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1 Corinthians 9:
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without
law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might
win those who are without law.
To understand how Paul could be without law (anomos) while also under Law in Christ, we must consider the most basic level of lawlessness.
Paul most certainly does not mean that in order to minister the Gospel to evil men who are engaged in calculated acts of wickedness, he hung out with them and engaged in their lawless deeds.
Here then is the foundation for lawlessness:
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel;
everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
While man may find ways to accommodate this mentality, it must be
understood that this establishes a criteria for judgment.
Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the hearts.
To comprehend what Paul is teaching, we must consider the full
weight of his own testimony. This applies to all who would teach
by example, and sharing their experiences.
Firstly, the Lord has already informed us:
Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and
by your words you will be condemned.
As we all know, in order for others to receive our testimony, our activities must line up with the profession of our faith.
James 2:12 So speak and so do, as those who will be judged
by the law of liberty.
By frequently offering testimony to Christ in him, Paul is engaging the means by which we overcome, and receive a good report by faith.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Our testimony must be to the role of faith in our life, not to self-
justification by making a boast of keeping the law
Hebrews 11:2 For by it(faith) the elders obtained a good testimony.
By his testimony, Paul justifies his actions and his doctrine,
as he did before Agrippa.
Acts 26:
19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
As can be clearly seen, the notion that Paul did not preach the Gospel of repentance or works of righteousness is a total fiction.
“For though I am free from all”
The only way that Paul could make this statement was for his words
and actions to reflect his election in Christ.
As long as he was walking “in obedience to his heavenly vision”,
no one can condemn him as a lawbreaker. And yet he also reveals a standard that must be maintained for his testimony to be valid:
“I have made myself a servant to all”
The self-serving nature of many public ministries in our time invalidates the testimony of those who claim to be “servants of the Lord”.
Again, Paul’s testimony is consistent with this expectation.
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
From the beginning, the relationship between ministry
and personal wealth was in question.
2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
The sordid history of fallen ministries and ministers traces back to the lack of belief in this reality, that “we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”
Take heed to this simple admonition: God is watching you!
The apostle Paul did not attain these bold proclamations based on
his education in the Law. On the contrary, he claims:
2 Corinthians 1:9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.
The essential nature of a Christian walk is to have no confidence
in ourselves, our education or our lineage.
2 Corinthians 3:
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Paul fully elaborates on his relationship with his education in Torah.
Philippians 3:
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ,
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
The more one is completely “sold out” to ministry by the Spirit,
the more that ministry will receive the commendation of God and man.
2 Corinthians 4:
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
More than just personally blameless by the Law,
but blameless in the public ministry of the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 6:
3 We give no offense by anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God:
in much patience, in tribulations, in need, in distress…
We cannot commend ourselves with words, but by results!
2 Corinthians 10:18 For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
For this to be accomplished, the child of God must reckon themselves dead to the self, and alive in Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:
10 Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
We offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God, so that He will make us acceptable by what He has provided in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted
according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
The manifestation of this is a man who rejects the esteem of others,
to be justified by Christ alone.
Luke 16:15 And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.
For what is highly esteemed among men is an
abomination in the sight of God.
These concerns govern our actions on a daily basis.
Acts 24:16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
Note that much of this comes from 2 Corinthians, as Paul was answering a challenge to his apostolic authority, so that this epistle is rich in the personal testimony of his divine commendation.
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without
law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might
win those who are without law.
To understand how Paul could be without law (anomos) while also under Law in Christ, we must consider the most basic level of lawlessness.
Paul most certainly does not mean that in order to minister the Gospel to evil men who are engaged in calculated acts of wickedness, he hung out with them and engaged in their lawless deeds.
Here then is the foundation for lawlessness:
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel;
everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
While man may find ways to accommodate this mentality, it must be
understood that this establishes a criteria for judgment.
Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the hearts.
To comprehend what Paul is teaching, we must consider the full
weight of his own testimony. This applies to all who would teach
by example, and sharing their experiences.
Firstly, the Lord has already informed us:
Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and
by your words you will be condemned.
As we all know, in order for others to receive our testimony, our activities must line up with the profession of our faith.
James 2:12 So speak and so do, as those who will be judged
by the law of liberty.
By frequently offering testimony to Christ in him, Paul is engaging the means by which we overcome, and receive a good report by faith.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Our testimony must be to the role of faith in our life, not to self-
justification by making a boast of keeping the law
Hebrews 11:2 For by it(faith) the elders obtained a good testimony.
By his testimony, Paul justifies his actions and his doctrine,
as he did before Agrippa.
Acts 26:
19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
As can be clearly seen, the notion that Paul did not preach the Gospel of repentance or works of righteousness is a total fiction.
“For though I am free from all”
The only way that Paul could make this statement was for his words
and actions to reflect his election in Christ.
As long as he was walking “in obedience to his heavenly vision”,
no one can condemn him as a lawbreaker. And yet he also reveals a standard that must be maintained for his testimony to be valid:
“I have made myself a servant to all”
The self-serving nature of many public ministries in our time invalidates the testimony of those who claim to be “servants of the Lord”.
Again, Paul’s testimony is consistent with this expectation.
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
From the beginning, the relationship between ministry
and personal wealth was in question.
2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
The sordid history of fallen ministries and ministers traces back to the lack of belief in this reality, that “we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”
Take heed to this simple admonition: God is watching you!
The apostle Paul did not attain these bold proclamations based on
his education in the Law. On the contrary, he claims:
2 Corinthians 1:9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.
The essential nature of a Christian walk is to have no confidence
in ourselves, our education or our lineage.
2 Corinthians 3:
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Paul fully elaborates on his relationship with his education in Torah.
Philippians 3:
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ,
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
The more one is completely “sold out” to ministry by the Spirit,
the more that ministry will receive the commendation of God and man.
2 Corinthians 4:
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
More than just personally blameless by the Law,
but blameless in the public ministry of the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 6:
3 We give no offense by anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God:
in much patience, in tribulations, in need, in distress…
We cannot commend ourselves with words, but by results!
2 Corinthians 10:18 For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
For this to be accomplished, the child of God must reckon themselves dead to the self, and alive in Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:
10 Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
We offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God, so that He will make us acceptable by what He has provided in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted
according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
The manifestation of this is a man who rejects the esteem of others,
to be justified by Christ alone.
Luke 16:15 And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.
For what is highly esteemed among men is an
abomination in the sight of God.
These concerns govern our actions on a daily basis.
Acts 24:16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
Note that much of this comes from 2 Corinthians, as Paul was answering a challenge to his apostolic authority, so that this epistle is rich in the personal testimony of his divine commendation.
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