1 Corinthians 9:7-15 Pay Your Soldiers
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: February 25, 2020 1 Corinthians 9:7-15
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.
(Understanding the Text) Paul now starts speaking of how ministers of the gospel should not have to earn money in some other way, but should be supported by the people that they minister to. It is important to remember why Paul is making this argument. He is trying to show the Corinthians that just because you have the right to do something, it doesn’t mean that it is right for you to do it in some situations. He is trying to show them that he practices what he preaches to them and that he has denied himself his own rights in order to give them his best.
Paul starts out with human logic. He speaks of other professions and how they receive benefit from their work. Soldiers, farmers, and sheepherders all receive benefits from the work that they have put in, or they receive pay in order to do the work they are asked to do. Then Paul demonstrates from the scriptures that his human logic is God’s logic. He mentions an ox being fed and points out that God cares about humans and would want the same charity for them. He speaks of the farmer gaining from his work. Later, he speaks of the priests and Levites eating food given to the temple. Then he says that Jesus Himself said that people who preach the gospel should get their living from their preaching.
Paul points out that others have this right from the Corinthians. It makes me wonder if the Corinthians had economically supported some people, such as Peter. Then Paul says that if others have the right to be supported economically by the Corinthians, he has even more right as the person who had first brought the gospel to them, yet he did not take advantage of that right. His reason? He was afraid that it would be a stumbling block for the Corinthians. He does not want anyone to reject the gospel of Jesus because they are cynical about the messenger. He is saying that He works full time and preaches full time so that people will know that the message is sincere and not an attempt to solicit money from them. Paul is telling them that he has the right to their financial support, but he does not want to use the right because it might hurt them in some way. His love for them and for Jesus means that he will not use his rights, even though there is nothing wrong with doing it.
“For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.” I don’t understand Paul’s point here. I think I might better understand it when I study the next verses tomorrow.
(Application) My application for myself is that I need to be careful of whether my intellectual knowledge of what is right lines up with the love that I should be using to apply that knowledge to others. I also am confused about bluntness versus subtlety. I feel bad when I am too blunt, but I don’t think bluntness is unloving in others, so I think maybe I am judging myself to strictly, but maybe not/
(Revelation of God / Prayer) Sometimes, we put obstacles in the way of the gospel of Christ. God could spread the gospel much more efficiently without us, yet He chooses to work hand-in-hand with us even though we are faulty and sinful. This is all part of His love for humans. Please help me to never put any obstacles in the way of the gospel