1 Corinthians 9 (7)

Pray Psalm 133.1, 3.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
…It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.

Sing Psalm 133.1, 3.
(Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara: Children of the Heavenly Father)
O behold, how sweet, how pleasant, when the brethren dwell together;
all in unity abiding find God’s blessing there presiding.

Review 1 Corinthians 9.1-27; meditate on verse 23.

Preparation
1. What did Paul want to partake of?

2. What did he want for the Corinthians?

Meditation
A primary theme running throughout 1 Corinthians is the importance of unity among believers. All believers are partakers or partners together in the Gospel. The Corinthians had not learned that priority and so had become divided, contentious, quarrelsome, susceptible to false teaching, and compromised with respect to sin. By insisting that the Corinthians must put aside their differences, look to Jesus, grow in grace, and live together in mutual edification and love, Paul was trying to set them back on a course of oneness in the Lord.

And the basis of that oneness must be the Gospel, the Good News that, by His death, resurrection, ascension, and reign, Jesus has received an eternal Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Seated at the right hand of God, Jesus is bestowing that Kingdom on all who believe in Him, that they may be one as citizens and ambassadors of His realm. The Corinthians must in all things seek the furtherance of the Gospel, both among themselves as a body of believers and in the surrounding world.

As partakers together in the Gospel the Corinthians needed to rediscover its benefits—forgiveness, new life in Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the mind of Christ, a calling to serve Him. Basking in the glory of the Gospel’s benefits they would gladly take up its obligations—to serve Jesus, love and edify one another, maintain purity within the Body of Christ, and bear powerful witness to the world. Thus they would rejoice in the hope of the Gospel, that soon Jesus, Who is even now preparing a place for us, would come again to take them unto Himself forever.

As partakers together in the Gospel, our focus and concern must always be to live out that Good News, individually and as congregations, keeping our eye on the prize of Jesus and serving Him and one another in all we do.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“I try to find common ground…
so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.
I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive
when I see them come to Christ” (1 Cor. 9.22, 23 TLB).

We are not only partners in the Gospel with Paul and with other believers, but we are also fellow workers with God (1 Cor. 3.9). And this is good and acceptable in His sight because He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2.3, 4).

Moses, the man of God, took his partnership with God, and his responsibilities and concern for those in his Personal Mission Field, very seriously. He was honest with the Israelites about their condition: “You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you” (Deut. 9.24). But Moses’ response to this truth? “Thus I prostrated myself before the LORD; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the LORD had said He would destroy you. Therefore I prayed to the LORD, and said: ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look on the stubbornness of this people, or on their wickedness or their sin…” (Deut. 9.25-27).

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You” (Ps. 86.5).

We have been redeemed through God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace, and now we want others to know and experience this same wonder: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5.8).

We are also charged with the responsibility to “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter” (Prov. 24.11)—those brothers and sisters in Christ who are not living according to God’s law—like the Corinthians Paul was writing to (1 Cor. 5.1-13).

The good news, in conjunction with the Gospel Good News, is this glorious life that we have been called to now, and the further joy of moving into our eternal heavenly home in the future.

Jesus promises His people: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14.2, 3).

And He also promises that now, in the present: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (Jn. 14.23). “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13.5; Deut. 31.6).

He will not leave us as orphans (Jn. 14.18) but will send us the Helper, the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14.26).

Partners with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
And Partners in the Gospel with not only the Triune God, but with all those who love and serve Him faithfully. What a blessed and great work we have been called to!

For reflection
1. How would you explain the benefits of the Gospel to an unsaved friend? Why should he want to be saved?

2. How can believers encourage one another in the hope we have in the Gospel?

3. What will you do today as part of your work in the Gospel?

Persons who share in [the blessings of] the gospel are those who cooperate in the salvation of those who hear. For the gospel is the power of God for salvation. They are the instruments through which God declares his power for delivering men and women. Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562), Commentary on 1 Corinthians 9.23

Pray Psalm 133.2, 3.
Pray that God will enrich fellowship in the Gospel among the members of your church, and among all the churches in your community.

Sing Psalm 133.2, 3.
(Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara: Children of the Heavenly Father)
Like the precious oil of blessing flowing down on Aaron’s vestment,
God’s anointing rests forever where His people dwell together.

Like the dew of Hermon’s fountain falling down on Zion’s mountain,
so the blessing of the Savior dwells where unity finds favor.

T. M. and Susie Moore 

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.