Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Corinthians 9:15-18.

 

“¹⁵  But I have used none of these things.  And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case;  for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.

 

¹⁶  For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion;  for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

 

¹⁷  For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward;  but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

 

¹⁸  What then is my reward?  That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.”  1 Corinthians 9:15-18.

 

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Today’s Scripture follows Scripture where Paul taught about the right of Preachers “to get their living from the gospel”.  Now, Paul explains that he has “used none of these things”.  Paul was a tentmaker, and he supported himself through that work.  Acts 18:3.  “That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.”  Verse 18.

 

But, Paul did not want to boast, so he quickly adds:  “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion;  for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”  Verse 16.

 

Paul would not go to such length of teaching about the right of Preachers “to get their living from the gospel” if he was urging all Preachers to be like himself and support themselves through such “outside” work.  So, for this devotion, I think that we can gain more by focusing on the more general “compulsion” of Christian service that believers share with Paul. 

 

There is hope and comfort in such meditation of this “compulsion”.  Question and Answer 1 of The Heidelberg Catechism ends with this comfort and assurance that God:  “… makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.”    

 

We may not support ourselves like Paul.  We may not suffer like Paul.  But, Christ commands us and compels us:  “You follow Me!” 

 

We may be like Peter and wonder about the other disciples.  “So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”  Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?  You follow Me!”  John 21:21.

 

And so, we follow Christ. 

 

We take comfort in “compulsion” in the memory of Scripture that each of us have been given gifts and do different good works.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we wouldwalk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10. 

 

We take comfort in “compulsion” in the memory of Scripture that God works in us:  “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13. 

 

We take comfort in “compulsion” in that “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:10
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain;  but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

 

2 Corinthians 12:9
“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

 

Ephesians 3:7
“of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.”

 

Ephesians 4:7
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

 

1 Peter 4:10
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”