs. 15). He robbed other churches taking wages from other churches (cp. 2 Cor. 11:8), yet he refused to take such from the Corinthians. His fear was that they would have construed the taking of money from them as proof of his preaching ONLY for money. He was careful to make sure that they would understand he desired only what was good for them and not the money.
Yet, again all of this is illustrative of the principle of love. Maintaining your right to the destruction of your brother is to act in an unloving manner. Americans, who have championed the idea of individual rights, even writing a Bill of such rights, struggle with this concept of love. Putting another's welfare ahead of our own rights is just unthinkable to many Americans. It, however, is a rather obvious application of the "love your brother as yourself" concept.
The living out of this principle of love would go a long way to solving problems in churches. Do you love Jesus enough to practice this principle?
Hugh DeLong
