WINNING CHRISTIAN
I CORINTHIANS 9:19-27
(December 1, 2019 – SUN a.m. – MBC baesa)

• The Champions are disciplined people. They focused extremely. This is true in the area of athletics, academics, and business and most especially in spiritual life of a believer.
• The Champions are very controlled, very consistent, intensely focused and highly disciplined about the things of God.
• Paul was not interested of only assurance of salvation but wanted to enter heaven having won all rewards and not only just finish the life but finish the Christian life having been a winner. Paul wants to be a winning Christian.
• The extremely disciplined Christian will certainly be rewarded in eternity.
• In contrast the Corinthians were totally undisciplined, very unruly, self-centered, worldly-minded and very carnal.
They were true believers but with a spiritual problem.

I- MOTIVATED TO BE SLAVE IN GAINING THE SOUL PERISHING – v. 19-22
1 Corinthians 9:19- 22 “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” 
• The key word is the word “gain” in KJV is translated “win” in NASB and ESV.
→ The word “gain” or “win” mentioned five times in verses 19, 20 and two times in verses 21, 22.
→ The Greek word “kerdeso” means to gain, acquire, win (over), avoid loss. (Strong’s)
→ The Greek word “kerdeso” means to win in the sense of winning something gainful or profitable (G. Abbott-Smith, Greek Lexicon, p. 245).
• Paul is living under self-controlled discipline life with a purpose he could win souls for Christ. A relationship with Jesus Christ is the most profitable thing one can have. Paul is living to win the lost and not to offend the lost.
• Paul made himself a slave to all men in order to win them to Christ although he was free from all men. – v.19
     A. PAUL BECAME LIKE A JEW THAT HE MIGHT GAIN THE JEWS – v. 20
1 Corinthians 9:20 “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;”
• When the Apostle Paul was with the Jew, he became like a Jew,
• Paul was very disciplined that he could relate to the Jews even in their ridiculous legal system.
→ There were times when Paul went to bizarre extremes, besides Paul observed the ordinances of the Jews.
→ In Acts 21:18-27, we can see Paul purified himself and shaved himself bald.
→ Paul accommodate himself to Jewish system of worship at times he went to synagogue.
     B. PAUL BECAME LIKE THE GENTILE THAT HE MIGHT GAIN THE GENTILE – v. 21
1 Corinthians 9:21 “To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.”
• When the Apostle Paul was with the gentile, he became like the gentile.
• Paul did as much as he can to fit in with sinful people by doing things that were not sinful in such a way he might win them to Christ provided he would never do sinful things.
     C. PAUL BECAME LIKE THE WEAK THAT HE MIGHT GAIN THE WEAK – v.22
1 Corinthians 9:22 “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.“
• When the Apostle Paul was with the weak, he became like the weak
• Although the word weak here in Greek is “asthenesin”, “asthenes”, “astheneis” mean literally not strong or literally weak physically and weak morally, infirm, sick, strenghtless. Undoubtedly, we can also consider the truth that weak Christians are those who lack knowledge (1 Corinthians 8:7-9). The weak that Paul is talking about are those who are doing things and thinking things that are not accurate in the Bible.

II- MOTIVATED TO BE PARTAKER FOR THE GOSPEL POWER – v. 23
1 Corinthians 9:23 “And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”
• The word “partaker” in Greek is “sunkoinonos” means partaker with, co-partner. It refers to joint participation.
• If a Christian who was witnessing or presenting the truth of God was fully undisciplined in his own life, he will lose all rewards.
• The Word powerfully changing lives, however anyone who preaches the Word and does not live what he preaches he will lose all rewards. If we live the Word that we preach, we share in all the Word accomplishes.

III- MOTIVATED TO BE REWARDED OF GOD’S ETERNAL PRIZE – v. 24-27
• The Apostle Paul interest is not just running the race but Paul is interested to winning the race.
     A. WINNING CHRISTIAN IS THE ONLY ONE WILL RECEIVE THE PRIZE – v. 24
1 Corinthians 9:24 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”
• Paul do not just going through life as a survivor but to be winner in running the race. Paul running the Christian life with the aim to be win. We are not content to just live daily but to live and do whatever God says in His Word.
→ Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
     B. WINNING CHRISTIAN HAVE SELF-CONTROLLED AND SELF-DISCIPLINED – v. 25
1 Corinthians 9:25 “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. “
• To be a winner athletes requires denying of self-freedom in order to win the event. All rewarded Christians in eternity were the one who have self-controlled and self-disciplined in the things of God while they were facing challenging, spiritual battle with Christian enemies while here on earth. The key is self-denial and willing to bear the cross and follow Jesus no matter what. We need not to please others and even ourselves. Paul said “I die daily” – 1 Corinthians 15:31
     C. WINNING CHRISTIAN IS FOCUSED ON THE ETERNAL PURPOSE – v. 26
1 Corinthians 9:26 “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: “
• Paul illustrates the runner without aim and boxer as beating the air. Paul do not want uncertainties in his life. Paul focused on his eternal purpose in the midst of distraction, discouragement in life.
• Paul is running the race to win. Paul said in Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
     D. LOSING CHRISTIANS ARE DISQUALIFIED– v.27
1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” KJV
1 Corinthians 9:27 “but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” NASB
• The word “castaway” in KJV is translated “disqualified” in NASB is in the Greek word “adokimos” means not standing the test, rejected, failing to pass the test, unapproved. By implication is worthless.
• The word “disqualified” signifies that all Christian and even Paul said that he was possible to lose rewards.
• The difference between the losing Christians and the winning Christians:
→ Losing Christians are slave to their body because their body tells their minds what to do.
→ Winning Christians are slave to their mind because their mind tells their body what to do.

Are you a winning Christian or a losing Christian?