When Do We Give Up Our Rights? (Part 2)

Bill of Rights

We know we have rights because as Americans this concept is taught to us since we were kids in school.  But is there a time when we might give up these rights?  When should these rights be put aside? When might we, as Christians, give up our rights? To discover the answer to this question, we are going to look at the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians.  In chapter 8 of this letter, Paul has just told them that they should give up their freedoms when they might cause another believer to sin.  But in the next chapter his mind focuses on giving up rights for another purpose.  So when we look at this passage, we’ll first see that Paul has some rights.  Then we’ll see when he gave up these rights.  And finally we’ll see when we might give up our rights. 

So first, let’s look at the rights Paul claims to have.  The two things Paul declares that he has a right to are one: to take a believing wife with him and two: to be materially support by the churches he ministers.  He has a right to travel with whom he wants and a right to be provided for.  And in this section Paul will give an elaborate defense for why he should be paid as a minister.  Look at 1 Corinthians 9:1-14. 

He says, “Am I not free?  Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?  Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?  Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you!  For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.  Don’t we have the right to food and drink?  Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?  Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?”

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?  Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes?  Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?  Do I say this merely from a human point of view?  Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?  For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle and ox while it is treading out the grain.’  Is it about oxen that God is concerned?  Surely he says this for us doesn’t he?  Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.  If we sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?  If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?”  Then skip to verse 13, “Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?  In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.”

In this passage, Paul has asked a series of rhetorical questions that are implying certain answers.  Yes, he has the right to food and drink.  Yes, he can take a believing wife with him.  No, he and Barnabas shouldn’t have to work to support themselves in their ministries.  Yes, he has the right to be supported by them.  Basically, Paul says that if he wanted to, he could exercise these rights.  In fact, that is why Paul goes on in verses 7-14 to defend his rights.

Look at his defense briefly.  He says it is logical for a person to be paid for their work.  Look at the soldier, or the farmer, or the herder.  The Law of God also supports that a person be paid for their work. Temple workers get paid.  Paul says that just like pagan temple workers get paid, the Lord commands those who preach the Gospel to be paid.   Everything points to the fact that Paul has a right to be paid for his work.  So what I want you to see is that Paul in the first part of chapter 9 is saying I have rights.  These rights are a given.  They are irrefutable.  

When Did Paul Give Up These Rights?

But the question is, was there ever a time when Paul felt he should give up these rights?  Was there ever a time when his rights were put to the side for something greater?  When did Paul give up his rights?  Paul gave up his rights when they hindered the Gospel.  He sacrificed his rights as a person to save the souls of the lost.  When Paul’s rights hindered the Gospel, he willingly gave up those rights so that nothing stood between the Gospel and the person he was talking to.

            Look at 1 Corinthians 9:12 and we will pick up in the second part of the verse.  1 Corinthians 9:12, second part of the verse and we will pick up where Paul says, “But we did not use this right.  On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.”  Jump down to verse 15, he says, “But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me.  I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.”

So Paul is saying after his elaborate defense to be supported by the church he served that he did not use this right.  He put this right to the side so that the Gospel would not be hindered.

            Now, his reasons for doing this may have been complex.  Paul may have refused support while with the churches he ministered because he did not want people thinking he was a prophet for hire.  He didn’t want people thinking that he preached and taught for money.  During this time, philosopher would stand in the market place and sell their wisdom to those who would buy it.  But Paul did not want to be associated with this crowd.  He therefore gave up his right to be supported as a minister so that the Gospel would not be hinder.  Preaching about Christ was more important than enacting his rights.

What Does This Mean For Us?

            Therefore, there might be times where we will give up our rights so that the Gospel is not hindered.  Let’s see how we might do this.  Let’s see how we can put this principle into action.  We might have to give up our right to be paid like Paul so that the Gospel is not hindered.  Many people go on missionary trips and don’t get paid for the work they do.  Do they have a “right” to be paid?  Why yes, they do.  But we don’t push the issue because we don’t want the people where helping to think we want their money.  So we volunteer, we give up our right to be paid so the Gospel is not hindered.  We might go down to Mexico, build some houses, shared the Gospel, all without pay.  Why?  So the Gospel is not hindered. 

            But there are many other areas where we might give up our rights so the Gospel is not hindered.  Let’s look at a few.

            First, let’s look at our right to free speech.  When might we give up our right to free speech so the Gospel is not hindered.  Let’s say you’re at school and some homosexual students are actively talking about their lifestyle and they are condeeming narrow minded Christians for their view.  You have the right to go up to them and tell them their wrong that they are disgusting pigs that will burn in hell.  But if this is all you say, you’ve hindered the gospel with your right to free speech.  Instead, it would be smarter to wait for a time to bring up the issue in a gentle way to that they understand why they are sinning and why they need a Savior.   

You may also give up your right to privacy.  Perhaps you’ve had similar experiences like me with Jehovah Witnesses or Mormons or people coming by you house selling magazines for some scholarships.  Or maybe you’ve had a telemarketer call your house at 6 o’clock when your having dinner.  And when we encounter these people, we get mad don’t we?  We say in a way, “How dare you invade my privacy!”  But think about this.  People are coming to you and they want to talk.  People are calling you and they want to tell you something.  This is a great opportunity to share the Gospel.  One of my friends who is a Christian say his favorite holiday is Halloween.  Why?  Because lots of people come to him knocking on his door.  The mission field is coming to our doorstep.  Why not give them a gospel track.  Look, this is a great opportunity to share the Gospel.  When those door-to-door sales people come or telemarketer calls, give up you right to privacy, don’t slam the door or hang up the phone.  Instead, listen to what they have to say and then give them a gospel track and share the Gospel.  You could even say, “Hey listen, I’ll hear what you have to say if afterwards you listen to what I have to say.”  What’s the worst that can happen?  They leave or hang up on you.  So give up you right to privacy so that the Gospel is not hindered.  Don’t let your desire for privacy stop you from sharing the Gospel.

Or for those of you into dying your hair, piercing body parts, getting tattoos, have you ever thought about this?  We have a right to do with our body what we want.  And dying your hair or piercing your ears is not a sin.  But one thing we want to watch out is guilt by association.  The world looks at Christians and hold us to a different standard.  But let’s say you dye your hair red.  Usually people see this person as a punk who’s into drugs.  Now clearly you have a right to dye your hair red.  But what if this inhibited you from sharing the Gospel?  What if this made people not trust you and think you’re just a hypocritical Christian?  Would you give up you right to the freedom of expression so that the Gospel was not hindered?  Paul would.  

Last, let me end with this true example.  It’s an example of giving up our rights to justice so that the Gospel is not hindered.  Ray Comfort used to go down to Santa Monica to open air to preach.  And he would bring a dummy as a prop to help attract a crowd.  Ray would set up this dummy with a sheet over it so that it would look like a dead person.  He called Lazarus.  When people would walk by they would ask, “What is that there for?”  He would respond, “It’s there for you to ask what it’s there for.”  It drew a crowd.  But one night, while Ray was preaching, a young man, who was furious at hearing the Gospel, came up and stomped on the head of Lazarus.  The head was crushed and ruined.  Ray grabbed the man and said, “Hey that was my property.  You broke the law.  Now pay me the $80 dollars it cost or I’m getting the cops.”  The young man was stunned.  He froze in place.  Fear filled his eyes.  He reached into his pocket and said, “All I got is $20.”  Ray said, “That’s not enough, you owe me $80.”  The young man was terrified.  Now at this moment, Ray had a right to justice.  He had a right to persecute this guy for destroying his property.  But what did Ray do?  He gave up his right to justice so that the Gospel would not be hindered.  He instead showed the guy what grace is.  He forgave the man of his debt.  What Ray brilliantly did was use this instance to talk about the grace of God so that now when he talked about grace that man and everyone around listening would understand grace better.  They saw it in action.  Ray purposefully gave up his right because saving the souls of the lost was more important to him than claiming a right.  So by giving up his rights to justice, his right to be paid for the damages, Ray advanced the Gospel of Christ.

Now I’m not saying let the world walk over you.  I’m not saying that you shouldn’t stand up for what is right.  What I am saying is that if you are in a situation where your rights might hinder the Gospel, you give them up.  That’s what Paul would have done. Think about this.  What’s more important?  If I told you I would give you a million dollars each time you shared the Gospel, would you have no problem giving up you rights then?  Interesting isn’t it.  Most of us would give up our rights for money.  Now think of this.  People are dying.  They are going to hell.  And hell is not some fun keg party.  It is eternal torment.  Jesus describes it as a place of decay, of darkness, or utter sadness.  Are you willing to give up you rights for a moment so you can save someone from hell?  Or are you so selfish that you would let someone die and spend eternity in hell because you wanted your privacy, you wanted justice, or you wanted to keep your popularity rather than advance the Gospel.

            Here in America, we love talking about our rights.  They are very important to us.  But we must understand that there is something more important than our rights.  It is more important the defending our freedoms.  And it is simply the Gospel.  The Gospel is more important then our rights.  Our rights are important, but not as important as the message that brings eternal freedom.  I want you to remember this one phrase before you leave today.  It is very simply.  Here it is: Give up your rights if they hinder the Gospel.  The Gospel comes first.  It is even more important then the freedoms we enjoy here in America.  So examine yourselves.  See whether or not you put preaching the Gospel first in your life.  Even over you rights.  Then go out and be witnesses of Christ our Lord, remembering to let not hinder the advancement of the Gospel.  Be willing to even give up you rights so the Good News of our Savior can be preached.