1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)

Monday, October 22, 2012

Sacrificing Freedom to Win for Christ


Acts 16:3
Paul wanted to take him along on the journey [speaking of Timothy], so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
 
 

Thoughts for Today:

We know from our previous passage that Timothy's mother was a Jew, yet his father was a Greek. This made Timothy a Jew by birth (as religious bloodlines follow the mother's side of the family). "So why does this matter," you might wonder. "Has Paul finally succumbed to the pressure of the circumcision crowd?" You probably remember from Acts 15 that Paul (and Barnabas) had gone up to Jerusalem to argue against circumcision. Why then, would Paul now be the one to circumcise Timothy?

I think the answer lies in Paul's own words from, Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Paul modeled this order every time he entered a new town by going first to the local synagogue to worship and teach before beginning his ministry to the Gentiles. If Timothy were to accompany him, then Timothy would need to be circumcised. Paul didn't want Timothy to be a stumbling block to the very people he hoped to win.

The more we examine Paul's later writings the more clarity we gain into Paul's motivation as seen in 1 Corinthians 9:19, "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." How many of us would give up our own personal freedom to win someone to Christ? Rather I see many Christian's fighting for their rights -- winning a battle, but losing the war.
 
 

Questions to Ponder:

Are you willing to give up your rights so you don't cause someone else to stumble? Are you like Timothy, willing to sacrifice in a real and tangible way (it doesn't get any more real than submitting to circumcision as an adult male) for the benefit of the ministry team you have joined? How much freedom will you give up to win for Christ? What are some possible rights that could cause another person to stumble? Would you be willing to give up any of these rights to prevent another person from stumbling or to win another person to Christ?

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