Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,641
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NASB1995)
There are many different interpretations of Paul’s words here, but we must be careful to guard against determining his meaning outside the context of his life and his testimony throughout his life as a follower and as a disciple and as an apostle of Jesus Christ, who penned a large part of our New Testament writings. For Paul did not make compromises with the world in order to win the world to Christ. He didn’t become more like them in order to win them to Christ, which is what is happening in our present day culture.
Paul was who he was in character, in thought, and in practice no matter who he was with or with whom he was speaking. The gospel message did not change regardless of who he was speaking to. And he set a godly example for all of us to follow, too, no matter who we are. For he was following the example of Jesus Christ who also did not become like the world in any respect in order to win the world to faith in the Lord. So, what was the meaning of Paul’s words then? He followed the example of Jesus.
So how did Jesus do what Paul suggested here as a way to win people to faith in Jesus Christ? He met people where they were. He didn’t become like them, but he related to them in ways they could connect, and that they could understand. So, to the fishermen he gave parables of fishermen, and to the farmers he gave parables of farmers, and to the landowners and the slaves of those landowners he gave parables about landowners and slaves. And this is the way in which he connected with them to share with them.
So Paul connected with the intellectuals on their level, because he could, because he was also a man of vast knowledge. Not all of us can do that. I cannot! And he related with the Jews in a way that he could reach them, and he communicated with the Gentiles in a way in which they would understand what he was talking about, and the same with the poor and the needy, etc. But in so doing he did not compromise truth or righteousness or change who he was in character and practice. He did not become like the world.
But I will admit here that there is one instance in which Paul did something that appeared to be out of character and contrary to what he was teaching in order to not offend certain people. See Acts 21:23-26. And this is a difficult one to explain for it does not seemingly fit with many of his teachings on how we are not under the Old Covenant ceremonial laws, and how he taught the Christians that they do not need to add on circumcision and ceremonial Mosaic laws on to their salvation, but they were to keep God’s moral laws.
[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]
So, I don’t know how to explain that one, but I do believe that Paul was consistent in character, in beliefs, and in practices, that he set the right example for us to follow, as followers of Jesus Christ, and that he lived what he preached. And he taught that we must come out of the world and to be separate, and we are not to be one with the world, and we are not to make compromises with the world in order to win the world. But we are to be holy in all that we are, and in all that we do, and we are not be like the world.
But we can relate to people where they are, based on our own life experiences and/or on what we know of their culture and their values, not to join in with them to become like them, but in order to reach them where they are. And a personal example of this is in how the Lord uses different methods of communication in the things that he has me write and post on the internet each day, because not everyone is the same, and not everyone connects in all the same ways to what they are reading or listening to.
So, the Lord has me writing relatively short devotions (4-8 minute reads), which are most all Bible studies. And he has had me write songs, which I am still posting. And he has me writing poems and memes (short devotions in one picture). And he has had me recording video talk devotionals (Bible studies). And he had me write two short testimonial books in which I share things about my own life, both bad and good, failures and successes. And this way I relate to different people in different ways without compromise.
So, if we examine Paul’s life, as a follower of Christ, based upon all his writings, with Romans 7 taught in the context of Romans 6 and Romans 8, and with 1 Corinthians 9 taught in the context of his testimony of his life as a follower of Christ, and in the context of his teachings, as a whole, with regard to how we are to live as followers of Christ, I believe that we will come to the conclusion that we should not follow the culture of the world, and we should not become like the world in order to win the world to faith in Jesus Christ. For we are to come out from the world and to be like Jesus.
[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
Songs in the Night
An Original Work / December 18, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84
Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.
I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!
Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.
I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!
Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.
Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!
All For the Sake of The Gospel
An Original Work / May 13, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
There are many different interpretations of Paul’s words here, but we must be careful to guard against determining his meaning outside the context of his life and his testimony throughout his life as a follower and as a disciple and as an apostle of Jesus Christ, who penned a large part of our New Testament writings. For Paul did not make compromises with the world in order to win the world to Christ. He didn’t become more like them in order to win them to Christ, which is what is happening in our present day culture.
Paul was who he was in character, in thought, and in practice no matter who he was with or with whom he was speaking. The gospel message did not change regardless of who he was speaking to. And he set a godly example for all of us to follow, too, no matter who we are. For he was following the example of Jesus Christ who also did not become like the world in any respect in order to win the world to faith in the Lord. So, what was the meaning of Paul’s words then? He followed the example of Jesus.
So how did Jesus do what Paul suggested here as a way to win people to faith in Jesus Christ? He met people where they were. He didn’t become like them, but he related to them in ways they could connect, and that they could understand. So, to the fishermen he gave parables of fishermen, and to the farmers he gave parables of farmers, and to the landowners and the slaves of those landowners he gave parables about landowners and slaves. And this is the way in which he connected with them to share with them.
So Paul connected with the intellectuals on their level, because he could, because he was also a man of vast knowledge. Not all of us can do that. I cannot! And he related with the Jews in a way that he could reach them, and he communicated with the Gentiles in a way in which they would understand what he was talking about, and the same with the poor and the needy, etc. But in so doing he did not compromise truth or righteousness or change who he was in character and practice. He did not become like the world.
But I will admit here that there is one instance in which Paul did something that appeared to be out of character and contrary to what he was teaching in order to not offend certain people. See Acts 21:23-26. And this is a difficult one to explain for it does not seemingly fit with many of his teachings on how we are not under the Old Covenant ceremonial laws, and how he taught the Christians that they do not need to add on circumcision and ceremonial Mosaic laws on to their salvation, but they were to keep God’s moral laws.
[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]
So, I don’t know how to explain that one, but I do believe that Paul was consistent in character, in beliefs, and in practices, that he set the right example for us to follow, as followers of Jesus Christ, and that he lived what he preached. And he taught that we must come out of the world and to be separate, and we are not to be one with the world, and we are not to make compromises with the world in order to win the world. But we are to be holy in all that we are, and in all that we do, and we are not be like the world.
But we can relate to people where they are, based on our own life experiences and/or on what we know of their culture and their values, not to join in with them to become like them, but in order to reach them where they are. And a personal example of this is in how the Lord uses different methods of communication in the things that he has me write and post on the internet each day, because not everyone is the same, and not everyone connects in all the same ways to what they are reading or listening to.
So, the Lord has me writing relatively short devotions (4-8 minute reads), which are most all Bible studies. And he has had me write songs, which I am still posting. And he has me writing poems and memes (short devotions in one picture). And he has had me recording video talk devotionals (Bible studies). And he had me write two short testimonial books in which I share things about my own life, both bad and good, failures and successes. And this way I relate to different people in different ways without compromise.
So, if we examine Paul’s life, as a follower of Christ, based upon all his writings, with Romans 7 taught in the context of Romans 6 and Romans 8, and with 1 Corinthians 9 taught in the context of his testimony of his life as a follower of Christ, and in the context of his teachings, as a whole, with regard to how we are to live as followers of Christ, I believe that we will come to the conclusion that we should not follow the culture of the world, and we should not become like the world in order to win the world to faith in Jesus Christ. For we are to come out from the world and to be like Jesus.
[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
Songs in the Night
An Original Work / December 18, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84
Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.
I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!
Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.
I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!
Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.
Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!
All For the Sake of The Gospel
An Original Work / May 13, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
