Christian Liberty Part II: Rights & Responsibilities , 8/23/26

The title of my sermon today is Christian Liberty,

Part 2, Rights and Responsibilities. We're going

to be looking today at 1 Corinthians chapter

1 Corinthians 9:1–18

9, verses 1 through 18. We've been steadily going

through this book, sometimes covering a few verses,

sometimes more. And today we're going to attempt

to cover these first 18 verses of this chapter

and then look at the following or the remaining

verses the next time. Let's hear the word of

the Lord as it is given by inspiration of the

Holy Spirit through the pen of the Apostle Paul.

Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not

seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work

in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others,

yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal

of my apostleship in the Lord. My defense to

those who examine me is this. Do we have no right

to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take

along a believing wife, as do also the other

apostles? the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right

to refrain from working? Whoever goes to war

at his own expense, who plants a vineyard and

does not eat of its fruit, or who tends a flock

and does not drink of the milk of the flock,

do I say these things as a mere man? Or does

not the law say the same also? For it is written

in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an

ox while it treads out the grain. Is it oxen

God is concerned about, or does he say it all

together for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt,

this is written. That he who plows should plow

in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be

partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual

things for you, is it a great thing if we reap

your material things? If others are partakers

of this right over you, are we not even more?

Nevertheless, we have not used this right, but

endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of

Christ. Do you not know that those who minister

the holy things eat of the things of the temple?

And those who serve at the altar partake of the

offerings of the altar? Even so, the Lord has

commanded that those who preach the gospel should

live from the gospel. I have used none of these

things, nor have I written these things that

it should be done so to me. For it would be better

for me to die than that anyone should make my

boasting void. For if I preach the gospel, I

have nothing to boast of. For necessity is laid

upon me. Yes, woe is me if I do not preach the

gospel. For if I do this willingly, I have a

reward. But if against my will, I have been entrusted

with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That

when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel

of Christ without charge. That I may not abuse

my authority in the gospel. Let's bow before

the Lord and ask for his blessing and illumination

on this word. Our Father, we come to you, Lord,

with this word. Lord, this pouring out of the

heart of the pen of Paul as he wrote to the Corinthians,

Lord, and we seek to understand this today. Lord,

so we pray that you would open our eyes, open

the ears of our understanding, Lord. Illuminate

us by the Spirit that we might understand this

word, that we might hear it. and apply it properly

and appropriately. As for your blessing, Lord,

that everything that I say may be pleasing to

you and according to your word. I pray in Jesus'

name. Amen. When God grants liberty to his children,

he also gives them certain rights. These rights...

come from god for they are endowed by our creator

these rights are unalienable meaning that they

cannot be taken away by man among these are life

liberty and property and god's law surrounds

them with the direction of his divine commands

thou shalt have no other gods before me Protects

our liberty from all who would be gods over us

or would seek to replace God. Thou shalt do no

murder is the right to life. And thou shalt not

steal and thou shalt not covet are the rights

of property. The fundamental rights that we've

all come to see because God has granted them

to us within the fences of his law. Now you may

notice that some of the statements I've just

made sound much like the beginning of the Declaration

of Independence, which is as it should, for the

principles of liberty found in the Declaration

of Independence did not come from the Romans,

it did not come from the Greeks or Greek philosophy,

but it came from Jerusalem, from the word of

God given to Israel as a model to the nations.

Our founders looked very much to the instructions

given by God to Moses in the Exodus and the founding

of the Israelite nation. Now Christian liberty

as I've defined it last week consists of the

following aspects of freedom. Christian liberty

is freedom from the bondage of sin and the death

that accompanies it. Secondly, it is freedom

from the doctrine and the commandments of men.

Thirdly, it is freedom from the law of ceremonies

in the Old Testament that found their fulfillment

in the perfection and the sacrifice of Christ.

This would include the sacrificial laws, the

need to be circumcised, the laws of purity and

cleanness or uncleanness, and the dietary laws.

Fourthly then, Christian liberty is the freedom

from matters indifferent. And by the things indifferent,

I mean that those are things that God has not

specifically commanded or forbidden. We are free

to choose within the fences of God's law. In

this, we do not sin if we do something or if

we do not do something. Now this liberty, though,

is to be appropriate. It is to be expedient.

And it includes love for our neighbor. Where

there is liberty, we have the right to be able

to do what we want. But there are three biblical

criteria in the use of this liberty. One is this.

Is it expedient or advantageous? 1 Corinthians

10, 23, all things are lawful for me, but not

all things are helpful or expedient. Secondly,

does it edify or is it a stumbling block? Again,

1 Corinthians 10, verse 23, all things are lawful

1 Corinthians 10:23

for me, but not all things edify. And then thirdly,

am I under the power and control of this liberty?

In other words, is it controlling me instead

of me being guided by the Holy Spirit and controlling

it? Again, 1 Corinthians 6 verse 12. All things

1 Corinthians 6:12

are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.

All things are lawful for me, but I will not

be brought under the power of any. largely free

from the control and the compulsion of the state

against God, but also in which Christians can

freely serve as civil magistrates at the federal,

the state, and the local levels without compromising

the word of God. And in this way, we are able

in various degrees to implement and to draw from

God's word in the practice of Christian liberty

in the civil government. Now, this was not so

for the first few centuries of church history

after Christ, in large part because being a civil

servant in the Roman Empire meant it required

offering to idols. It was a requirement. Whenever

they would meet together, they would always give

an offering to an idol first. It might have been

a small thing, a little kind of an icon or something

at the door before you go into the room, but

it was simply required. And if you didn't, you

were punished by Caesar. It was very important.

They viewed the emperor as God. And it was not

until Constantine ended this requirement around

the year 310 that Christians could then serve

and rule, except for a few anomalies such as

Erastus, the treasurer of the city of Corinth,

which is mentioned in the New Testament. The

passage before us today continues with the subject

of Christian liberty and it focuses on rights

and responsibilities because they go hand in

hand. Paul asserts his liberty and his rights

as an apostle vigorously, but then he shows us

the framework that he operates in. His passion

is to proclaim the gospel, and to that end, he

is willing to lay down some of his rights to

remove hindrances to gospel preaching and to

ministry. He demonstrates that liberty does not

simply mean that we get to do whatever we want

to at all times, but rather liberty and the blessings

of liberty mean that we are able to do what God

has called us to and to live then as free men

and women. This chapter is written in this framework

of the discussion of liberty. Paul uses the occasion,

as he often does, because he's going to do this

again in 1 Corinthians 10 in a different way.

He illustrates the principles that he teaches

by giving a clear and full exposition on other

things that fit within that. And that's the case

here. In this, he gives the fullest and the clearest

explanation and exposition in all of the New

Testament. about the subject of remuneration,

or that is the material support of Christian

ministers, and how he was willing to give that

up for the sake of the gospel. So today, there's

two major subjects that we're considering. One

is liberty and rights, and the second is the

responsibility of a congregation to support those

who minister to them. In this, he gives a very

personal... and powerful illustration of how

he operated with the rights that he had and the

liberty to lay it down for the sake of faithful

gospel ministry now in this i am not giving this

in any way with any kind of self -interest or

self or or desiring for myself in what we have

done here I am completely blessed and happy and

satisfied with. I am simply giving an exposition

of this scripture in what it teaches about it.

So I want that to be clear. Firstly, Paul asserts

his apostleship and his freedom in verse 1 and

2. He says, am I not an apostle? Am I not free?

Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not

you my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle

to others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you

are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. And

so he begins with asking questions to those who

were examining him. Evidently there were some

who were questioning his apostleship and his

authority. Some may have not been happy. with

his writings or his teachings. And so they were

kind of like asking, are you really an apostle?

Or they're questioning his apostleship. And to

those, Paul establishes and defends his apostolic

credentials. He does so by asking powerful and

passionate rhetorical questions. All of these

expect a yes answer. He begins, am I not an apostle?

Yes, you are. Am I not free? Yes, you are free.

Have I not seen the Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord?

Yes, you have. Are you not my work in the Lord?

Yes. And with these questions, Paul declares

that he has the right and authority of an apostle.

This apostolic charge, indeed, came from Jesus

himself on the Damascus road by revelation, as

well as through Ananias. when Paul went to him

when he was blind. Now, Jesus also may have appeared

to Paul during his three years in Arabia shortly

after his conversion. Note that one of the marks

in the proofs of an apostle is that he physically

saw Jesus. This was also the criteria in Acts

1 when the church replaced Judas after he died,

after betraying Christ, and then the replacement

was to be one. who, as it is written in Acts

1, was a witness with us of the resurrection.

In other words, he had to have been one who saw

the resurrected Christ in person. This is an

important note. There are no more apostles today

in this same way. The ones that were are now

the foundation of the church together with the

prophets. And if someone claims to have apostolic

authority and to add to the word of God, Run

from them or else confront them for they do not

carry this authoritative office. Paul then also

defends his apostolic rights by the success of

his own ministry to them. He says that the Corinthian

believers themselves are the seal of his apostleship

in the Lord. This is the proof of it. They're

proof that he was an apostle. Paul began this

work from ground zero in Corinth with the help

of Silas and Timothy. He was completed by the

Spirit and he was ordained by the Spirit to preach

the gospel and to shepherd those who believed

there in Corinth for a year and six months. This

is in Acts 18 verses 1 to 17. There's a few notable

Acts 18:1–17

things about this defense. He notes, first of

all, That despite the problems that the church

in Corinth had, Paul still views them as a success.

He views them as a true church of God with great

potential and gifts. We saw this confidence back

in chapter 1, verses 7 through 9, that, as he

said, they should come short in no gift, eagerly

waiting for the revelation of the Lord Jesus

Christ, who will also confirm you to the end

that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord

Jesus Christ. God is faithful by whom you were

called into the fellowship of his Son, Christ

Jesus our Lord. Paul was not discouraged by their

problems. He loved them. As his children in the

faith. And these two long letters. The first

and second Corinthians. Which are actually second

and third. Because the first one we do not have.

These long letters that he wrote to them. Are

proof of the love that he had for them. Even

to the church in Laodicea. In Revelation chapter

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

3. Jesus tells them. As many as I love. I rebuke

and chasten. Paul's correctives that are given

in this book to them are because he loved them

and because they were a true church of God, but

they needed some rebuke and some correction.

This should encourage us that even when there

are difficulties and problems or even when there

are sins, we should not immediately then run

and say, oh. I see this sin. I've got to run.

I've got to find something else. No, we work

through it. We pray. We work toward the betterment

of it. And, of course, there is such a time,

as Jesus speaks of again in Revelation 2, where

he removes the candlestick from a church because

they are no longer a true church of God at all.

But that is not the case here, even with all

their problems. It should be no surprise to us

that Paul considers them the seal of his apostleship

in the Lord. For God himself revealed to Paul

that he should speak, that he should not keep

silent, for the Lord was with him, and that he,

that is God, had many people in this city. Acts

Acts 18:11

chapter 18, verse 11. So in defending his apostleship

by the success of his ministry to them, Paul

shows that this can be done well. In other words,

long -term success in a church is a testimony

to the excellence of her leaders. Are the people

joyful? Are they obedient to the Lord? Are they

loving one another? Are they growing in the knowledge

and the truth of God's word and being fruitful?

Are they being a light to the world, a city that

is set on a hill that gives glory to God? If

these things are happening, that is a testimony

to the blessedness of their leaders. But we must

be very careful with this. It does have the apostolic

stamp of approval, but we must be careful to

see how we define success. Success should not

be measured by the size of the congregation.

by the amount of people that make a profession

of faith at an emotional altar call, or the dynamic

preaching of the preacher, or the feeling of

worshipfulness that you get in the worship service,

or all of the programs that a church may have.

Rather, success must be measured by the testimony

of Christ, by the faithfulness in using the gifts

that God has given, by the acknowledgement and

confession of sin. by fervent love of the brethren

and praying for one another, by soundness in

doctrine and all of the other marks of faithfulness

in a church. Those are the measurement of success

and not all of the hype, all of the glitz, and

all of the other things. Too often success is

measured by other measures than what I have just

outlined. Paul then moves on. In verses 3 to

14, and he gives a vigorous defense of his apostolic

rights to be maintained and supported by the

churches. He begins by stating the obvious. My

defense to those who examine me is this. To those

questioning his authority and apostleship who

were standing in judgment of him and centering

him, he will offer a defense. Now Jesus did not

defend himself against his accusers, but this

was because it was a clear plan ordained of God

that wicked men would crucify him and put him

to death. And while there can be times where

it may be wisdom for Christians not to make a

defense and simply to suffer, Most times, Christians

should make a good and strong defense against

those who would defame them, not by responding

as kind as Brother Ty spoke about this morning,

but in responding with truth and clarity accompanied

by a Christian witness. And that is what Paul

is doing here. His emphasis and directive in

this section from verses 3 to 14 is that since

the laborer is worthy of his hire or of his wages,

as Jesus says in Luke 10 verse 7 and Matthew

Luke 10:7 Matthew 10:10

10 verse 10, those who preach the word of God

and minister to the flock of God should live

from the gospel. That is, they should be blessed

by support and remuneration. from those to whom

they minister this is their right and god gave

that right paul is going to go at great lengths

to describe all of the reasons for this both

biblical and from everyday life first of all

he enumerates certain rights of an apostle in

verses four to six do we have no right to eat

and drink do we have no right to take along a

believing wife Or is it Barnabas and I who have

no right to refrain from working? So that is,

they had the right to eat and drink. to be maintained

with the necessities of life at the expense of

the churches. Now this was particularly needful

for those who were traveling, like Paul and Barnabas

and Silas and all of the young men traveling

with them to minister the gospel throughout the

whole areas of Asia and Europe in which they

were traveling. They endured such great privations,

hardship in the travel, perils in the sea and

on the land, and persecution being driven out

or even stoned and beaten. They had the right

to take a believing wife, as other apostles did.

They had the right to have a wife with them,

where she also would be supported and maintained

of the necessities of life. Though Paul and likely

Barnabas were single, the other apostles, as

he says here, were married, as were the brothers

of Jesus and even Peter himself. There is the

right that he also shared with Barnabas to refrain

from secular work or from regular work, from

day -to -day work, and be supported. So this

goes further than food and drink, and it speaks

of support to the extent of not having to earn

a living by working at another occupation. So

Paul asks them these questions. Do I not have

all of these rights as all of the other apostles

do? Then he goes and illustrates this from everyday

life and he asks more questions. Who goes to

war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard

and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a

flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?

He draws from the common life in which they live,

things which they easily understood. Now interestingly,

he draws from three examples that are also found

in the word of God as being metaphors. for christian

believers but christian believers are to be soldiers

for the lord they are god's field in their vineyard

and they are called a flock one of the principles

of faithful teaching is to use everyday illustrations

that bring home god's truth to everyday life

and paul does this very skillfully Who goes to

war at his own expense? A soldier does not serve

at his own expense. Just as we here in this country

support our military, so also should a congregation

to their ministers. This imagery is used in various

places, such as Paul's exhortation to Timothy

in 2 Timothy 2, 3 -4. You must therefore endure

hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You

are a soldier. And so he uses, he blends this

here just as we support our soldiers, so also

we should support the ministers. He then asks

who plants a vineyard and does not eat. A vineyard

planter is able to eat the fruit of their labor.

In 1 Corinthians 3, he says, I planted, Apollos

watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither

he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,

but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants

and he who waters are one, and each one will

receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For we are God's fellow workers, you are God's

field, you are God's building. And then he uses

the illustration of one who tends a flock, and

do they not drink of the milk of the flock? A

shepherd does drink of the milk. and God's people

are the flock. Jesus is the good shepherd. His

people are the flock, or the sheep, as Jesus

talks about in John 10 and in Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

Elders are commanded to shepherd the flock of

God in 1 Peter 5, verse 2 and 3. And in Acts

1 Peter 5:2

20, 28, in his parting words to the ministers

and elders of Ephesus, he said, take heed to

yourselves and to all the flock among which the

Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd

the church of God, which he purchased with his

own blood. Then he moves on. To support his argument

from the law of Moses. You see how here he's

just building a case. In one after the other.

Verses 8 through 10. Do I say these things as

a mere man? Or does not the law say the same

also? For it is written in the law of Moses.

You shall not muzzle an ox. While it treads out

the grain. Is it oxen God is concerned about?

Or does he say it all together? For our sakes.

For our sakes no doubt this is written. That

he who plows should plow in hope and he who threshes

in hope should be partaker of his hope. So this

is the verse from Deuteronomy chapter 25 verse

Deuteronomy 25:4

4. It's a very interesting illustration because

Paul argues from the lesser to the greater in

this law. Now this scripture is set in a passage

that provides for the humane treatment of people.

And God also cares for the animals that serve

the people. This is Deuteronomy 25. But Paul

takes this command and he applies it in a much

greater way. If God so cares for the animals,

how much more those who labor for him. Jesus

does this. He does the same thing in the Sermon

on the Mount in Matthew 6, verse 30. If God so

Matthew 6:30

clothes the grass of the field, which today is

and tomorrow is surrendered to the oven, will

he not much more clothe you, O you of little

faith? Paul says this is written together, all

together for our sakes, so that those who plow

and who thrust should do so in hope of sharing

in the harvest. From the first setting of the

plow and the ground to threshing the grain when

it is ripe and harvested, so also those who labor

in the word and doctrine can expect to receive

earthly blessings, but also the hope of eternal

life. and rewards for being faithful servants

of the Lord. This passage, and a number of others

in the New Testament, give apostolic authority

for how to interpret the Old Testament commands

and precepts. They are not to be understood only

in the direct sense to the people to whom they

were given, but they are also illustrations of

greater truths some of which we see the apostles

teaching. They argue from the lesser to the greater.

Now to do this requires great carefulness and

skill, and of course the apostles also had the

inspiration of the Holy Spirit in how they did

that. Fourth then, Paul makes an application

to the gospel ministry, verses 11 to 12, beginning

of verse 12. If we have sown spiritual things

for you, Is it a great thing if we reap your

material things? If others are partaker of this

right over you, are we not even more? Paul does

not leave them in any doubt about this subject,

showing how those who sow spiritual things have

a right to reap material things. If others share

this right over the Corinthians, Paul and his

companions have an even greater claim because

he and those with him Founded the church. They

labored hard and long. To build up this congregation.

From the very beginning. Number five. He gives

further arguments from the practice in the temple.

At the Lord's command. Verses 12. The second

part of verse 12. To verse 14. Nevertheless.

We have not used this right. But endure all things.

Lest we hinder. the gospel of Christ. Do you

not know that those who minister the holy things

eat of the things of the temple, and those who

serve at the altar partake of the offerings of

the altar? Even so, the Lord has commanded that

those who preach the gospel should live of or

from the gospel. Now Paul alludes to where he

is going with this in the subject of rights and

of liberty. He says, He's just given this whole

list and he's going to give a few more. He gives

this whole list showing them, this is incumbent

on you. This is your responsibility. But, and

it's my right, but we have not used that right.

We have not used this right, both me and my companions.

Though it was their right, they chose to endure

all things. Why? So that they would not hinder

the gospel of Christ. And he's going to speak

more of this in verse 5. But here he just slips

it in. Before then he goes on with additional

illustrations. He then continues with these.

This time he goes back to the temple worship.

To the priests and to the Levites. Those who

minister the holy things of the temple. also

eat of the temple. They share in the offerings.

This is instructive, and it's all laid out very

clearly in Numbers chapter 18, verses 8 through

Numbers 18:8–14

14, as well as others. I'm not going to read

them. It's simply there is a fact that they lived

off of the offerings that came to the temple.

And then he says, the Lord has commanded that

those who preach the gospel should live from

the gospel. Jesus himself speaks of this. Paul

is probably referring to Matthew chapter 10,

Matthew 10:10

verse 10, and to Luke 10, verse 17, I'm sorry,

Luke 10:17

verse 7. Speaking to the apostles as they were

sent out two by two to minister, Luke 10, 7 says,

and remain in the same house, eating and drinking

such things as they give, for the laborer is

worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to

house. Now, Paul also teaches this in other places

in the epistles. Galatians 6, verse 6. Let him

Galatians 6:6

who is taught the word share in all good things

with him who teaches. And then in 1 Timothy 5,

1 Timothy 5:17–18

verse 17 to 18, let the elders who rule well

be counted worthy of double honor, especially

those who labor in the word and doctrine. For

the scripture says, you shall not muzzle a nox

while it treads out the grain. The laborer is

worthy of his wages. Now, Tertullian, the historian,

one of the early church fathers, describes how

this happened, how they did this in the late

2nd and early 3rd century, somewhere between

197 and 220. He writes, the stipends of the clergy

were at first from voluntary offerings at the

Lord's Supper. At the love feast preceding it,

Every believer, according to his ability, offered

a gift. And when the expense of the table had

been defrayed, the bishop laid aside a portion

for himself, the presbyters, and deacons, and

with the rest relieved widows, orphans, confessors,

and the poor generally. That's how they applied

this in their day. Paul has gone to great lengths

to impress upon the Corinthians. and upon all

the church of God this principle. This is the

God -given right of those who minister. But in

so doing, while this is in the context of liberty

and rights, he is putting it in their mind that

they ought to be doing this. He wants them to

know the principle, and he instructs them in

it, even while stating that he has not used this

right. Nor will he. It is not just that he hasn't

been using it. He is not going to. This leads

us to the final point. Paul's voluntary refusal

of these rights. And this is 15 to 18. He says,

but I have used none of these things. Nor have

I written these things that it should be done

so to me. For it would be better for me to die.

Then that anyone should make my boasting void.

For if I preach the gospel. I have nothing to

boast of. For necessity is laid upon me. Yes

woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel. For

if I do this willingly. I have a reward. But

if against my will. I have been entrusted with

the stewardship. What is my reward then? That

when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel

of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse

my authority in the gospel. In verse 15, he states

how he has laid down this right that he has.

He says, I've used none of these. I have not

written these things so that it should be done

so to me now. He is not writing to claim support

now. So there's no self -interest in this passage.

In fact, he would rather die than have anyone

make his boasting or glorying void. He willingly

laid down his rights on this matter and gave

up his liberty. Why? Well, he goes on to explain.

In the last, in the next few verses, he said,

preaching the gospel is a necessity and it has

been laid upon me. He says, woe is me if I do

not preach the gospel. Now, in order to understand

this, we need to go back and remember how he

was called by God. Paul was then known as Saul,

was a persecutor. He hated Christians. He hated

Christ. He was on his way to Damascus to capture

more believers and to put them in prison. And

God arrested him. God knocked him to the ground,

blinded him, and said, I have appeared to you

for this purpose. to make you a minister and

a witness both of the things which you have seen

and of the things which I will yet reveal to

you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people

as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send

you to open their eyes in order to turn them

from darkness to light and from the power of

Satan to God that they may receive the forgiveness

of sins and an inheritance among those who are

sanctified by faith in me. This is recounted

by Paul himself in Acts chapter 26, verse 16

Acts 26:16–18

to 18. If he preached of his own free will, he

would have a reward and be blessed in it. But

this was a stewardship entrusted to him by God,

and he is under an obligation to God, and so

he will not accept. All of this that he has just

said is an example of how it should be. What

then is his reward? It is that in preaching the

gospel, he can present it free of charge. Free

of charge. So as not to make full use of his

right in the gospel and that he would not abuse

his authority in the gospel of Christ. He wanted

to present it free of charge. Now in Corinth,

it is said that they had a huge system of patronage.

And so when there was patronage, that when you

would pay money as patrons, you expected something

in return. And there was a real tie in there

with expectations. And so it could be that that

was also in Paul's mind, but he does not say

specifically that. That's just one of the historical

facts. From the abuser of men. Paul is now so

constrained by the love and the command of God

that he takes great care not to live in the old

ways. While he possesses full apostolic rights,

including the right to financial support, he

deliberately sets them aside so that nothing

would hinder the free advance of the gospel.

Thus he is a living illustration of the principle

of limiting one's liberty for the sake of others.

and of loving his neighbor as himself in this

he is truly a powerful example we're going to

see more of that as we look further in this chapter

of the pressing that he had from god in his ministry

as he went throughout the roman world how do

we apply this for us today well first of all

we must understand that what Paul lays out here

is to be an expected norm. This may not necessarily

mean full -time support, but at least there is

to be a giving and a responsibility to care for

those who minister to us. Now, in order for support

to happen, God's people must first be of a willing

mind to give. This was emphasized in the Law

of Tithes. And of the free offerings that were

given in the Old Testament. And it is reinforced

by the command. To cheerfully and to freely give.

2 Corinthians 9 verse 7. So let each one give.

2 Corinthians 9:7

As he purposes in his heart. Not grudgingly or

of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver.

So when you give. Give cheerfully. Secondly,

this principle does not give the right for ministers

to live opulent lifestyles on the backs of the

poor. As some practice in our day into their

shame. Their people are poor, destitute, and

yet... They constantly emphasize giving sacrificially,

even inventing a doctrine that if you give all

of your money or almost all of it, even to your

own detriment, God's going to pour hundreds and

hundreds of percentages on you. It's true that

God does give grace and God gives to the giver,

but they apply it in a very ungodly way. They

constantly emphasize this, and yet they live

in luxury. with very expensive clothing and houses

and vehicles and a way of life. This principle

does not give that right. Thirdly, sometimes

the minister does not need the financial support.

He might have inherited wealth or have other

investments or be bivocational or have a particular

thing like the Apostle Paul did here in... saying,

no, I will not accept this. No, you should not

give this. Even when this is the case, this mind,

however, should still be in the congregation

that they are willing to give, willing to support

in this way. And if they're not able to give

monetarily, then turn that into support of prayer

and encouragement and of thankfulness for the

ministry. This should have been the mind. of

the Corinthians. Even though Paul would not take

it in the actual giving, then they should have

just simply been all that much more in their

support and prayer and love and encouragement

to him. Fourthly, the overarching principle is

that in the use of liberty and of rights and

responsibilities that come with that liberty,

there are times to give up those rights for various

reasons. Thus, rights must always be coupled

with the responsibility to love.