“I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” vs23

We have the blessed privilege of sharing in the gospel blessing, which involves living our life to save others.

First, God promised that we’d see His face, and the pure heart serving Christ is the answer. Vs19, “Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.”

Once purified by faith with sincere motives - living no longer for self but the glory of the One who saved us - we see God as the Most Beautiful and Generous of Givers! His joy is real. His face is lovely, and His kindness is unimaginable.

I’m amazed by the giant steps that I’ve made in a short time: fear is gone, self-service is replaced, and we enter renewed strength. What God promised is real, but so few experience it, because we’re promoting our rights and living for our glory.

Satan has trapped us in the mindstate of “do for me,” theology, so that our prayers reek of self-will, and we try to use God to serve us [James 4:3-5]! We spend our lives asking God to bless, bless, bless, but we never want to suffer to make His name known. The Deceiver has blinded us to the joy of wholeheartedness, but Paul knew it!

People may say, “Oh, how he suffered,” but look at the wonderful time he had and how the Lord strengthened him. This is also for you.

Secondly, living for others is sacrificing for them. Vs20-22, “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.”

We who have gifts must yield ourselves to serve those who have not. We haven’t been blessed to be proud and short tempered, but to patiently labor in love.

Let us learn the lesson: Paul had more knowledge, so Paul must serve, giving up his rights, so that he’d have something greater, which is usefulness in God’s kingdom. I wish that others knew more of it, as I stick my toes in the water! Come on in. The water is great.

Thirdly, the salvation of others is the meaning of life now! Vs22-23, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.”

It is not house, car, or wife; it is not our jobs or our families! So many are wasting their lives praying for a small group of relatives, when the whole world is before them. You can pray for your husband, while praying for your neighbors too.

Someone said the Christian life is boring, and it is, if you are not walking by faith: It is rule keeping, which is lifeless! If you’re saved, you can’t serve the flesh like you want, and you have little joy in the Spirit.

Let go of the HALF LIFE, however, and you’ll experience something fulfilling! Your joy will be to the hilt, if you dwell in imputed righteousness and lean upon God’s Spirit. If your life is making Christ known, then every day is an adventure, because God is with you. Yes, you will suffer. Yes, they’ll call you crazy and overly zealous, but so what? Your joy is real.