“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” (I Cor 9:19)
The Christian is gaining by serving God. We GAIN the salvation of men and the thrill of living for what matters. All that is noble, we do: we save, we invest ourselves in reality, and we gain from God thereby. Everything about serving Christ is BETTER than serving our lusts and what profits not.
Grace has given meaning to my life, and as I live this purpose, I live for what I am made, and EVEN THOUGH I sacrifice and SUFFER, I get the reward of a clean conscience, the reward of OBEDIENCE to Christ, and the reward of men being saved by God, the one thing needful – “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly to you ward” (II Cor 1:12).
If you and I have this reason to live, then use it.
1. We have work in the Lord - “are you not my work in the Lord”, (I Cor 9:1). We have SOMETHING to do, a reason to live, a reason to exist. We have WORK to accomplish, and like laborers, we have REWARD to experience. We are wrong to say, “I will not work, because I have all that I need, God loves me, and He will bless me for Christ’s sake”, because we don’t realize that He BLESSES me His way and not my own. I am blessed by faith, and faith obeys the Lord’s word, doing what He says. He doesn’t just “bless us” with peace REGARDLESS of our actions, but He blesses and DISCIPLINES through the obedience and DISOBEDIENCE of saints. Paul says essentially, “Don’t be SELFISH, living for you, because you miss the reason God saved you, which is for Christ’s sake and His glory”.
2. The gospel must be served above ourselves, “Nevertheless we have not used this power [to be supported financially]; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ” (I Cor 9:12). We are FREE to love God, and not free to serve ourselves. We have a joy in obedience, and we are defeated in selfish sin. We think, “Take care of yourself, because no one else will”, when in reality, God CARES for those that OBEY Him, and our labor is not in vain.
For Christ’s sake, we suffer, serve, deny ourselves, and receive more in the end. For our own bellies, we labor vainly and find no true relief. Cast your bread upon the water and believe the gospel unto living it in your life: don’t MERELY believe in YOUR own salvation from hell, but believe in your SALVATION unto faith and love. Believe you have newness of life and live.
Grace has given meaning to my life, and as I live this purpose, I live for what I am made, and EVEN THOUGH I sacrifice and SUFFER, I get the reward of a clean conscience, the reward of OBEDIENCE to Christ, and the reward of men being saved by God, the one thing needful – “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly to you ward” (II Cor 1:12).
If you and I have this reason to live, then use it.
1. We have work in the Lord - “are you not my work in the Lord”, (I Cor 9:1). We have SOMETHING to do, a reason to live, a reason to exist. We have WORK to accomplish, and like laborers, we have REWARD to experience. We are wrong to say, “I will not work, because I have all that I need, God loves me, and He will bless me for Christ’s sake”, because we don’t realize that He BLESSES me His way and not my own. I am blessed by faith, and faith obeys the Lord’s word, doing what He says. He doesn’t just “bless us” with peace REGARDLESS of our actions, but He blesses and DISCIPLINES through the obedience and DISOBEDIENCE of saints. Paul says essentially, “Don’t be SELFISH, living for you, because you miss the reason God saved you, which is for Christ’s sake and His glory”.
2. The gospel must be served above ourselves, “Nevertheless we have not used this power [to be supported financially]; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ” (I Cor 9:12). We are FREE to love God, and not free to serve ourselves. We have a joy in obedience, and we are defeated in selfish sin. We think, “Take care of yourself, because no one else will”, when in reality, God CARES for those that OBEY Him, and our labor is not in vain.
For Christ’s sake, we suffer, serve, deny ourselves, and receive more in the end. For our own bellies, we labor vainly and find no true relief. Cast your bread upon the water and believe the gospel unto living it in your life: don’t MERELY believe in YOUR own salvation from hell, but believe in your SALVATION unto faith and love. Believe you have newness of life and live.
