For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all,
that I might win more of them.
1 Corinthians 9:19
The Apostle Paul wrote the Bible Verse I have listed above.
Paul did not change his message or his doctrine to invite others to the message of God.
In 1 Corinthians 1:23, Paul clarifies, “but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.”
What Paul did, in fact, do was change his behaviour or approach.
If you picture different people in your life that you hope to reach with the truths of the gospel, can you see the benefit
in changing your approach, to fit the person?
We have to consider the depth of a person’s faith in order to appeal to them.
Paul denies himself to serve Christ and save souls. He did not break the laws of God to please man, yet he accommodated himself to all people, biblically, in order to win souls for Christ.
How far many have strayed from Paul’s methods?
Churches have forsaken the truth of the gospel to be accommodate society’s ideals.
The gospel means zilch in Churches such as these and has been reduced to a pack of lies.
Either we hold the truth up like a torch, or it will bring the Church down to the dust in time.
The Verse 1 Corinthians 9:19 speaks to how one conducts himself in order to evangelise or meet people where they are at.
It never means diminishing or changing the truths of Scripture. The person presenting the truths may have to present the gospel in different ways.
Take, for example, if you are trying to reach and teach a person who has grown up as a non-believer. Evangelise the person first. Teaching this person the basics of the gospel will be vital.
However, if you are aiming to teach a person open to learning the Christian Faith who grew up as a Muslim, there needs to be an entire restructuring of beliefs, and retraining of the truths of the gospel. The life of Jesus Christ from beginning to end will be elemental, as always.
Paul ministered to Jews and Gentiles, and his approach to both groups varied.
The Jews, well versed in the law, needed to be introduced to Jesus Christ as their saviour and salvation.
While the Gentiles (all others) needed to be taught the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Paul’s motivation was never fame, fortune or honour, for he gave his life to save souls.
Paul, along with many others, would stand boldly for the truth to the end. He died as a martyr in Rome.
As we read over briefly the stance of the Apostle Paul, we might think how it was Paul was free?
He was in chains in prison. He died for his beliefs.
Yet he was more free than those in bondage of not knowing the saving truth of Jesus Christ as our salvation.
When we stand for the truth of the gospel, no matter what, we are truly free.
And someday, as we also make it our goal to reach others for Christ in our lifetime, and don’t compromise the gospel of Jesus Christ to do so, we will stand with Paul, and all the Saints in glory by the Sea of Crystal, worshipping God eternally.
We may get a glimpse into those we presented the gospel to. Or we may not. We don’t know now.
What we know is we are free to share the good news of the gospel, here and now, and many are searching for the freedom of knowing Christ Jesus as LORD.
Let us use our freedom wisely and the time God has given us.
It may make all the difference to that one person.
And we know that heaven rejoices over one lost sinner who repents.
May that bring us great joy in seeing others walk in the freedom of coming to Christ.
“I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN ARE WALKING IN THE TRUTH.”
3 JOHN 1:4