The Rights of an Apostle
(Deuteronomy 18:1–8)
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord? Act 9:171Co 3:61Co 9:191Ti 2:7Act 23:11Act 9:32Ti 1:11Gal 1:15-17 Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 2Co 12:122Co 3:1-3Jhn 6:27
This is my defense to those who scrutinize me: 1Co 14:372Co 10:7-82Co 12:16-192Co 13:102Co 13:32Co 13:52Ti 4:16Act 22:1 Have we no right to food and to drink? 1Th 2:62Th 3:8-9Luk 10:71Co 9:7-141Th 2:9Gal 6:6Mat 10:101Ti 5:17-18 Have we no right to take along a believing wife, 1 as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 2 Jhn 1:421Co 7:391Co 7:7Act 1:14Gal 1:19Heb 13:4Mat 8:141Co 1:12 Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living? 3 2Th 3:7-9Act 13:1-21Th 2:9Act 18:3Act 4:361Co 4:11-12Act 11:22Act 14:12
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk? Pro 27:18Deu 20:62Ti 2:3-41Co 3:6-81Ti 1:18Act 20:28Jer 23:2-3Pro 27:27
Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 1Co 14:341Co 7:401Th 2:131Th 4:8Isa 8:20Rom 3:31Rom 6:19 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” 4 Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Deu 25:41Ti 5:18Psa 104:27Jon 4:11Psa 145:15-16Deu 22:1-4Deu 5:14Luk 12:24-28 Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest. 2Ti 2:6Rom 15:4Rom 4:23-241Co 3:92Co 4:15Jhn 4:35-38Luk 17:7-8Mat 24:22
If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you? Rom 15:27Gal 6:62Co 11:15Mat 10:102Ki 5:13Mal 3:8-9 If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 1Co 9:151Co 9:182Co 11:121Th 2:6-92Co 11:7-101Co 9:21Co 4:11-121Co 4:14-15
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? Lev 6:26Num 18:8-20Num 5:9-101Co 10:181Sa 2:28Deu 18:1-5Deu 10:9Lev 6:16-18 In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. Mat 10:101Ti 5:17-181Co 9:4Gal 6:6Luk 10:7 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast. 1Th 2:92Th 3:81Co 9:122Co 11:9-12Act 18:3Act 20:24Act 20:341Co 4:12
Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! Rom 1:14Jer 20:9Col 4:17Luk 9:62Act 26:16-20Act 4:20Amo 3:8Act 9:15 If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility. Gal 2:71Co 3:81Ch 28:9Col 1:25Mat 10:411Ch 29:51Ch 29:91Co 3:14 What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it. 2Co 11:7-91Co 10:331Co 8:91Th 2:62Th 3:8-92Co 12:13-181Co 7:311Co 9:6-7
Paul the Servant to All
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. Gal 5:13Mat 18:151Co 10:33Jas 5:19-201Ti 4:16Mat 20:26-281Co 9:20-222Ti 2:10 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. Act 16:3Gal 5:18Act 21:20-26Act 17:2-3Act 18:18Gal 4:21Gal 4:5Rom 11:14 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. Rom 2:12Gal 3:2Rom 2:141Co 7:19-22Mat 5:17-20Gal 5:13-14Tit 2:2-121Th 4:1-2 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 1Co 10:33Rom 15:11Co 9:19Rom 11:14Gal 6:11Co 8:131Co 7:162Co 11:29
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. 2Ti 2:101Co 9:25-27Mrk 8:351Jn 1:3Gal 2:5Heb 3:142Co 2:41Co 9:12
Run Your Race to Win
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Php 3:14Heb 12:12Ti 4:7-8Rev 3:11Php 2:161Co 9:26Gal 5:7Jer 12:5 Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. 2Ti 2:5Rev 2:101Ti 6:122Ti 4:7-8Jas 1:12Rev 3:112Pe 1:61Pe 1:4 Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. 2Pe 1:102Ti 2:5Php 1:21Col 1:292Ti 1:12Luk 13:241Pe 5:1Eph 6:12 No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. Rom 8:131Co 9:25Col 3:52Co 13:5-61Pe 2:111Co 6:12-132Co 6:4-51Co 8:13