1st Corinthians 9:1-18

1st Corinthians 9:1-18, “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.”

The Apostle Paul and his ministry companies were routinely struggling financially, yet they admirably prioritized preaching the Gospel more than receiving money. Paul addresses the believers at Corinth regarding the church's obligating to take care of the Apostle and his ministry friends.

Paul calls his right to expect wages from them “this power over you” (verse 12). Paul reminds them that others have benefitted from “this power” but says “we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ” (verse 12). What a godly Christian man! How many covetous believers today in ministries beg for donations? Nearly all of them sadly. I see umpteen professed Christians begging for donations on YouTube, parasiting off off Christianity. Most of them are woefully unlearned in the inspired Word of God, dangerous wannabe theologians (e.g., 'Renee Roland' and 'Jack Smack 77' YouTube channels). They both beg for money like greedy dogs! I've never asked nor taken a single penny for my 24 years of website ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ. A full reward awaits me in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21, 10:42; 1st Corinthians 3:7-8; Revelation 14:13).

Paul says in verse 14 that God has ordained for a godly man who preaches the Gospel to be able “to live” of the Gospel. No where does the Bible mention money. This passage doesn't justify living large, that is, a life of extravagance. It means that local churches should help provide sustenance for a legitimate preacher's basic needs to survive (if he faithfully preaches the Gospel). The laborer is worthy of his reward. 1st Corinthians 9:14, “For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?” Sadly, most pastors and their families today are merely in the ministry for the INCOME instead of the OUTCOME (Romans 16:17-18). I write to their shame!

In verse 16, Paul exclaims: “woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” God uses that exclamation mark, I didn't add it to Paul's statement. Woe unto every Christian who does not share the Gospel of free grace with lost sinners (Proverbs 11:30; Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 28:19-20). Most of all, woe unto shameful, lazy, carnal, incompetent, neo-evangelical pastors today who refuse to teach, encourage and lead God's flock to go soulwinning publicly from door-to-door (Acts 20:20). Do we really believe as God's children that lost sinners will burn in the fires and torments of Hell forever? I think most of us do not, considering that less than 1% of Baptist churches today have regularly scheduled public soulwinning. No wonder the churches are 90% empty! This is exactly what is wrong with Smyrna Baptist Church, Family Baptist Church and Fairfield Drive Baptist Church in Pensacola. They are spiritually dead churches! Moreover, all three cults are WRONG on repentance and therefore, the Gospel.

In verse 17, the Apostle Paul simply says that if he took the money for preaching the Gospel, he would have a reward. But Paul refused to take a penny for preaching the Gospel from the church at Corinth. Contrariwise, Paul says that if he was reluctant to preach the Gospel willingly, it was his duty as an Apostle to do so anyway. The Apostle says that “a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.” This simply means that God had given Paul the administration (responsibility) to preach the Gospel. It was his duty! 

That all being said, I loathe the doctrinal system called “dispensationalism.” There is no way to come up with the systematic fables of dispensationalism by rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Although Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1951) taught that dispensational teaching provides a mere overlay to help guide the Bible student and is not doctrine, I humbly disagree. I contend that dispensational teaching is absolutely doctrine, because it shapes (and in my opinion warps) the Bible student's mind and leads him astray from the truth.

Case in point is Pastor David Hoffman, a devout dispensationalists and follower of that nut Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1921-2016). In his 'The Hoffman Study Bible' commentary for 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, Pastor Hoffman errantly teaches insanely that there are SEVEN different gospels taught in God's Word. This is what dispensational doctrine does, it warps and rots your brain! Galatians 1:6-9 plainly declares that there has always been only ONE Gospel.

See also Acts 10:43, which says “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” This Scripture teaches the exact opposite of wacky dispensationalists like Peter S. Ruckman, William P. Grady and David A. Hoffman who all foolishly claim that people were saved under Mosaic law by performing WORKS. NO ONE has ever been saved by works (Romans 3:19-20).

And please examine Romans 4:4, which teaches that if salvation had (at any time in history) ever been by works, then God would have owed men salvation. Romans 4:4, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” Thus, salvation would have been by debt and not by grace, and we know this simply has never been the case. There is no such thing as a “dispensation of grace.” Salvation has always been by God's wondrous grace through faith in the promised Messiah. BEWARE of toxic dispensational teaching!

True Israel Will Be Restored At Jesus' Second Coming

Jeremiah 23:7-8, “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”

Although some Christians believe present-day Israel is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy to rebirth Israel, but I firmly don't. Present-day manmade Israel was created in May of 1948 by the ungodly United Nations (controlled by the Council On Foreign Relations).

Hosea 3:4-5 teaches that God won't restore the true nation of Israel until the Jews repent toward God. Of the seven million Jews inhabiting Israel today, only about 2% profess faith in Jesus (and that includes all the pseudo-Christian cults like Roman Catholicism and Mormons). 

Our text passage of Scripture from Jeremiah 23:7-8 teaches that when Jesus returns at His Second Coming, after the 7-year Tribulation, the LORD will return saved Jews to their own Promised Land.

Only born again Jews (those saved by God's grace) are members of the elect (i.e., the chosen). God's solemn promises in the inspired Holy Bible has always followed a line of faith, never works. This is why I don't believe in Replacement Theology, simply because there was never anything to replace. Replacement Theology is the false doctrine that the Church in these modern times replaces Old Testament Israel.

Consequently, we as believers are the chosen and no longer the Jews. However, if you understand the truth that God NEVER blessed Christ-disobedient Christ-rejecting Jews (Exodus 19:5-6), then you know that there was never anything to replace. That is, there was never a time in history when God blessed hellbound heathen Jews! The Lord's promises have always followed a line of faith among the Jews. Those who died in their sins without faith in the coming Messiah perished into Hell.

Praise God, there has always been a “remnant” of believing Jews...

Romans 11:5-6, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

God did not divorce Israel, they divorced Him (Isaiah 50:1)... 

Romans 11:20, “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.”

There is still hope for any living Jew to be saved, but it can only happen by faith alone in Jesus Christ...  

Romans 11:23, “And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.”

Any Jew or Gentile can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 29:12

Proverbs 29:12, “If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.”

If you know that your boss is doing things that are immoral, shady or illegal and you continue to voluntarily work for him, you are sanctioning his evil doing. Moreover, it is very likely that you will have to help cover for him, to partake of his evil deeds as his servant or employee.

The prophet Jeremiah said the people wickedly went along with the corruption. Jeremiah 5:31, “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” It matters not whether it be political, business or religious corruption, every individual will be held accountable by God someday in eternity for the things they supported (Romans 14:10-12; Proverbs 24:12; Matthew 12:36). Those saints who exposed evil will be commended and rewarded accordingly by God at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Psalms 94:16; Ephesians 5:11; Revelation 14:13).

Deuteronomy 22:5

Deuteronomy 22:5, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”

If you honestly interpret the inspired Word of God, then you know it is a sin for women to wear pants, miniskirts and Spandex, because such shameful behavior reveals the shape of a female's thighs and buttocks, tempting others to lust. ...

1st Peter 2:11-12, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

The Holy Bible calls the lusts of the flesh a “war against the soul.” It is utterly irresponsible for any pastor and his wife to defend women and girls wearing pants, when we are at spiritual war in the world today against lust due to technology (printers, magazines, internet). Did you know that Playboy magazine no longer publishes smutty images? The hell-bound company said there is so much free smut on the internet, that they cannot make money anymore selling images of naked women. That is so terrible!

When I was growing up in the 1970's as a boy, you couldn't see a naked woman anywhere except in a woman's clothing catalog (e.g., Sears Roebuck & Company, J.C. Penny), or in a smutty lewd magazine from a 7-11 type convenience store. When I was growing up we had Penthouse, Playboy, Star, Hustler, et cetera. I saw things I never should have seen as a boy, because of wicked adults who carelessly left such sinful immoral magazines laying around. Me and my curious friends found the dirty magazines and studied them. Oh sinner, don't you dare try to convince me that it is acceptable to the LORD for His redeemed daughters to wear pants!!! If you wear pants, Spandex or shorts in public as a female, YOU ARE HELPING THE DEVIL destroy American society today. You have blood on your hands!

In April of 2025, I and my wife actually heard wicked Pastor Brad Moffett at the Family Baptist Church in Pensacola, shamefully say that this Bible command in Deuteronomy 22:5 does not apply in the New Testament. Brad shamefully said Deuteronomy 22:5 does not apply to his pants-wearing wife. Kindly said, neither Brad (nor his arrogant verbally-abusive father Bobby Moffett) should be a pastor. They are ungodly incompetent clergy! They are wicked neo-evangelicals. Both of their ungodly wives wear their ungodly pants in their ungodly church, blaspheming the inspired Word of God. PAYDAY SOMEDAY!

Titus 2:5, “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Those two words “discreet” and “chaste” shout modesty. The word “discreet” means: “Marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint.” Shame on any professed Christian woman, especially pastor's wives, who wear their ungodly immodest pants in public. It is wickedness! Just because ungodly American women everywhere today no longer fear God—no longer esteem, value or practice modesty—doesn't mean that it is acceptable with God for a woman to wear men's clothing.

If you are hard-hearted so that you disagree with what I say, go watch the shameful music video “Dem Jeans” on YouTube by Chingy (and especially listen carefully to the raunchy lyrics), and if you can still tell me that there's nothing wrong with women wearing pants, then you've been inspired by demons! Get thee behind me, Satan!

Pastor Brad Moffett wickedly used the lame excuse that Jews were killed for eating lobster or lighting a fire on the Sabbath Day in the Old Testament, so in his wrong dismissive thinking it is okay for his rebellious wife to wear pants in public. IT IS WICKEDNESS!!! There is no debate or controversy if you are right with God and rightly interpret the inspired Holy Bible.

It didn't surprise me that Pastor Brad also doesn't think homosexuality should be a punishable crime today. He said in Romans chapter 1 that God gave the sodomites and lesbians over to their sins, to show grace, but the Lord didn't kill them. So, according to Brad homosexuals should be left alone to do their own thing. That is so foolish and reckless, mishandling the Word of Truth. God didn't kill murderers, kidnappers and rapists in the New Testament either, he entrusted the governmental powers to do uphold the law and morality in society. Romans 13:3b, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.”

I kindly rebuked Brad Moffett in his office for his woeful ignorance and arrogance as an incompetent neo-evangelical Baptist pastor. Who is Brad Moffett to sit in judgment of what is or is not a crime punishable by law? Brad agreed that murderers should be put to death. What about convicted pedophiles? How about kidnappers who sodomize and torture their poor victims? But when it comes to homosexuals, Brad thinks they should no be punished by the government. This is the type of insanity in our corrupt churches today.

Most people (sadly including pastors today) do not know the difference between moral laws versus ceremonial laws in the Old Testament. God's prohibition to eat lobster was a ceremonial law only for the Jews living in Palestine during the Old Testament. God's warning against women wearing men's clothing is a moral law applicable in every generation. Since the deadly sin of lust is always a temptation (1st Peter 2:11), it is ludicrous to teach that Deuteronomy 22:5 is not valid in these modern times.

Then Pastor Brad tried to use the fact of Scottish men wearing kilts to justify his wicked wife wearing her wicked sexy pants. No Sir, you are a wicked man and a fool for a pastor! Your ungodly immodest wife and mother are not right with God. Get the behind me, Satan!

Proverbs 28:16

Proverbs 28:16, “The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.”

Proverbs 28:16 is essentially saying that a leader who woefully lacks judgment, so that he oppresses the people to acquire their wealth, shoots himself in the foot. But a king who hates ill-gotten gain prolongs his days as king.

We see a perfect example of this Scripture passage violated when Solomon's son Rehoboam, after his father's death, oppressed the Jews financially (even worse than his father did to fund all his building projects), and 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel rebelled to journey north with Jeroboam instead. Thus, the northern kingdom of Israel was started.

A wise leader knows that the people won't tolerate financial tyranny. This is why Iran is collapsing right now, because the cost of food and other life's necessities have skyrocketed overnight by 100%, caused by their wicked leaders devaluing Iranian currency to boost the cost of oil to increase their own wealth. The afflicted Iranian people have had enough of the tyranny!

1st Corinthians 11:14-16

1st Corinthians 11:14-16, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”

I checked my 'The Strand Study Bible' and 'The Henry Morris Study Bible,' but neither of those authors comment concerning 1st Corinthians 11:16. Taken by itself this Scripture passage can be (and often is) misinterpreted to mean that these issues are not important in churches.  

The Apostle Paul is not saying that matters of women's head coverings, and the length of women's and men's hair, do not pertain to the churches. Quite the contrary, Paul is simply saying that this matter is settled in the churches. Christian men are to wear their hair short. Christian women are to wear their hair long. I really like BibleHub.com and use it often in my Bible study. I full agree with the following exegesis from 'The Pulpit Commentary'...

Pulpit Commentary - Verse 16. - But if any man seem to be contentious. St. Paul cuts the question short, as though impatient of any further discussion of a subject already settled by instinctive decorum and by the common sense of universal usage. "Seem to be contentious" is (like the Latin videtur) only a courteous way of saying "is contentious." If any of you wish to be disputatious and quarrelsome about this minor matter of ritual, I must content myself with saying that he must take his own course (for a similar use of the euphemistic "seem," see Philippians 3:4; Hebrews 4:1; James 1:26). We have no such custom. The emphatic "we" means the apostles and the leaders of the Church at Jerusalem and Antioch. Such custom. Not referring to "contentiousness," but to the women appearing with uncovered heads. Neither the Churches of God. If you Corinthians prefer these abnormal practices in spite of reason, common sense, and my arguments, you must stand alone in your innovations upon universal Christian practice. But catholic custom is against your "self opinionated particularism."

Also, I highly recommend Bible commentary on this passage by Pastor Charles J. Ellicott (1819-1905).

There is considerable debate today (as there was in Bible times as evidenced by Paul's addressing of contentious people in 1st Corinthians 11:16), over how long is “long” concerning a man's hair length. My humble opinion is that when a man's hair grows so long that he can be mistaken for a woman, it is too long and sinful. We know from 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 that “effeminate” men are sinning. For any honest Christian person, there is no debate concerning how long a man's hair should be. Shorter is always better.

Many of our nation's founding fathers adorned longer hair, but they still looked manly. Benjamin Franklin's hair was fairly long, but his bald head made it clear that he was a man. It is not my place to condemn anyone. If I see you in long hair as a man, I would never say anything to you, simply because it is not my place to judge. I have grown my hair longer decades ago, and I didn't feel like a rebel against God. I was just being an individual and I felt comfortable with longer hair. But I always looked like a man, my bald head made that abundantly clear. I think this is the crux of the matter, maintaining gender conformity.

I recently told me wife that my hair is getting long and I plan to cut it soon. (I'm waiting for some new blades for my Flowbee hair trimmer.) My wife kindly said that my hair is not long at all. So, long hair is a relative term that we ought not fuss and fight over in the churches. People just want to be loved.

Psalm 89:7

Psalm 89:7, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.”

All I ever hear from the Catholic Church is how great the Pope is, the “Holy Father.” But the inspired Holy Bible clearly warns us in Matthew 23:9 to call no earthly man our spiritual “Father,” for God alone is to be reverenced. I humbly believe that no minister should ever be referred to as “reverend,” because only God is worthy of reverence.