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!