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This week, in chapter 10, Paul continues to make his argument against going to idol temples and eating idol meat.
He begins like this, in verse 1:
"(1) For."
Now, whenever we start reading somewhere, and the first word we read is "for," we should have one single thought run through our minds.
"Oops."
"For" statements strengthen some point just made.
And we won't understand them correctly, unless we go back before and try to figure out what point is being strengthened, and how.
So let's do this.
Let's go back to 1 Corinthians 9, starting at verse 18, and then push to the end of the chapter.
And we will see if we can't figure out this "for":
(18) Therefore, what is my reward?
That, preaching the gospel, free of charge I may offer the gospel,
for the purpose that I would not make full use of my right in the gospel.
(19) For, being free from all people, myself I have enslaved,
in order that the more I may/shall gain,
and I have become to the Jews as a Jew,
in order that the Jews I may/shall gain.
To the ones under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law,
in order that the ones under the law I may/shall gain.
To the lawless, as lawless, not being lawless of/from God,
but conforming to the law of/from Christ,
in order that I may/shall gain the lawless.
(22) I became to the weak, weak,
in order that the weak I may/shall gain.
To all people, I have become all things,
in order that, surely, some I may/shall save.
(23) Now, all of this I do for the sake of the gospel,
in order that a partner of it I may/shall become.
(24) Do you not know that the ones running in the stadium,
on the one hand, all run,
on the other hand, one receives the prize?
In this way, run in order that you shall win/seize/possess.
Paul has set up his entire life, in order that he might save as many people as possible.
There is no sacrifice to great-- no cost too high-- if the end result is that more people become Jesus' disciples.
And his goal, in all of this, is that he would become a partner in the gospel.
Verse 23:
(23) Now, all of this I do for the sake of the gospel,
in order that a partner of it I may/shall become.
What does Paul mean, when he talks about being a partner in the gospel?
The gospel is good news.
It is God's offer of salvation-- of forgiveness from sins, of freedom from Sin, of entrance into God's family, of peace with God, and access to God.
And when Paul sacrifices himself as a slave, he does so not just so that others can accept the good news as good news, but also so that he himself will share in the blessings.
Paul then encourages the church, in verse 24, to run in such a way as you win the prize.
At the end of a faithful Christian walk, there is a prize available to you.
And that prize is eternal life (Rom.
6:22).
This is not a prize that's given to people because they "believe in Jesus."
This is a prize for people who have walked in step with the Spirit, who have sowed to please the Spirit, and who have lived holy/dedicated lives toward God (Rom.
2:7, 10; 6:22; Gal.
6:7-9).
I say this, and I understand that this is a stretch for you.
When I was first exposed to this, I felt like it destroyed me.
But Galatians 6:7-9, in particular, is very clear:
7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. 8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.
9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.
Let's pick Paul back up in verse 25:
(25) Now, everyone competing, in all things exercises self-control--
on the one hand, those ones, in order that a perishable crown they shall receive,
on the other hand, we, an imperishable one.
(26) Therefore, I in this way run,
not in an uncertain/unclear manner.
In this way, I box,
not as the air beating,
but I strike my body, and I enslave it,
lest somehow, preaching to others, I should myself become disqualified/worthless/discarded.
What does Paul mean, when he worries about making sure that he doesn't become disqualified, or worthless, or discarded?
Why is he so ruthless toward his own body, to make sure this doesn't happen to him?
For most of us, there is no room in our theology for Paul's words here.
We resist this.
Paul is determined to live in a way, that he isn't disqualified for the prize-- after saving many others.
So he is ruthless toward himself-- he (metaphorically) beats his body.
He strikes it.
He enslaves it.
He practices self-control in all things.
Our bodies are like brute animals.
They have desires, and they don't particularly care how those desires are met.
Bodies want food.
Water.
Pleasure.
And Paul is ruthless toward his body.
He makes sure that he is the boss; he doesn't live as a slave to his body.
"Lest somehow, preaching to others, I should myself become disqualified."
I read this, personally, and I think it's obvious that Paul is talking about eternal life.
I don't think Paul is concerned about missing out on some type of extra reward or perk.
If you're disqualified for a race, you don't get anything.
There's no silver or bronze medal.
There's no participation award.
You get nothing.
If you're worthless or discarded, you end up at the dump.
Paul works very hard to make sure that at the end of the day, he is a partner in the blessings that the gospel offers.
But some of you are maybe not convinced.
You don't think you really need to be as ruthless toward your body as Paul was.
You aren't consumed by this desire to make sure you qualify for the prize.
Your real problem with what I've said, maybe, is that you don't think Paul is talking about eternal life here.
It's on this very point, that 1 Corinthians 10 develops.
Why is Paul so concerned about becoming disqualified?
Why does he work so hard to live in such a way that he doesn't become worthless and thrown away?
Let's start by reading verse 1-5:
(10:1) For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, that all of our fathers under the cloud they were,
and all through the sea passed,
and all into Moses were baptized in the cloud and in the sea,
(3) and all the same Spiritual food they ate,
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