Ep 279 – 1 Corinthians 9

The Law of Christ. It almost sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn't it? And yet, as we unpack 1 Corinthians chapter nine, we're going to find that the law of Christ is exactly what Paul presents as the solution to a problem facing the believers in Corinth. They were obsessed with their rights and privileges as followers of Christ. They were demanding their own ways and defending their rights to do as they pleased. But in doing so, they were abusing one another and failing to exhibit the kind of love that Jesus modeled and that the gospel demands. Rather than loving one another, they were defending their rights. And Paul would use himself as an example of one who had determined to give up his rights for the sake of the gospel. He wasn't going to let his freedoms in Christ shackle another believer with unnecessary guilt and shame. He wasn't going to demand his own way and run the risk of tempting a brother or sister in Christ to wander from the way of Christ. The law of Christ is that of love. It is obedience to the command that we love one another as we have been loved by God through Christ. It is a law of sacrifice and selflessness. It is a law of otherness rather than self-centeredness. And yet, the law of Christ is not legalistic. It is not about demanding behavior that earns God's favor. It is about living as Christ lived and loving as He loved. It is about the blessedness that comes with giving rather than receiving.