Devotional 6 January 2026

January 06, 2026 • Steve Torres

1 Corinthians 9:7.jpg

“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. 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! 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. 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.” (1 Corinthians 9:15-18, ESV)

Paul’s words in this passage are striking because they cut against our instinct to defend ourselves. He has just established, beyond any doubt, that those who labor in the gospel have a real and legitimate right to material support. Yet when Paul turns to speak of himself, he does not highlight what he has received, but what he has refused.

Paul explains that he cannot boast in preaching the gospel itself. Preaching is not a career choice or a personal achievement for him. It is a necessity laid upon him by God. He has been entrusted with a stewardship, not granted an opportunity for self-expression. Like the servant who has only done his duty, Paul knows that obedience to God is not a ground for pride, but a mark of faithfulness.

Where Paul does speak of boasting is unexpected. His “reward” is not found in wages, recognition, or authority. His boast is that he preaches the gospel free of charge, refusing to make full use of a right that is genuinely his. He does this so that nothing might obscure the message of Christ or confuse the gospel with personal gain.

This is not a blueprint that binds every gospel worker to the same practice. Paul is not denying the legitimacy of support. Instead, he is confronting the Corinthian obsession with rights. Throughout the letter, they appeal to what is lawful, what is permitted, and what they are entitled to do. That posture has led to division, pride, and harm toward weaker believers.

Paul answers them not with theory, but with example. If anyone could insist on his rights, it was Paul. Yet love led him to lay them down. True freedom, shaped by the wisdom of the Spirit, is not the relentless defense of personal liberty. It is the willingness to surrender liberty for the sake of others.

This passage presses an uncomfortable but necessary question upon us. The Christian life is not governed by asking, “What am I allowed to do?” but by asking, “What does love require me to lay aside?” The wisdom of the cross teaches us that laying down our rights is not weakness. It is the very shape of Christlike love.