Paul wrote to the church in Corinth a message that I believe should still resonate with us today.
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
This snippet was taken from a broader message that Paul was trying to convey. The Church was dealing with many troubles, including arguments over traditional doctrine rather than Biblical truth, that is, the message of Christ’s death and resurrection.
The Labour of the Gospel
The congregation at Corinth was concerned with upholding Paul’s rights as an apostle, something that had no place in the teaching of the Gospel.
Corinth’s gospel message centered around marriage and certain foods, and Paul wanted to address these issues within his letter. Though Paul himself didn’t believe that he should reap anything from his labor of spreading the Gospel, he compelled the church not to deprive those who do food and drink.
Yes, the Gospel is a free message, one that should be shared with all without desiring payment or reward. However, the labor of spreading the Gospel still requires support. Paul likened those who spread the Gospel to those who have a vineyard and eat its grapes.
This wasn’t merely Paul’s words, but rather words written in the Law of Moses, which was fulfilled on the cross. Paul quotes the Old Testament: Do not muzzle the ox while it is plowing.
The idea behind this law wasn’t simply about the ox, but rather the liberation in supporting those who spread the Gospel. God’s concern wasn’t with the oxen, but with human intentions and desires.
Preserving the Gospel
Through it all, Paul still writes that when we preach the Gospel, we ought to get rid of traditions, and rather become all things to all men to save some.
In this way, we put aside personal traditions and doctrines to uphold the law of Christ. The Gospel centers around Christ’s death and resurrection. His death is the sacrifice, the atonement of our sins, while His resurrection assures us that in Him, we will receive the gift of eternal life.
In Christ, we are free, no longer bound to the law, but we use this freedom to spread the message of the Gospel, to win souls.
In the End…
We put aside traditional doctrines in an effort to win the souls of those we intend to save. We reach them at their level, understand what they understand, so that we can preserve the message of the truth.
Our personal lives, our experiences, and our testimony are given to us so that we can bring more people to Christ. It is our humility and submission to the message of the Gospel that ultimately will propel the message forward.
Signed,
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The RAVYN Blog 
2 responses to “Spreading the Gospel Requires Humility”
So much wisdom in that last paragraph 💙🙏 Thanks for sharing 💜
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Thanks so much 😊😊
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