IN SERVICE TO ALL
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NKJV
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Paul makes a fascinating statement in verse 19. He declared that he was free from all men. But he made himself a servant to all that he might win the more. He was free from men. Free from owing men anything. Free from men’s opinions. Men had nothing on him, and he did not work for men. And yet Paul made himself a servant. Paul adapted to the culture of the people he was reaching in order to reach more.
Paul’s objective was reaching people and winning them to Christ. So, to the Jews, he went along with their Jewish culture for the sake of winning Jews. Paul acted within the confines of Jewish law in order to win people who lived under that law. The book of Acts recalls some of Paul’s travels all over the known world. Whenever he would go to a city with a synagogue, he would often go there first. I am sure that when Paul was in a Jewish synagogue, he kept the rules and regulations of that synagogue. He wanted to reach the people, so he adapted to the culture. He served within that culture in order to win souls for Christ.
But when Paul went to the Gentiles outside of the synagogue structure, he did not go as a Jew looking to conform the people to the Jewish ways. He was still under law to God; still under the authority of the Lord and the scriptures. But if pork chops were on the menu Paul ate pork chops. Pork was a forbidden food in Jewish circles, but Paul is out to win Gentiles. Paul is not trying to escape God’s authority. He is not trying to disobey God’s principles, but he is winning souls, so he adapts to his crowd.
Paul said in verses 22-23 that he had become all things to all men and that he might save some—all these things he did for the gospel’s sake. Paul was not trying to push the boundaries or be a contrarian. He wanted to win souls for Christ.
APPLICATION
Over the years, we have made adjustments for the sake of the gospel. Most of our adjustments have been in an effort to reach as many people for Christ as we can. I can’t say that all of our adjustments have been universally received. When it comes to operating contrary to religious tradition, not everyone is on board for that. When we went to wearing more casual clothing on Sundays, that created a mini storm. When we stopped giving an altar call where people walked an aisle to accept the Lord and instead had them raise their hands, not everyone was excited. The number of people receiving Christ went up dramatically, but it still wasn’t good enough for some.
But we are going to keep on reaching as many as we can for Christ Jesus. We will not compromise the Scriptures, but we will serve all to win some.