The Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:22-23, “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. 23) And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”
Six letters of the alphabet that scare the average church member to death are C.H.A.N.G.E! But for Paul to become “all things to all men” he had to be willing to change some things.
One of the hardest things for some people to do is change. I think of the TV character, Adrian Monk, whose character was very OCD. My favorite quote of his was when he said, “I don’t mind change, I just don’t want to be there when it happens!” That sounds about like many of us, doesn’t it.
We get into a comfort zone and we do not want anyone or anything to upset it. We eat at the same restaurants; we order the same food; we sit in the same pew week after week. We think of it as being CONSISTENT, but many times it is just a RUT. Someone once defined a “rut” as “A grave with both ends knocked out!”
Some people view any kind of change as compromise. Paul wasn’t changing his MESSAGE but he said he was willing to change his METHODS that he might “by all means save some.” But in verse 23, Paul said the main reason for this change was “…for the gospel’s sake.”
Now the fact of the matter is, we can all view change differently and just the mention of the word change causes some to cry “compromiser!” Maybe. Maybe not. It all depends upon WHAT is being changed and WHY it is being changed. We must be willing to change for a couple of reasons:
1. SOME CHANGES ARE NATURAL. We forget that change is a part of everyday life. Seasons change (what if winter was all year long). Our bodies change. Car styles, clothes styles, and hair styles are constantly changing. Let’s face it, there are changes constantly happening that we cannot stop.
2. SOME CHANGES ARE NECESSARY. What if your child never grew up? What if your pay never changed? Even in nature, change is necessary for new growth. For example: it is necessary for some things to die, so that other things might live. John 12:24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Two important things to keep in mind:
- The things that must DIE were necessary at one time. Thinking outside the box can be a great thing, but that doesn’t mean the box didn’t serve a purpose at one time.
- The things that must LIVE will be necessary for the future. Again, Paul said, “And this I do for the gospel’s sake” In other words, I am willing to allow change in order that the gospel might be advanced and be successful.
Could it be that we make some decisions: For OUR sake or for the BRETHREN’S sake and not for the GOSPEL’S sake? Advancing the gospel was always front and center of Paul’s mind. Even Paul understood that God uses change in our lives for His purpose. When he was in prison, he wrote in Phil. 1:12, “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;”
“OK, we know change is natural and sometimes necessary, but how do we make sure it is the right kind of change?” That is a very good question. After all, not all change IS good change. President Obama’s campaign slogan was “Change” and we see where that change has brought us!
Good change involves having the right MOTIVES. In verses 15-18, Paul is making sure the people know that he does everything with a motive of pleasing the Lord and furthering the gospel. Many churches do what they do for: the MUSIC’S sake, or the CHILDREN’S sake, or the a new BUILDING’S sake. But if something must change, it should ultimately be “for the gospel’s sake.” Will this change help us reach more people for Christ?
I know what you are thinking. “Are you saying Paul was willing to do ANYTHING to get people into the church?” No, and that brings me to my next point…
Good change involves having the right METHODS. In Romans 3, Paul was being accused by others who said he was willing to do wrong as long as something good came of it. So Paul wrote in verse 7-8: “For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8) And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come?…”
Paul said, “I would not sin even if it meant getting people under the gospel.” So change is wrong if you have to use worldly (sinful) or fleshly methods to reach people. Our METHODS may change, but our MESSAGE should never change.
Two great questions to ask before making any change would be:
1. Is It WORKING? Some churches refuse to change out of tradition, when what they have been doing hasn’t worked for years! And, by the way, what might still be working for YOU, might not still work for another church. So, just because another church has stopped doing things your way doesn’t mean they are compromising.
Other churches change just because some author wrote a successful book about changes they made. If something is working for you, great! If not, maybe it’s time for a change. Just make sure it is change that is needed in YOUR church, not just because another church needed it.
2. Is It BIBLICAL? Does it support or violate a biblical principle? If a change does not violate a biblical principle (it just violates your preference) then there is nothing wrong with it. When churches began putting up screens, people cried, “compromiser.” But so far, I have yet to see any Scripture to back that up. So, unless it violates a clear biblical principle, it is not necessarily a bad change.
I believe the bottom line that Paul is making is this—we must keep the BIG PICTURE in mind with any change. What is the big picture? Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Any change that hinders or halts the preaching of the gospel is a BAD CHANGE!
But if reaching more people with the gospel means I have to change pews, change parking spaces, my Sunday School Class has to change rooms, or we have to try a new outreach approach…then I say, “Let’s change!”
Let’s keep the main thing the main thing and do what we do “for the gospel’s sake.”