THE CREDO
“A Slave To All So That I May Win More”
Introduction
Sometimes mentioned as one of the basic “indispensables” of missionary qualifications is servanthood. The biblical texts cited to support this claim are 1 Cor. 9:19-23 and Phil. 2:7-9. However, these texts do not point to unbelievers as the objects of servanthood, and therefore do not apply to mission activity among the lost. The following essay will show that the apostle Paul’s comments in both letters were in fact describing his admonition to, and work of, servanthood among members of the church.
Jesus As Servant Of The Lord
Paul’s letter to all the saints at Philippi recounted certain aspects of Christ Jesus’ incarnation. Christ Jesus “. . . emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:7-9, New American Standard Bible—NASB, 1995). Paul admonished the Philippian saints to have a similar attitude as that exemplified by Jesus—an attitude of humility and concern for other believers, but not that of being a servant to humankind.
Although God had several servants, among whom were Abraham, Moses, and the nation Israel, Paul was clearly referring in his Philippian letter to Jesus as the Servant of the Lord (cf. Isa. 42:1). To suggest from the incarnation reference in Philippians that, during His earthly ministry, Jesus became the servant, or slave, to all people is probably extending His servanthood well beyond Paul’s intended meaning.
Some might argue that Jesus’ foot-washing example in the upper room showed He indeed became servant to the Satan-controlled unbeliever Judas (John 13:2-16). However, Jesus’ foot washing may be accurately described as a symbol of God’s forgiveness that led to salvation for the eleven, as well as a public demonstration of Jesus’ own personal forgiveness of Judas. In any case, after the foot washing, Jesus acknowledged that He was indeed Lord—not a bond-servant.
Four Kinds Of Believers Within the First-Century Church
The first-century church was comprised of at least four kinds of believers: one, Jews without any particular party affiliation; two, Pharisees or Law-keeping Jews; three, gentiles—both proselytes to Judaism as well as plain pagans; and four, Jews that had developed a conscience about indulging in some gentile practices. So Paul’s becoming a slave “to all” likely meant a slave “to all kinds of” believers that made up those four groups.
Typical examples from each group were: group one, Peter (Acts 10:9-16); two, John Mark (Col. 4:10-11); three, the proselyte Nicolas (Acts 6:5) and Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:7, 12); and four, the unnamed that Paul referred to in 1 Cor. 8:1-13 and Rom. 14:1-23.
The likelihood is quite strong that some among these four kinds did not fully comprehend God’s salvation. For example, some believing Pharisees believed the Law must be kept (Acts 15:5). Others, like “the weak” Paul mentioned in 1 Cor. 9:22, had already been identified by the apostle in 1 Cor. 8:11 as “. . . the brother (emphasis mine) for whose sake Christ died.” Obviously, the “weak” brother in 1 Cor. 8:11 is part of the same group of believers Paul works to win from wounded consciences in 1 Cor. 9:22. Such believers were all objects of Paul’s stated goal of ‘winning more’ in 1 Cor. 9:19-23.
The Word “Win”
The word “win” may be used in reference to both believers and nonbelievers. Jesus used the very word, applying it to a brother who obviously was a believer (Matt. 18:15). Since the weak in 1 Cor. 9:22 refers to the same weak brother in 1 Cor. 8:11, Paul also used the word “win,” as Jesus had, to refer to believers.
Winning More Vs. Saving Some
While one may concede that the word “win” can be applied to both believers and unbelievers, what about the word “save” that Paul used in the same context as becoming “all things to all men” (i.e., 1 Cor. 9:22)? One need only consult Paul’s letter to his child in the faith—Timothy—to discover that “save” may also apply to believers, like Timothy himself. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save (emphasis mine) both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16, author’s translation).
According to Paul, one already saved can also become saved. This reality is most pronounced among believers whose lives are dominated by the control of indwelling sin. The Pharisees who had believed, but were seeking righteousness by keeping the Law, are a prime example of believers that needed to be won, or saved. by accepting God’s salvation promise of liberty (cf. Acts 13:39). Paul may have become as one under the Law for the four men “zealous for the Law” (Acts 21:20-24) to “win those under the Law” (1 Cor. 9:20).
Paul As A Slave To All
The only place in the scriptures that the apostle mentioned becoming “a slave to all” was in 1 Cor. 9:19. The word for “slave” is the same word translated elsewhere in Pauline writings as “bond-servant.” In 2 Cor. 4:5, Paul stated that Timothy and he were “. . . your (emphasis mine) bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” The plural possessive pronoun, your, has as antecedent, “. . . the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia” (2 Cor. 1:1). Since Paul was addressing the same readers in both Corinthian letters, the probability is high that he was a servant to all kinds of believers in Corinth—and elsewhere as well, one might add. Therefore, Paul meant believers only when he said, “your bond-servants.” Consequently, Paul never intended his readers at Corinth to understand he had become a slave to unbelievers for the purpose of winning unbelievers to a saving faith in Christ.
Conclusion
A brief survey of the scriptures has clearly demonstrated that the doctrine espousing the believer’s need to become “. . . all things to all men (emphasis mine) . . .” (1 Cor. 9:22) is erroneous when believers are exhorted to become servants to unbelievers during missionary endeavors.
Fine delivery — this definitely hits home as a service to me.