Christian liberty
I CORINTHIANS 9:1-27
I. Paul Establishes His Right To Receive Support A. Illustrations From Life
B. Illustrations From The Law
II. Paul Defends His Right To Renounce That Support A. We Lay Aside Some Rights For Jesus’ Sake
B. We Lay Aside Some Rights For The Sake Of Those Who Are Lost
C. We Lay Aside Some Rights For Our Own Sake
I want you to turn to I Corinthians chapter 9 tonight and we’re going to look at the ninth chapter of First Corinthians. While you’re turning I want to share with you a little story, it doesn’t have a thing in the world to do with this message but I thought it was cute. These three friends of a man, the friend said to them, he said, “Now listen, I don’t want my children to get any of my money so I’m going to divide my money among the three of you, and then when I die I want you to bring my money in an envelope and drop it in my grave so my children won’t get any of my money.” So they agreed to do that and sure enough the man died, and when he was buried they all three came with their envelopes and they dropped the money in. Sometime later the three friends were together and one of them said, “This has just been bothering me, it’s been bothering my conscience.” He said, “Really, I’m just going to have to tell you. I have been a little bit behind financially and I really needed a little money, so what I did was I held back a thousand dollars of our friend’s money and I put the rest of it in the grave with him.” So the second one said, “Well, now that you’ve confessed I’ve got a confession to make too. I’ve been in bad shape too and to be honest with you I held back half of the man’s money and I put only half of his money in the envelope and put it in the grave.” And the third guy said, “I’m disappointed in the two of you. I want you to know I wrote out a check for it all and put it in.” That doesn’t have anything in the world to do with this but I thought it was real cute. I’ve been thinking about that one all week. Some of them just kind of grab you and that one did.
Now in the eighth and the ninth chapters of First Corinthians the great theme here is the liberty we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to know as a believer in the Lord Jesus that if the Son therefore shall make you free you shall be free indeed. Christian liberty is one of the great truths of the life of a child of God. Jesus has set us free. He has set us free from the bondage of sin. We now have freedom, we are no longer under the bondage of the law, we are free to enjoy life to its fullest extent. But because we have freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ and because we know this, this does not mean that we are free to abuse that liberty in Jesus Christ and be detrimental in the lives of other people. So that’s really what he’s been talking about in the eighth chapter; he has pointed out that the knowledge of our freedom is to be balanced by our love for other people. So it’s very important to keep that balance.
Now you will know the measure of the maturity of a Christian by how he uses his liberty. You will know how mature a believer is by the way he handles the whole area of Christian liberty. So what Paul is going to do is draw an illustration from his own life to show us that Christian liberty must be balanced by love. Now Paul is going to show that he has the right as an apostle to receive financial, material support, but he is going to show us in a rather unusual and a rather remarkable way how that knowledge is to be balanced. So what we’re going to find is that this whole chapter really divides itself into two main divisions. First of all he defends his right to receive support, he defends his right to receive support. Now notice how the chapter begins. It starts with a series of questions and all of these questions have the answer, ”yes".
1. Am I not an apostle? (The answer is yes.) am I notfree? (The answer is yes.) have I not seen JesusChrist our Lord? (And the answer is yes, he did seethe living Lord on the Damascus road. And he says tothe Corinthians) are not you my work in the Lord?(And the answer is yes, because Paul went to Corinthand preached the gospel and led them to faith in theLord Jesus.)
So in verse 2 he says…
2. If I be not an apostle unto others (there were thosewho rejected his apostleship; he said), yet doubtlessI am to you: for the seal (that is, the proof, the guarantee) of mine apostleship are you in the Lord.
So Paul is establishing here the fact that he is indeed an apostle, that he has done the things that God required for an apostle to do. He has validated himself, he has credentials from heaven to be an apostle.
Having established his right to be an apostle he now says in verse 3…
3. Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
And I want you to underline the word “answer” or circle that word “answer” and really you might put in the margin of your Bible, “My verbal defense", it is a legal term, it is taken right out of the world of law. Because Paul, right here, is putting himself in the posture of a lawyer who is arguing his case, he is establishing his right as an apostle, as a minister of Jesus Christ, to receive financial, material support.
Now he’s going to give us a series of applications or a series of explanations, really, about his right. Look at verse 4: Have we not power...? Now every time you see the word “power” in this chapter keep in mind he’s saying, Don’t we have the right? He is not talking about physical power, he is not talking about strength, but he is talking about right, so he’s saying, Do we not have the right to eat and drink? And he’s talking there about being provided his material needs by those who’ve been blessed by him. And then he says in verse 5…
5. Do we not have power, or right, to lead about asister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as thebrethren of the Lord, and of Cephas?
And what he’s saying there is, If I wanted to I would have the right to have a wife. We do not know exactly why Paul did not have a wife, we do not know if he was a widower, we do not know what the circumstances were, but he’s simply saying, I have a right to, I have that freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he says in verse 6…
6. Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power (that is,the right) to forbear working?
Now what he doesn’t mean there is that he’s not establishing his right to be lazy but he is establishing his right to receive his full support from those who are blessed by his ministry. Now the Lord Jesus established this same right. In Luke chapter 10, verse 7, the Bible says the laborer is worthy of his hire. So like a lawyer Paul is laying down his right, his authority, as a minister of Jesus Christ to receive support.
Now in verse 7 he begins to give a series of
illustrations from life. Look at what he says. He says…
7. Who goes to warfare any time at his own charges? (Hetalks about a soldier; and of course we know when aman is in the Army, when a man is a soldier, whenhe’s in the military, then he is given G.I. wages, heis paid, he is provided for by the government. Andthen he says) who plants a vineyard, and eats not ofthe fruit thereof? (There he pictures himself as asower who has planted the seed, cultivated thevineyard. And now he says it is the right of theperson who has cultivated that vineyard to receivesome of the fruits, to benefit from some of thefruits. And then in the next statement he’s like ashepherd, he says) or who feeds the flock, and eatsnot of the milk of the flock?
He is establishing, with illustrations from life, his right to receive financial support.
And then in verse 8 he says…
8. Say I these things as a man? or says not the law thesame also?
Now what he’s going to do is to move from illustrations in life into the Old Testament law. Look at verse 9, he quotes from Deuteronomy 25:4, he says,
9. For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt notmuzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn.
And of course that was just a humanitarian, a humane, law that an ox who would plow would be allowed to eat some of the corn along the way. It would be cruel to an animal to muzzle that ox and not allow that ox to feed himself as it went along. But now Paul’s point is is that he’s not establishing just the right of an ox to eat. You know, oxen can’t read the Bible so that’s not the point at all. But look at verse 9, he says, Doth God take care for the oxen? And what he’s saying is, That’s not my point, that’s not my interest. And then he says…
10. Or says he it altogether for our sakes? (In otherwords he’s saying this is an illustration in theBible that is to be used in the work of the Lord.)For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he whoplows should plow in hope; and he who threshes inhope should be partaker of his hope.
11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it agreat thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Now what Paul is basically doing here is simply saying, If we have been a blessing to you spiritually, if we have ministered to your spiritual needs, then Paul says, I have a right as an apostle, I have a right as a minister of the gospel for you to provide material means.
But now I want you to notice what he does; Paul does a very startling thing. He has established his right to receive support as his freedom in the Lord Jesus but now, secondly, he defends his right to renounce that support for the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Now look at verse 12…
12. If others be partakers of this power (this right) over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power (this right); but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Now there is a background in the city of Corinth which you have to understand to really get into why Paul is doing this. Paul is not saying here that this is a pattern that everybody who preaches the gospel should follow, but Paul is just simply acknowledging a background, a situation, in the city of Corinth. You see, in those days Corinth was just filled with traveling teachers, they were just constantly coming in and out of that city, and every time when they came they came with their hands out, every time they came they came begging for money. So they had so discredited themselves and they had so placed their teaching ministry on a monetary, mercenary basis that anybody who would come to that city at that particular time and would do so seeking to get money, offerings from people, would discredit his message. So, you see, Paul understands that there are times when we must set aside our rights, there comes situations when we do not demand our rights.
Paul’s ultimate goal was to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, so he says in verse 14…
14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. ((That’s the right. But now look at verse 15.)
15. But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
What he’s simply saying is knowledge must be balanced by love, and our love for the gospel, and our love for others, and our desire to see others come to know the Lord must always be uppermost and we must be willing to deny ourselves certain rights in order that we hinder not those who need to know our Lord.
Now in the remaining verses of this chapter Paul is going to show why he laid aside an aspect of his Christian liberty in the city of Corinth. And it’s a tremendous lesson because what these verses now in the rest of the chapter are going to do, they are going to show us the importance of Christians being willing to deny themselves in order that others might come to know the Lord Jesus. So he defends his right to renounce support for three reasons.
First of all he says, I am going to do this for the Savior’s sake, I am going to do this for Jesus’ sake. Now look at what he says in verses 16 and following; he says…
16. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: (He said, I can’t brag about the fact that I’m a preacher because, he says): for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
So Paul is saying here, I want you to understand, I don’t have anything to brag about because I’m preaching the gospel. Paul is saying there’s just something here that God has put in my heart and I can’t help myself; woe is me, if I preach not the gospel. When I read that verse I think about what Jeremiah said in the Old Testament. Jeremiah is one of the most interesting people in all of the Bible and his book, his prophecy, in the Old Testament shows us the vicissitudes that the man of God sometimes goes through. There were times when Jeremiah was on the mountain, there were other times when Jeremiah was in the valley. In fact one time Jeremiah said, I would like to just get away from it all, he said, I’d just like to buy me a little motel somewhere on the side of the road. Now that’s the King Jerry version but that’s basically what he said, he said, I’d just like to get away from everything and just buy me a little motel somewhere and be over on the side of the road. And in Jeremiah chapter 20 and in verse 9 Jeremiah said, I made up my mind I would not make mention of His name. He said, I’m just not going to preach any more. And then Jeremiah said, But His Word was in my heart as a burning fire shutteth in my bones and I was weary of forbearing and could not stay. What he’s simply saying was, There’s a fire burning in my soul, I’ve got to preach the gospel of the Lord.
And I want to tell you, every truly God-called preacher understands that language. I want to tell you, I couldn’t quit preaching if I wanted to quit preaching. I’ll tell you, I have resigned a few times along the way, I’ve resigned a lot in Monday mornings, but I want to tell you what, along about Saturday I get rekindled again and I’m ready to go at it again and I’m ready to preach come Sunday. Because, you see, friends, if God has called you to do anything, if God’s called you to preach you can’t help but preach, if God’s called you to be a teacher you can’t help but be a teacher, if God’s called you to sing for His glory you can’t help but sing or play for His glory. When God lays His hand on you, dear friend, I want you to know it’s just like a burning fire in your bones. So he says in verse 17…
17. For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
He said it doesn’t matter whether I want to or don’t want to, I’m responsible unto God, I’m accountable unto God and God has given me this area of stewardship.
You see, friends, there’s some things that you can do that nobody else can do. There is a place that you are called upon to fill that nobody else can fill. Now you may not be able to preach like a Billy Graham but God didn’t call you to preach like Billy Graham, God called Billy Graham. You may not be able to sing like Sandi Patti but God didn’t call you to sing like Sandi Patti, God called her to sing like Sandi Patti. But God has a work for you to do, God has given you a responsibility and you are accountable to God that you fill that place God has given to you. Verse 18…
18. For what is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my rights in the gospel.
What he’s simply saying is, When I got to Corinth I laid aside all of these rights I’ve talked about in the previous verses, I laid aside my freedom as a believer to financial support because I didn’t want to hinder the gospel of my Savior. So, you see, there’s some things you lay aside for Jesus’ sake, there are some things you just don’t do because of your Savior, you don’t want to bring any reproach on the name of Jesus. You see, friend, you are the only Jesus a lot of people know. There are a lot of folks who’re not going to come into this building and there are a lot of folks who may never open a Bible and read about Jesus in the Bible and you’re all they’re ever going know about Jesus, and all they’ll ever understand about Jesus is what they see in your life. So, you see, you’ve got to lay aside some things for Jesus’ sake, you don’t want to be a poor reflection on the gospel of Jesus, you don’t want to give anybody that Jesus Christ is not as wonderful and as glorious and as magnificent as He really is. So we lay aside some rights for Jesus’s sake.
But then we lay aside some rights for the sake of those who are lost. Now I want you to follow this carefully here, this is really a magnificent passage to me. Look at verse 19…
19. For though I be free from all (see, he’s
establishing his freedom; though I be free from all) men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more (that I might win more people to Jesus).
Now what he’s saying is, I’m not in bondage to anybody, I have liberty, I have an integrity in the Lord, I belong to the Lord, I have a freedom in the Lord, nobody owns me. And yet, he says, I have made myself a servant (really the word “servant” means a bondslave, I have made myself a bondslave) to all that I might gain, that is, that I might win to Christ the more. His ultimate goal is to win as many people to Jesus as he possibly can.
Now of course that’s what our goal is as a church, that’s our priority. Dr. Lindsay preached this morning in the 10:45 service on our priority: it is the priority that God has given us in the Bible, it is the priority that Jesus has assigned to believers, it is our priority as a church, we have no choice about the matter, we don’t vote about the matter, it’s there, it’s an assignment for Jesus, it is the priority to win as many people as we can possibly win to Jesus in the city of Jacksonville. Now I do not believe that everybody in Jacksonville will be saved. I’ll show that to you in just a moment. I don’t believe that everybody in Jacksonville is going to come to know Jesus. I do not believe the Bible says we’re going to Christianize the city of Jacksonville but, you see, the Lord never commissioned us to Christianize Jacksonville, the Lord has commissioned us to evangelize Jacksonville. Now you see there’s a big difference right there. You’re not going to win everybody to Jesus, as we’ll see in a moment, but I’ll tell you what you can do, I’ll tell you what’s possible for us as a church to do: it is to give every unsaved person in this city an opportunity to be saved and come to know the Lord as their Savior. And I’ll tell you, our job isn’t over until the least and the last has heard about our wonderful Jesus. Our object is to gain the more, to win as many as we can possibly win.
Now watch it. Look at the way he does here. This is so fascinating. He says in verse 20…
20. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain (that I might win to Christ) the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain (win to Christ) them that are under the law;
21. To them that are without law (and that just simply means not without law of God, not that they’re not accountable, but it means they haven’t been brought up under the Old Testament law, they haven’t been brought up under the teachings of the law), that I might gain (win to Christ) them that are without law.
22. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain (win the lost) the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Now I want to tell you what, friends, that right there is an absolutely magnificent statement. It is a statement that every believer ought to make as his motto in his witnessing life. Now look at this. Paul said, When I’m around the Jews, he said, I’m a Jew; when I’m around those who’re under the law I’m like somebody under the law; he said, when I’m around those who’re not under the law I’m like somebody who’s not under the law. And somebody said, “Well, Brother Paul, aren’t you being inconsistent? Isn’t that inconsistency? Aren’t you kind of wishy-washy? You’re one way here and you’re another way here?” No, Paul is not being
inconsistent. What Paul is being is compassionate. Paul is just simply saying, I am willing to do whatever is necessary in order to identify with sinners, I am willing to identify myself with sinners.
Now, you know, the Lord Jesus did that. Jesus identified with sinners. Now Jesus was separate from sinners, Jesus was holy and harmless and separate from sinners the Bible says, and yet the Bible says He was a friend of sinners. You see, there is that careful balance that a believer has to maintain which we learn from our Lord. You see, Jesus never partook of their sins but I want to tell you what, friends, Jesus Christ identified with sinners. Do you remember when that woman came out of the city of Samaria and came to the well where Jesus was? And I’ll tell you she wasn’t very polite to Jesus either if you’ll read the story carefully. She was rather unkind to the Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ, sitting there at the well, the Bible said He was wearied from His journey, and she came down there and Jesus said, “Would you give me a drink of water?” And she just kind of really, if you want to know the truth, she acted ugly, she said, “Well how come you a Jew ask drink of me a woman of Samaria?” If it had been me I would have just pushed her in the well and gone on my way. But, you know, our Lord is not that way is He? Aren’t you glad Jesus doesn’t do it like we would do it? And Jesus said, “Oh, listen.” Jesus didn’t say you sorry, good-for-nothing, low-down woman, Jesus said, “If you just knew who was asking I’d give you a drink of water and you’d never get thirsty again.” And she said, “Give me this water that I’ll never get thirsty again.” You know what Jesus did? He identified with her right there at that well. He identified with her in her needs.
And then of course you know one night Nicodemus came. What did Jesus say to Nicodemus? You coward, you come here at night. No, no, Jesus said to Nicodemus, He said, “Nicodemus, I say unto you, You must be born again.” He identified with Nicodemus. Nicodemus had read that Old Testament, Nicodemus had read Ezekial where Ezekial said, A new heart will I give you, not a heart of stone but a heart of flesh. So, you see, Jesus met Nicodemus right where he was. You know, I’ve found that is extremely helpful when you go out there and try to lead people to the Lord. When I go into a home I do everything I can to identify with the people I’m trying to win. I try to relate myself to them sometimes. I sit there, I say, “Where you from?” Georgia. “Oh, I’m from Georgia. What part of Georgia?” “Oh yeah, I know that part of Georgia.” Or if they’re married, “Oh, yeah, I’m married too. You have any children?” “Oh yeah, I’ve got children too.” I try to just get as identified with them as I possibly can. You see, I’m trying to be all things to all men. My purpose, my goal is to win people to Christ. That’s why in our church here we have so many different ministries and every ministry in our church is designed and intended to help us become all things to all men, that we might reach out to as many as possible and get them to come to the Lord Jesus as their Savior. I’m made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Not going to save them all, not going to win them all, but I’ll tell you one thing, friend, if we’ll just be willing to deny ourselves a little and lay aside some of our own comforts and be willing to put down some of the things that are important to us and pay the price we can win a multitude of people to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, you see, there’s some things we lay aside for the sake of those who are lost.
But then there’s some things we lay aside, some liberties, some freedoms of ours, we lay aside for our own sake. Look at what he says in verse 24. He said…
24. Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize?
I have every confidence in my own mind that Paul was athletically inclined, that Paul had great interest in athletics. I believe that Paul attended many of the athletic games in those days, perhaps the Olympic games, almost certainly, in my mind, the Isthmian games Paul went to. I have a feeling if Paul were living today he would be very interested in sports. So he’s going to use some
illustrations from the world of athletics and the first one he uses is running and he says, Don’t you know that those who run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. Now there is a difference in the Christian race from a race in the world. In the world, in the world of athletics, when there is a race one person wins the race, but in the Christian race every believer can be a winner, every believer can win the race. Now his point here is the discipline and the self-denial that is necessary in order to be a winner for the Lord Jesus. Look at verse 25…
25. And every man who strives for the mastery is temperate in all things.
He exercises self-control in all things. That was certainly true in those days. Many of the athletes in those days would train themselves for the Olympic games, every four years those Olympic games, and you have probably seen specials on television, you’ve read articles about athletes who have trained themselves in gymnastics and have worked four years in order to compete in the Olympic games. And the self-denial and the dedication and the discipline of athletes in order to win, in order to excel is a remarkable thing. I think about some of our boys here, we’ve got some boys who play football here and some of them work out year round, and they run, and they lift weights, and they deny themselves certain things. Here’s one of our boys and he’s made up his mind he’s going to be a champion, he’s made up his mind he’s going to make All-State, he’s going to get a scholarship somewhere, so he’s pumping that iron and he’s running and pushing and pushing and pushing. Then one night he’s out with some of the kids and they say, “Hey, let’s stop in here and get a pizza.” And he’s a saved boy and he’s got freedom to get a pizza, he has that liberty in the Lord Jesus to get a pizza, he says, “Oh, no. I’ll sit down and I’ll have a Diet Coke with you and watch ya’ll enjoy that pizza.” Now why does he do that? Well, you see, he’s denying himself of something he could legitimately have because he is interested in getting something better, he is interested in getting a strong body, he is interested in being able to excel. You see, those who strive for the mastery are temperate in all things.
And then he says, Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown. In those days it was a laurel wreath. I mean, man, I guy would work four years, he’d deny himself, he’d train, he’d push himself to the limit, he’d hone his body until he became a sleek machine, and then he’d compete in the race and he’d hit the finish line and be number one and they’d put on his head a laurel wreath, and in a matter of days it had faded away. But he says we do it to obtain an incorruptible crown. Do you see his point? He is just taking from the world of athletics this whole matter of discipline, this whole matter of self-control, this whole matter of denial, and he’s simply saying to us that we ought to have that same kind of intensity in our life for the Lord Jesus, we ought to have that same kind of dedication to serve Christ. You know, it’s a shame, isn’t it? when Christian people are so flabby, and when they are so indulgent, and when they are so lackadaisical in their service for the Lord Jesus Christ. For a period of years I was the chaplain of a football team and I learned a great deal about the behind-the-scenes activities, and one of the things that has always impressed me about a winning football team is the tremendous organization. I was visiting over in Tallahassee the year before this and I saw how they had their training room, how everything was organized, and how everything was just like clockwork, I mean they were just totally organized. And when I look at all of that and then I look at the average church and how poorly organized it is, and how undisciplined a lot of the work of the Lord is, and how shoddy and shabby some of God’s work is, I want to tell you it shames those of us in the faith, it shames those of us in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to tell you what, God’s work is the most important work on the earth and we must never be satisfied with mediocrity, we must never be, it’s always got to be top-drawer if it’s for the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Sunday School ought to be the finest Sunday School in the world. I’ll tell you, our youth program ought to be the finest youth program in the world. Everything we do in our church ought to be the best and done to the honor and glory of God. There’s a price to pay, but I’ll tell you what, Jesus Christ deserves our very best. Running. Boy, I like it.
He not only talks about running, he talks about boxing. You didn’t know that was in the Bible did you? It is, yes, sir. It is. Look at verse 26, he says…
26. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; (and then he says) so fight I, not as one who beats the air:
What he’s saying is, I don’t shadow box. Now boxing. I know boxing is violent, and I know it’s bloody, and I know they probably ought not put it on T.V., but as long as they do I’m going to watch it. And old Paul says, I box, and he says, I’m not shadow boxing, I’m in a real war, I’m in a real fight. Hey, I’ve got news for you, friend, you’re in a real fight. If you think you’re shadow boxing you’ve got a real enemy and he is the devil. In fact you’ve got three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. And, friend, you’re not just shadow boxing, you’re in a real struggle against your enemies, it’s going to take every bit of the dedication, every bit of the self-denial, every bit of the discipline you’re able to muster if you’re going to be a winner for the Lord Jesus Christ, and there are some things you must lay aside if you’re going to excel for Jesus.
Now look at verse 27, he says, But I keep under my body (literally that word means, I cut under the eye, I hit under the eye, I beat myself black and blue; what he’s saying is, I get control of my body and I bring it into subject.) You see, you have to make a decision: either your body makes you its slave or you make your body your slave. Did you know that concept right there helped me to lost nine pounds one time? That concept right there. And another verse over in the book of Romans, where the Bible says we’re not debtors to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. The concept in the Bible is this: it is the concept that you, as a believer, can take control over your body and you do not have to be a slave to your body. Everything your body tells you to do you don’t have to do. My body just screams out to me sometimes and says, I need some chocolate! In fact it does it very often. And to be perfectly honest with you there are times I’m a slave to my body, I do what it says. Oh, I’m starving, I need it. But, you see, if you really, if you really are willing to be what God wants you to be then you discipline your life and you take control of your body and make your body your slave, not you a slave of your body.
Young people, there are normal drives and urges that are in your body but that does not mean that you are to fulfill those drives and those urges illegitimately, that does not mean you have to yield just because your body tells you to do that. Take control over your body. In the name of Jesus deny those urges until the time comes that God allows you to fulfill those urges in His perfect will in the beautiful, beautiful bonds of matrimony. So Paul says, I bring under my body, I keep it under my body, I bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Now he didn’t say a castout. You see, there’s a difference between being a castout and a castaway. You see, if you’re saved you’re not going to ever be a castout. In John chapter 6, verse 37, do you remember what Jesus said? Jesus said, Him that cometh unto me I will in now wise cast out.
I was preaching in a revival up in central Georgia when I was a student in college and there was a young man who had come forward seeking assurance for his salvation and I was counseling with him at the end of the service and he just wasn’t sure he was saved. And the Lord gave me that John 6:37 to use and I said to him, I said, “Now the Bible says Jesus says here, Him that cometh unto me.” I said, “Have you come to Jesus?” He said, “Well, Preacher, the best I now I have.” I said, “All right, him that cometh unto me, you’ve come to Jesus, Jesus says, I will in no wise cast out.” I said, “Now if you’ve come to Jesus Jesus said He wouldn’t do what?” “Well He said He wouldn’t cast me out.” I said, “All right, if Jesus won’t cast you out, what did He do? If He didn’t cast you out, what did He do?” He said, “Well He took me in.” I said, “Well where are you then? In or out?” He said, “I’m in.” I said, “Praise God. You’re in. See, that settles it. And He’s made a promise He’ll never cast you out.” See, there’s eternal security. Yes, sir. The Bible teaches, friend, that when you come to Jesus Christ He’ll never kick you out, you’re in the family, brother, you’re in the family. Now you may be a disobedient child, you may grieve the heavenly Father but you are in the family, He’ll never cast you out, you’ll never be a castout.
But now there’s a difference between being a castout and a castaway. You see, the word “castaway” here is the translation of a word that really means to be rejected after testing. A piece of metal had been put to the test and it didn’t pass the test so it was just cast away. It’s kind of like a pen that was given to me many years ago. Someone who meant a great deal to me gave me a pen and I used it for a period of time and then the pen began to leak and you couldn’t use it without it making a blot on your page, so you couldn’t write with the pen any more. So because of the attachment and the friendship that was involved in the pen I didn’t want to throw it away but I couldn’t use it any more. So you know what I did? I just took it and I just laid it aside in my desk. It was not a castout, it was a castaway. And did you know what? That happens with some of God’s people. You see, he’s not talking about your salvation now he’s talking about your service, he’s talking about your usefulness to the Lord. And, you see, somewhere along the way you didn’t pass the test, somewhere along the way you didn’t deny yourself, somewhere you allowed sin to come into your life and sin to get hold of you and you’re not a castout but now you’re a castaway, you’re on the shelf, God’s put you on the shelf, you’re a castaway.
Oh, dear friend, if you’re a castaway tonight I have good news for you, you can return to the Lord Jesus Christ and He can fix you up, He can correct what’s wrong with you and He can put you back into service again. Now maybe you’re lost tonight, you’ve never been saved, well, friend, I want to tell you if you’re lost tonight I want to tell you that Jesus laid aside His rights in order for you to be saved. Jesus Christ laid aside heaven, He laid aside the adoration of the angels in order to come to this old world and die on a cross for your sins. Jesus Christ laid aside a crown and took thorns in order to be your Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ laid aside the praises of heaven for the jeers of men in order that you might be saved. He laid aside all of His rights in order to make it possible for you to be saved.