Becoming All Things

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

BECOMING ALL THINGS

1 Cor 9:19-23

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 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. 21 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. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

NIV

To become all things to all men seems a little contrary to being a Christian, at least from our modern-day concept of Christianity. It seems we withdraw from the world, shaking free from all its trappings, and the sinful behaviors the world so readily accepts. Why would we hang around a bunch of sinners, or become like them in order to reach them for Christ? Why would we want to hang around a group of Christians that are bound to all the rules and regulations of their making, or want to pretend to abide by their rules, in order to gain some of them to Christ? Why would we want to pal around with some weak Christians, well, maybe those are the same as the ones bound by their rules, weak and missing the fullness of Christ, just to bring them into the abundance of Christ? From what Paul is saying here, he did not actually become like them in all their behaviors and attitudes, but also he did not harass them about their practices or condemn them, holding to his own being, but appearing to be like their faith. With the Jews, he practices the law, the rites, the ceremonies, going to the temple or the synagogue. When he was with the gentiles, it is not that he worshipped their idols, but at the same time, he lived within their customs, their style of dress, even to some extent their beliefs regarding religion, at least not condemning them, so as to be able to talk freely and acceptable about Christ. This is why we cannot withdraw from any, so that we may bring them to the fullness of Christ. We have been called to go forth into the world, and that means go forth, not isolate ourselves, but go out into the world of all peoples, and live among them, accept them as a creation of God who may have gone a different way then we have, and travels a different road than the one we are on, but still, they need to see Jesus in all His fullness, in all his grace and mercy and love. This is to the Jew, or the Orthodox law-bound Christian, and to the Christian whose faith is weak and lives a crippled life, so to speak, and to the unbelievers who have yet to understand the joy of knowing Jesus. So in that sense we as we go, we need to be who we truly are, but live in such a manner we do not cause them guilt or shame for how they believe, being a friend, a companion, an example of the love of Christ, so as to show by our lives the Jesus we want them to know. So in that sense, we too should become all things to all men.