|
Let's look
at the verses that have been so often quoted and referred
to when it comes to looking like the unsaved and the people
of the street. I 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. And unto 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; To them that are without law, as without
law, (being without law to God, but under the law to Christ,)
that I might gain them that are without law. 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."
In verse twenty Paul says to the Jews he became as a
Jew. There is an interesting point here, we know Paul
was a Jew, yet he says that he became as a Jew. I think
Paul was saying to us that he was no longer a Jew, and that
he did not become a Jew again, but rather became as a Jew.
Why would he say it like that? We know that Paul told
us in II Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore come out from
among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch
not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," So we know
that he came out from the Jews and would not go back. So
why did he say what he said the way he said it? I believe
that Paul was saying I became the Christian man that the Jews
thought I should be. He became their perception of a
Christian. I don't believe for a minute that Paul turned
around and became a Jew again. He was separate from
them. He would not again subject himself to the law
that kills. But he became the Christian that the Jews
expected him to be. I cannot for one minute believe
that if Paul were alive today that he would wear his pants
around his butt and let his underwear hang out. I cannot
believe for one minute believe that Paul would pierce, tattoo,
grow his hair long and hang out with druggies, gang bangers'
or the like. Paul was saying that he became the Christian
that the people expected him to be. Every unsaved person
has a certain idea about what a Christian is and should be.
We are expected by these people to be different. Unsaved
people know by instinct that Christians should be different.
They know that we are to be separate and different from
them. If we are just like them, where would be the attraction?
Paul was saying that if the biker or gang member has
a perception that we should wear a suite and tie then that
is what we need to do. If the unsaved believe that Christians
don't drink and smoke then we shouldn't drink or smoke.
If a long haired hippie believes that a Christian has short
hair and doesn't listen to rock and roll, then Paul would
have kept his hair short and turned off the rock and roll.
Whether their perception was right or wrong, as long as he
stayed within the law of Christ, he became to them what they
needed and expected a Christian to be. Why? So
that he might save some. Paul did not become a murderer
to save murderers. He did not become a gang bang rapper
to save rappers. He remained separate and became
to them their perception of what he should be, so that some
would be saved and he could teach them of God and Jesus Christ
in truth. Paul was not saying put on a thong bikini
or Speedo's and prance around the beach and expose yourself
so that the unsaved can see that you are no different than
them. He said, "I am made all things to all men that
I might by all means save some." Paul was saying to
us that we are to recognize where an unsaved person is and
approach them from that point, showing them that we understand
their point of view and where they are coming from. Yet
we ourselves remain separate and are Christ's. You see
Paul did not become weak to the weak he became as weak. He
did not become a Jew, he became as a Jew, and he did not live
without law among the lawless, but rather as without law.
After all you cannot convict a man under the Law of Moses
if he has never heard of Moses or the Law of Moses. Hopefully,
you get the point here.
|