The Freedom of Slavery

One of issues always important for Christians to consider is the tension that exists between effectively witnessing to the pagan world around us, while not allowing that world to infiltrate the Gospel. It is crucial that we find ways to make the gospel relevant to those around us; but equally crucial that we don’t allow the culture to dictate values to the Gospel. 

In some ways, the bridge that spans the first century and the twenty-first century needs to be a one-way bridge. We strive to bring the gospel to our own culture, but carefully work to avoid allowing modern culture to infect that message before it gets here!

In some ways, this seems to be the issue at stake in I Corinthians 9:19-23. It is a great text that speaks to the heart of the apostle Paul and perhaps speaks with equal passion to the need you and I have to be sensitive to the cultural boundaries in which we live.

What initially catches my attention in this text is that Paul adamantly declares himself to be in a “state of being free” in reference “to all things.” Yet, in the spirit of being Christ to the world, he makes a volitional choice “to become a slave” to all. He emphatically adds “myself” to the sentence to remind us of his own need to make a decisive move in his life that has as its purpose “to win more.” 

The structure of this paragraph is such that it keeps the careful reader of the text focused on the idea of “in order that I might win more.” Six times he uses a Greek conjunction that most often denotes purpose – often translated in order that. The first five of those six phrases, the same verb is used – a verb whose basic meaning is “to win.” In the sixth phrase, which summarizes his point, he changes verbs from “to win” to the common New Testament verb for “to save.” 

In the final verse Paul speaks to motivation again – “for the sake of the gospel.” Then in a kind of “this is my heart” statement, he speaks of the joy of it all by saying “in order that (same conjunction!) I might become a participant in its blessings.” 

Structure is crucial. If you look at the beginning, he gives up “being free” and “makes himself a slave.” If you look at the end, it is that very willingness to become a slave for the sake of the gospel that gives him joy in life. That’s not exactly the normal idea our religious culture attaches to sacrifice –but it is Paul’s.

Between “the beginning” and “the end” – there is the litany of “I became” statements that speaks to the nature of what it means “to become a slave” and to the purpose of that “slavery” which is “to win some.” 

I’m wondering today . . . how can this text become my own testimony?