And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Doing all for the gospel's sake means adapting the approach to different people in order to win them and share in the gospel's blessings with them. Doing all for the gospel's sake brings comfort and joy that sustains a lifetime of faith and gospel work, meaning becoming a partaker of its blessings with others by working together with God in building character for time and eternity. Becoming all things to all men to by all means save some does not sacrifice one jot of principle, yield to human teachings, or agree with teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.
The verse calls for refusing to be led by the sophistry and maxims of men and refusing to let love wax cold even when iniquity and transgression advance. It means retaining all zeal, earnestness, and love while using the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove, a wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, with the fruit of righteousness sown in peace. It means expressing faith skillfully so as not to needlessly arouse prejudice at once, holding back features of faith that would immediately offend, rather than handling the Word abruptly and unskillfully, in order to lay a foundation for fuller teaching.
To Jews it means being as zealous as any for allegiance to the law of God, showing perfect familiarity with the Old Testament Scriptures, dwelling on the types and shadows that typified Christ, exalting Christ and His special work for humanity, and opening precious new light on prophecies without offending, so that when spirits soften Jesus can be presented as made flesh dwelling among us, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In new fields among those unacquainted with the faith, it means not presenting the Sabbath or other testing truth or anything definite on the law at first, but preaching Christ as the only hope of salvation, dwelling first on subjects that arouse the conscience, practical godliness, devotion and piety, and the self-denying, self-sacrificing life of Jesus as the example.
Only after hearts are warmed by Christ as the gift of God and the costly sacrifice manifesting the love of God who spared not His own Son but delivered Him up, and people see the contrast with their self-indulgent lives and become dissatisfied and ask why such an immense sacrifice was required, are prophecies presented and the purity and binding claims of the law of God shown as the test of obedience, going back to the types and through the Old Testament to reveal Christ in the law until they are converted to Christ and to the law, which has not lost one jot or tittle of force but remains binding on every soul to the end of time. This cautious course need not be pursued where a community is already acquainted with the faith, but in every case the work is by personal labor to come close to hearts, never running down the churches or giving the idea that the work is to tear down, but to build up and present the truth as it is in Jesus, dwelling much on the necessity of vital godliness. Partaking of the gospel with others calls believers to arise in the strength of God and work with the Master in fitting and building body and mind, removing what weakens any organ, improving every capability by clinging to Christ for living, healing, strengthening grace, to glorify God and magnify His name, trusting Him to supply strength for continued service and to keep the soul committed to Him as a faithful Creator.
Doing all for the gospel's sake means adapting the approach to different people in order to win them and share in the gospel's blessings with them. Doing all for the gospel's sake brings comfort and joy that sustains a lifetime of faith and gospel work, meaning becoming a partaker of its blessings with others by working together with God in building character for time and eternity. Becoming all things to all men to by all means save some does not sacrifice one jot of principle, yield to human teachings, or agree with teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.
The verse calls for refusing to be led by the sophistry and maxims of men and refusing to let love wax cold even when iniquity and transgression advance. It means retaining all zeal, earnestness, and love while using the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove, a wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, with the fruit of righteousness sown in peace. It means expressing faith skillfully so as not to needlessly arouse prejudice at once, holding back features of faith that would immediately offend, rather than handling the Word abruptly and unskillfully, in order to lay a foundation for fuller teaching.
To Jews it means being as zealous as any for allegiance to the law of God, showing perfect familiarity with the Old Testament Scriptures, dwelling on the types and shadows that typified Christ, exalting Christ and His special work for humanity, and opening precious new light on prophecies without offending, so that when spirits soften Jesus can be presented as made flesh dwelling among us, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In new fields among those unacquainted with the faith, it means not presenting the Sabbath or other testing truth or anything definite on the law at first, but preaching Christ as the only hope of salvation, dwelling first on subjects that arouse the conscience, practical godliness, devotion and piety, and the self-denying, self-sacrificing life of Jesus as the example.
Only after hearts are warmed by Christ as the gift of God and the costly sacrifice manifesting the love of God who spared not His own Son but delivered Him up, and people see the contrast with their self-indulgent lives and become dissatisfied and ask why such an immense sacrifice was required, are prophecies presented and the purity and binding claims of the law of God shown as the test of obedience, going back to the types and through the Old Testament to reveal Christ in the law until they are converted to Christ and to the law, which has not lost one jot or tittle of force but remains binding on every soul to the end of time. This cautious course need not be pursued where a community is already acquainted with the faith, but in every case the work is by personal labor to come close to hearts, never running down the churches or giving the idea that the work is to tear down, but to build up and present the truth as it is in Jesus, dwelling much on the necessity of vital godliness. Partaking of the gospel with others calls believers to arise in the strength of God and work with the Master in fitting and building body and mind, removing what weakens any organ, improving every capability by clinging to Christ for living, healing, strengthening grace, to glorify God and magnify His name, trusting Him to supply strength for continued service and to keep the soul committed to Him as a faithful Creator.