Finding Common Ground - I Corinthians 9:22-23

"Yes, I try to find commond ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings." In this chapter the Apostle Paul describes in various ways how those who work in the ministry of the gospel have the right to share in the blessings of the gospel. Paul used examples of other apostles who ministered among the Corinthians and brought their wives and lived and ate in the Corinthians' homes (vs. 5-6). He asked what soldier pays his own expenses (vs. 7). He pointed out how farmers and shepherds have the right to eat from their own produce (vs. 7). Even the law of Moses said not to muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain (vs. 9, Deuternonomy 25:4). These examples supported Paul’s point that he and other Christian workers had a right to be supported financially by those they served. However, Paul, sees loving others and extending God's grace to them as more important than his rights or privileges as a minister of the gospel. Real Christian love is always sacrificial, like Christ’s own love. Believers ought never to focus on what is best for themselves, but on what is best for others. Paul characterized this as finding common ground. Somebody once said you can never win anybody to Jesus that you don't first win to yourself. In other words, you must model the message. People must be able to see how the gospel works in your life before they believe it will work for them. So Paul does that by finding common ground where the people he is sharing the gospel with can relate to him and he to them. And Paul considers it his responsibility to find the common ground with them. So the point of Paul's argument is not that ministers of the gospel should not be paid, but that effectively preaching and teaching the gospel is the most important thing.