All Things to all People

 



In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, the apostle Paul discusses how he was able to be on the same level as all men; walking in their footsteps, sympathizing with their problems. He didn’t see himself as better than them. I’d like to focus on the last part of verse 22 which reads, I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. This was all about saving men’s souls by finding common ground.

The Bible itself is “all things to all men” in that there is no other book, out there, which can answer all of your concerns, problems, or give you the best encouragement.

 

Worshipping God

Most of last year we looked at how God wanted to be worshipped. Jesus speaks of this in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Man says that they will worship God in their own way and expect Him to accept it. That’s not true. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Doing “the will of My Father” means worship his way not your way.

 

The Home Life

The apostle Paul, through inspiration by the Holy Spirit, talked about the home. In Eph. 5:22-26 he writes, Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. This shows that Husband and wives have a position in the family to maintain. Backing up to verse 21 though says, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Neither is to show superiority to the other.

Paul goes on the write in (Ephesians 6:1-3) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Children also have a role in respecting their parents. They do not run the household.

 

On the Job

In the letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote, Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. (Colossians 3:22) Although this is about servants and their masters, it can apply to employees and bosses.

Another example is found in Eph. 6:9, And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

 

Earning Money

Paul instructs us, that are able, to have employment in 1 Timothy 5:8, But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. There is also instruction for the lazy person, 2 Thessalonians 3:10, For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

 

 Conclusion

This is only a small sampling of things in regards to God’s book, The Bible. You will notice that our life is to be patterned by scripture in our daily lives and not by just what we do in the worship assembly. Too many people see their religion as just a suit to put on before church on Sunday and then dress like the world; the rest of the week.

God’s word has answers for every question out there. Don’t draw a conclusion without first consulting his scriptures. As it is written in (James 4:13-15) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

 

 

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