The Sin of Comparing

The Damage of Comparing

1 Corinthians 9:1–12 NIV

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

Last week, Paul addressed an issue within the church, the use of Christian rights in face of a weaker brother or sister.

Here, Paul’s apostleship has been brought into question so Paul defends His apostleship.

V 1-6, Paul defends his apostleship to the church in Corinth through their own testimony. If he was not an apostle then should they not question their salvation since they were brought to faith through his ministry and teaching.

What was happening in the church was that as issues arose, there were disputes as to which authority that they should hold to. As truth sources were consulted as to the course of action and the right belief that the church should have, people began to jockey for position based on the comparison of their truth source to another. All this was leading to was the tearing down of the gospel because the comparison of man is flawed.

We find ourselves in broken cycles of disobedience and unsatisfaction as we give ourselves over to the sin of comparison. Why do I not have what others around me possess? Where is my joy in the midst of my circumstances? Comparison always leads our heart to believe that our hope and fulfillment can be found in material things or in the life of others and not in the Lord.

Furthermore, Paul calls out that their comparing was hindering their hearts from being molded and shaped by the gospel for their comparing was leading them away from the truth. They had moved toward discounting Paul’s teachings in favor of the teachings of others that had been deemed more truthful, because their words better supported their desired positions on specific subjects.

The Fulfillment of Surrender

1 Corinthians 9:12–18 NIV

If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

After Paul defends his rights as an apostle, specifically to collect a salary and to take a wife, Paul reminds the church that he chose to surrender both of these rights as he served among them. Paul saw these rights as his, but surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s leading to give up these rights for the sake of the furtherance of the gospel. He did not take a salary so that in a material driven culture like what was found in Corinth, Paul’s words could not be downplayed as merely the words of a man seeking to receive a paycheck.

Pau proclaims that his trust and surrender to the Lord Jesus provided for all of his needs as he served among them. Jesus gave him inroads to work among the Corinthians to pay his way. The Lord has made him whole so as to not need to take a wife. He preached the gospel free of charge as to remove that obstacle of belief.

Maturity in Christ is not about rising in the ranks or exercising greater freedoms as a result of your understanding. Maturity in Christ is seen in our surrender to Lord and our willingness to follow in His example. Paul saw all of his frights in Christ as rights that he was willing to give up for the sake the kingdom of heaven. Jesus saw all of His rights as being divine as something He was willing to give up for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Are you willing to follow in their example? What rights are you clinging to today and what rights are you willing to give up for the sake of the gospel?