9:1-2 Why was Paul vindicating his apostolic office here?
9:1-2 Why was Paul vindicating his apostolic office here?
This ties in with Paul's teaching in Ch 8 where he taught the principle of self-control concerning meat sacrificed to idols; how Christian love dictates that it must be avoided if eating it offends other Christians (CP 8:1-13).
In Ch 9 Paul illustrates how he applies this same principle of self-control in his own life as an apostle, but as is obvious in V3 there are some in the church who question his apostolic office (CP V3-14).
Paul had the same right as other apostles, including Christ's brothers and Peter, to marry (although as we learned in Ch 7 he chose to remain celibate), and to be supported financially by the church. He rightly argues that soldiers do not pay their own way in a war, and neither do owners of vineyards not partake of the fruit they grow.
He also argues that when God commanded Moses in the Old Testament not to prevent oxen from eating as they trod out the corn, he did not say it for the sake of the oxen, but for the sake of humans (CP V7-10 with Mt 10:9-10; Lu 10:7; Ga 6:6; He 7:1-11).
But it was more important to Paul to win souls to Christ than to exercise his rights to be financially supported by the church and hinder the gospel. His reward was preaching the gospel for free. No one could say that he was abusing his power in the gospel (CP 1Cor 9:15-18).
Paul lived free from all obligations to men, yet he served every man as if he were his personal slave. He did this to win them to Christ (CP V19-23 with 2Cor 4:5; Ga 5:13).
When Paul said he became all things to all men that he may win some to Christ, it was strictly within the bounds of God's word. He did not change scripture or compromise the truth.
For example we find how he "became a Jew to win the Jews" three times in the book of Acts (CP Ac 16:1-3; 18:18; 21:17-26).
Paul's main goal in life was not to exercise his rights, but to exercise self-discipline to win men to Christ (CP 1Cor 9:24-27 with V16 and Ro 1:14-16).