For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (17) For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. (18) What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. (19) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; (22) to the weak I become as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (23) Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a caretaker of it with you.

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today, we are told he did not preach from personal pride but under divine compulsion – Paul was God’s chosen instrument. Paul had no part in God’s call/sovereign choice. His reward was the privilege of preaching the gospel within the limits of God’s Word and his Christian conscience – he would become culturally and socially all things to all men when witnessing. He stooped to make the gospel clear at the lower level of comprehension within the bounds of God’s word. he would condescend in ways that could lead to salvation. He realized what it’s like to be fully delivered from the Mosaic law. In matters of indifference Paul was the most adaptable of men.

Paul had the right to be supported by the church but renounced this right. (Almost all the apostles were volunteers.) He is the supreme example of a person who was willing to sacrifice some privileges for others as our Lord’s own minister. It was important to Paul that he received no payment as a minister so there was no grounds of boasting for him. His preaching was a matter of obligation but doing it without remuneration was optional. His self denial and accommodation of himself to the weaknesses and prejudices of others was not confined to the point of which he had been speaking. Pauls motive was that he ‘might win the more’ meaning to win over more to the gospel. The weak were those who had no power to comprehend and appreciate the gospel. He was conciliatory to all classes and as to all matters of indifference that he might at all events save some.

Paul lived for the gospel and that meant to be a partaker of the gospel – partaker of its benefits which is the subject of the redemption which it announces. No one was more yielding in matters of indifference and no one was more unyielding in matters of principle than the apostle Paul.