Using Scripture to Make Decisions - 1 Corinthians 9-10

Using Scripture to Make Decisions

1 Corinthians 9:3-10 (ESV)
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

Paul, in chapter nine, is being challenged about his serving God as a minister of Christ and using some of the funds donated by the church at Corinth. Some of the members of the church objected that Paul would do so.  Paul makes his defense several ways.  Other “apostles” were receiving support from the church.   That was one of his defensive statements.  But, Paul did not compare himself to others.  After all his arguments, Paul would go on to say he will not take any funds from them because he is simply obligated to preach the gospel.  

1 Corinthians 9:17-18 (ESV)
17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

But, prior to that final defense, he uses a passage from the Old Testament to make an argument.   He had some arguments from comparison.  He had some arguments from obligation.   But, this was the best argument in that it was from exhortation (although he makes the argument and does not insist on it out of obligation to preach).  The lesson here is that Paul sites Scripture for his decision making.   The compelling argument Paul uses should be enough.   He will go on to say that he will not insist on his rights, under scripture, however:

1 Corinthians 9:15-16 (ESV)
15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Paul has shown them a Biblical reason for them to allow him to be a “paid” minister of the Gospel. Using the OT argument he lays out a valid basis for that right.  Than, he forgoes that right on the basis of being a servant.   He could have, in this instance, used the Scripture of Christ coming to be a servant to all and he would, as well.  He does not, but he could have done so.   Using Scripture to make decisions is the best way to make decisions.   Paul shows us how to do that.   He takes a higher principle (serving others and obeying the command to teach the gospel), but he follows a basic decision making model of finding out what the Bible says and then move forward.   A good decision making model.