The Quiet Glory of Forbearing: A Lesson from Paul’s Example

The Quiet Glory of Forbearing: A Lesson from Paul’s Example

In 1 Corinthians 9:4-18, Paul lays out a compelling doctrinal truth: those who labour in the gospel have a God-ordained right to receive material support. “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (v14). Yet Paul, though fully entitled to this provision, chooses to forbear it. Not out of pride. Not to prove a point. But to preserve the purity and power of the gospel’s witness.

This is not a command for all ministers to follow his exact path, but it is a lesson for every believer to consider the heart behind such a choice. Paul’s decision was not driven by fleshly effort or self-glory. He did not boast in his sacrifice, nor did he use it to elevate himself above others. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me” (v16). His motive was love. His reward was the privilege of preaching Christ without charge, that no earthly entanglement might hinder the gospel’s reach (v18).

A lesson for laymen

While you may not be called to full-time ministry, you are called to the same spirit of voluntary restraint when it serves the gospel. Whether in finances, relationships, or personal liberties, there may be times when choosing not to exercise a right becomes a quiet act of faith. Not to be seen. Not to be praised. But to protect the testimony of Christ and to walk in love toward others.

Paul’s Apostleship: Our Authority, Our Doctrine, Our Growth

Paul’s Apostleship: Our Authority, Our Doctrine, Our Growth

In 1 Corinthians 9:1-2, Paul opens with a series of rhetorical questions that gently affirm his God-given role and the spiritual fruit of his labour among the Corinthians:

“Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?”

Each question carries weight:

• “Am I not an apostle?” – Paul was sent by Christ with divine authority and purpose. His apostleship was not self-appointed, nor conferred by men, but established by the risen Lord.
• “Am I not free?” – He served voluntarily, not under compulsion or religious institution. His liberty in Christ allowed him to minister without earthly constraint.
• “Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” – This was a requirement for apostleship (Acts 1:21-22). Paul saw the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6), confirming his divine commissioning.
• “Are not ye my work in the Lord?” – The Corinthians themselves were living proof of his ministry. Their salvation and spiritual growth were the fruit of his labour in Christ.

He continues:

“If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 9:2)

Even if others questioned his apostleship, the Corinthians could not. They had personally benefited from his teaching, correction, and care. Their faith was the seal—the authenticating mark—of his apostleship. A seal confirms ownership, authority, and truth. Their transformation in Christ was the evidence that Paul was sent by God.

The Right Way to Learn Knowledge

The Right Way to Learn Knowledge

In the Christian life, it’s easy to think that once we’ve learned a few truths or understood a few doctrines, we’ve arrived at spiritual maturity. But the Bible warns us against that kind of thinking. True growth is not just about knowing facts—it’s about how we carry that knowledge, how we treat others, and whether our understanding leads to humility or pride. One verse that speaks directly to this is 1 Corinthians 8:2, which says, “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” This is not a harsh statement—it’s a loving correction from the apostle Paul, reminding us that knowledge without love and humility is incomplete.

The context of this verse is a discussion about eating meat that had been offered to idols. In Corinth, some believers knew that idols were nothing and that eating such meat was not sinful. They had the right doctrine, but they were using their liberty without thinking about how it affected weaker believers who didn’t yet understand these things. Paul begins the chapter by saying, “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” In other words, knowledge can make us proud, but love builds others up. Verse 2 follows this thought by showing that if someone thinks he knows something fully, he probably hasn’t yet learned how to handle that knowledge in the way God wants.

The lesson here is simple but important. God is not just interested in what we know—He cares about how we use that knowledge. If our understanding leads us to look down on others, or to act without care for their spiritual wellbeing, then we haven’t yet learned the truth properly. Paul is teaching that true knowledge must be joined with love, patience, and humility. In the dispensation of grace, we are called to walk in truth, but also to walk in charity. That means we must be careful not to let our liberty become a stumbling block for someone else. Even if we are right in doctrine, we can be wrong in attitude.

Let No Man Beguile You: A Warning Against Fleshly Spirituality

Let No Man Beguile You: A Warning Against Fleshly Spirituality

“Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head…” — Colossians 2:18

This verse is a warning from Paul to believers who were being influenced by people claiming to be deeply spiritual, but who were actually leading others away from Christ. Paul is not talking about losing salvation—our salvation is secure in Christ. He’s talking about losing reward: the eternal blessings and fruit that come from walking faithfully, growing spiritually, and staying connected to the truth.

Some people were presenting themselves as very humble and holy, even claiming to have special visions or experiences with angels. They looked spiritual, but their hearts were proud. They were puffed up by their own thoughts and feelings, not by the truth of God’s Word. Paul says they were “intruding” into things they hadn’t really seen—pretending to understand spiritual things that God hadn’t revealed to them. And worst of all, they were not “holding the Head”—they were not staying connected to Christ, who is the Head of the Body, the Church.

In simple terms, Paul is saying: don’t let anyone trick you into following a kind of religion that looks deep but is actually empty. Don’t be impressed by people who act humble but are really showing off. Don’t chase after visions, rituals, or spiritual experiences that take your eyes off Christ. These things might feel powerful, but they are fleshly—they come from human pride, not from God.

Rightly Dividing the Gospels: Why Jesus Came to Israel Alone

Rightly Dividing the Gospels: Why Jesus Came to Israel Alone

When Jesus sent forth the twelve, His words were unmistakably narrow in scope: “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5–6). Later, when pressed by the Canaanite woman, He declared with equal clarity, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). These statements are not incidental, nor are they to be softened by modern assumptions. They reveal the covenantal order of God’s plan, for Christ’s earthly ministry was directed exclusively to Israel. He came to confirm the promises made to the fathers, to fulfil the words of the prophets, and to call His people to repentance so that they might become the light through which the nations would be blessed.

The prophets had long foretold this order. Jeremiah 31:31 records God’s promise: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” The New Covenant was not made with Gentiles, but with Israel and Judah alone. Likewise, Isaiah 49:6 speaks of the Servant who would first raise up the tribes of Jacob and then be given “for a light to the Gentiles.” The divine pattern was always Israel first, then the nations through Israel’s rise. This is why Jesus confined His earthly mission to His own people, for only in this way could the Scriptures be fulfilled and the covenant promises confirmed.

Yet the story does not end there. John tells us, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). Israel rejected her Messiah, and in that rejection the prophetic program was interrupted. Paul explains in Romans 11:7–8 that “Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” In this blinding of Israel, God revealed a mystery hidden from ages past: that through the death and resurrection of Christ, salvation would now go directly to the Gentiles, apart from Israel’s covenants, through the preaching of Paul. To him was committed “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), a message of justification by faith alone, whereby Jew and Gentile are united in one new body outside of the prophetic program. As Paul declares in Romans 11:13, “I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.”

Thus, by right division we see the wisdom of God. Jesus’ earthly ministry was to Israel alone, in fulfilment of prophecy, but Israel’s rejection opened the door for the Gentiles to be saved by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ.

The Backlash of Clarity: Right Division Isn’t the Problem — Confusion Is

The Backlash of Clarity: Right Division Isn’t the Problem — Confusion Is

When you begin to speak about rightly dividing the word of truth, especially among sincere, well-meaning Christians, you quickly realise that the resistance isn’t always doctrinal—it’s often emotional, relational, and deeply ingrained. You’re not just introducing a new way of studying scripture; you’re challenging years of tradition, cherished assumptions, and spiritual habits that feel sacred. And while the truth of rightly dividing is clear, scriptural, and liberating, the path to sharing it is rarely smooth.

You might start with something simple—perhaps pointing out that Paul was given a unique apostleship, that his gospel was not taught by the twelve, and that the mystery revealed to him was kept hidden from ages past. But even this gentle nudge can stir discomfort. “We follow Jesus,” someone might say, with a tone that suggests you’ve somehow veered off course. And you’ll feel the weight of that statement, because it’s not just theological—it’s personal. Many believers have built their entire spiritual lives around the earthly ministry of Christ, clinging to His words in red as the highest authority, unaware that He now speaks from heaven through the apostle He appointed for this age of grace.

The moment you begin to separate Israel’s promises from the Body’s calling, the tension deepens. You’ll hear, “We’re spiritual Israel,” or “God’s promises to Israel are ours too,” and you’ll realise that the lines have been blurred for so long that clarity feels like division. But it’s not division—it’s precision. It’s the kind of clarity that Paul himself urged when he said we must rightly divide the word of truth, not blend it into a theological smoothie that tastes sweet but lacks substance. Yet for many, the idea that the Church is not Israel feels like a betrayal of the Old Testament’s richness, a denial of continuity, a loss of identity.