First Corinthians 9 Part 1 Paul's Proof Of His Apostleship

While giving us the mind of God concerning meats offered to idols, Paul's posture was refusing to eat or drink or do anything that might make another Christian stumble.

Living for the glory of God and seeking to advance the gospel of Christ stirred Paul to live an exemplary life as an apostle and a Christian.

In this chapter Paul is going to show us what putting others first really looks like. He is going to testify about the selfless love of Christ and how this shaped what he did or did not do.

Paul raises four questions for the Corinthians to think about.

1 Corinthians 9:1  Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 

We must not lose sight of the reality that the Spirit of God is guiding Paul as he writes to each church. 

Though Paul bares his heart and shares his burdens with us, he did so because the Spirit of God seeks to teach us about true humility.

Paul begins by asking three rhetorical questions and each one requires an answer of "Yes."

It is evident that there are certain Corinthians that questioned the authority and apostleship of Paul. 

He walked among them very circumspectly so that they could find no basis for attacking his ministry.  

It appears that Paul had given them all his apostolical labors without seeking any help from the church to pay for his lodging, food and travel expenses. 

Paul's dramatic conversion to Jesus Christ the Lord. 

Acts 9:3-6  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4)  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5)  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6)  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 

Paul is an apostle called by Christ on the road to Damascus and commissioned by the Lord Himself. 

After the blinding light of Jesus Christ's glory stopped Paul in his tracks, he fell down before the God of creation. 

Jesus spoke directly to Paul and he responded by asking two questions that indicate his conversion.

Christ the King of Glory entered and changed Paul's heart forever!

Psalm 24:7-8  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8)  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 

Paul asked "Who art thou, Lord?" and Jesus revealed Himself. The Psalmist asked "Who is the King of Glory?" and the answer is the Lord Jesus Christ!

In Revelation 3:20 Jesus said that he stood at the door of our hearts and knocked and that He would enter in to all who opened that door. 

In this case, Jesus swiftly knocked down the door of Saul's heart and changed that man forever! 

Paul's second question was "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Jesus told him what to do and Paul obeyed.

Thus we see a response of faith followed by seeking the Lord's will and obedience. These are traits of true conversion to Christ. 

Paul was commissioned as an apostle by the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Acts 9:13-18  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14)  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15)  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16)  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17)  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18)  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 

Jesus sent a faithful Christian named Ananias to find Paul and restore his sight. 

In this narrative, Jesus commissioned Paul to take the gospel of Christ to Israel, to Gentiles and Kings. 

Jesus was going to teach Paul about suffering for the sake of the gospel of Christ, so that the apostle could be an example to us.

Thus, Paul could say with perfect confidence "Yes, I am an apostle commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ!"

Paul and all apostles were free to seek support from the churches.

1 Corinthians 9:1  Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 

The answer to Paul's second question is that he possessed all the rights and privileges of an apostle. 

He could have asked the churches to support his ministry, but he often worked with his own hands to support himself.

Paul often worked with his own hands as a tentmaker to supply his needs. 

Acts 20:32-36  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. 33)  I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34)  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. 35)  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 36)  And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. 

Paul was not willing to demand that which he had a right to expect from the churches, so that no man could accuse him of profiting from his office.

Paul labored to lead each church and each Christian to be well grounded upon the rock of the Word of God. 

The scriptures give us hope, reveal God to us and prepare us for ministry.

Paul spoke with the elders of Ephesus for the last time and he reminded them that he never sought to enrich himself from his position as an apostle of Jesus Christ. 

They knew that Paul had worked with his own hands to provide for his personal needs of food, clothing, shelter and travel expenses. 

Jesus taught Paul that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and the apostle lived out this truth. This was Paul's consistent pattern for gospel ministry. 

Jesus appeared to Paul on several different occasions, to encourage him. 

Acts 18:8-11  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 9)  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10)  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11)  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 

Yes, Paul did indeed see the Lord Jesus Christ on several occasions. We just read the account of his conversion to Christ near Damascus.

When Paul preached the gospel of Christ at Corinth, Jesus appeared to him and encouraged him to continue preaching because He had many souls to save in that corrupt city. 

Jesus promised to protect Paul from physical harm so Paul stayed almost two years in that place preaching the gospel and teaching new converts to Christ. 

Jesus appeared to Paul while his was in the temple (See Acts 22:17-21). Jesus also appeared to Paul when he was in prison (See Acts 23:11).

Jews and many Gentiles heard Paul preach the gospel and believed.

Acts 18:8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 

Paul's last question is "Are not ye my work in the Lord?" Luke's record of Paul's time in Corinth indicates that he enjoyed a very fruitful ministry. 

Many of the Jews responded to the gospel of Christ and were born again. 

In addition, many Gentiles at Corinth also heard the gospel, believed it and were baptized. 

Thus, Paul could also say that the evidence of his ministry's fruit from preaching the gospel is seen in the many converts to Christ at Corinth.

Converted souls at Corinth are proof of Paul's apostleship & ministry. 

1 Corinthians 9:2  If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 

Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that though he did not personally plant every church in every place, yet he did indeed, plant the church at Corinth.

The apostle shows that it was by the grace and influence of God alone that he was an apostle, and that the Corinthians were converted to Christianity.

A seal was an object engraved in metal or stone. A letter was officially stamped with this seal to prove the authenticity and authority of the sender. 

Such a seal also proved ownership much like ranchers who brand their cattle to prove their ownership of the cattle.

It is like a business that affixes an asset tag to physical assets such as tow motors, tools and machinery. It proves that these items are owned by the business.

The Holy Spirit indwells and seals us for the Father. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.  

The indwelling Spirit of God is the One who seals us as proof that we are bought with a price (the blood of Jesus) and now belong to God. 

We are no longer free to live as we choose to live. 

God purchased our body and gave us a new spirit and eternal life. We belong to Him. 

Our chief object in life as a Christian is to glorify God with our body and our spirit. 

In other words, all that we think about, speak about and do should be undertaken by thinking about how it will glorify God. 

If what we are thinking about, talking about or doing does not glorify Him, then we should not engage in it. (See also Ephesians 1:13-14).

Bob