THE MEANING AND LIMITATION OF BEING “ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE”

Frederick Paulo Tomacder

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BA, University of the Philippines - Diliman, 2010
MDiv Leadership

BIBLICAL ISSUE PAPER

Rev. Ron Barber, PhD

ICS 102: CONTEXTUALIZATION
International Graduate School of Leadership
Quezon City, Philippines

Submitted 02/20/2021

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 The meaning and limitation of being “all things to all people”

A cursory search on the subject of Christian missions or

contextualization often yields to Bible passages as prooftexts. Paul’s

words in 1 Corinthians 9:22 about being “all things to all people” is one of

the more familiar ones. Yet, as is often the bane of prooftexts, there is little

regard for context when explaining the meaning of the text. As such, this

paper seeks to understand 1 Corinthians 9:22 in light of its literary and

historical contexts before offering practical applications for the author’s

ministry situation.

When Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all people, that by all

means I might save some” (1 Cor 9:22b) he was not penning a Proverb

that can be taken at face value. In fact, 1 Cor 9:22 belongs to a larger

section in the Epistle beginning in chapter 8 down to 11:1. He was

responding to a question by the Corinthian believers “concerning food

offered to idols” (1 Cor 8:1). Corinth, the third largest Roman city at that

time, boasted of a temple to the goddess Aphrodite and an acropolis where

idolatrous and sexually immoral religious practices happened.1 Because

1
John MacArthur, 1 Corinthians, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press,
1984), 19-20, Ebook.

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the church belonged to this pluralistic and polytheistic society,2 not to

mention a number of its members used to participate in its religious and

community life as “pagans” (1 Cor 12:2), it is common to encounter

practices that fell on gray areas. One of which is the question of whether

or not it was sinful to eat food that was used for idolatrous worship. Paul

responded by first dealing with the issue of food, before connecting it to

the broader discussion of Christian freedom, rights and love that helps

clarify the meaning of 1 Cor 9:22.

In 8:4-6, he contended that there is only one God and Lord and that

the idols are really nothing. So, offering food to them do not have any real

effect. Thus, Christians are free to partake if they wish to. However, there

may still be believers offended by the practice out of ignorance or a weak

conscience. Out of love and consideration, Paul called Christians to be

willing to forgo their rights and freedoms on grey areas if it meant

removing stumbling blocks and edifying the brethren (8:7-13). From this

foundation, Paul talked about his own rights and freedom as an apostle in

Roy E. Ciampa and Bryan S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament
2

Commentary (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2010), 203, Ebook.

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9:1-18, especially concerning material support for his Gospel ministry. 3

Yet, he, too, relinquished this right and “endured anything rather than put

an obstacle in the way of the Gospel of Christ” (9:12). He is content with a

greater reward—proclaiming the Gospel freely, instead of claiming his

ministry benefits (9:18).

It is in this context of Christian freedom, rights and love that Paul

began talking about becoming “all things to all people.” There are indeed

missionary and outreach principles that can be gleaned but it appears that

foremost in the apostle’s mind is wisdom in using or foregoing his rights

and freedoms in order to be a “slave to all” (9:19). That is, to live and act

in ways that build Gospel bridges to all kinds of people4—to Jews,

Gentiles and the weak (9:20-22). And behind this wise practice is love for

people repeatedly expressed by the apostle as his desire to “win” or “save”

them in Christ.

All this discussion of becoming “all things to all people” and saving

them “by all means,” however, opens extreme interpretations that need to

3
Roy E. Ciampa and Bryan S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, 2177, Ebook.

4
James W. Thompson, "All Things to All Men: Paul's Motto for Missions," in Leaven 7, no 1 (1998),
http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol7/iss1/4

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be clarified. Some contend that Paul’s words meant he had the “right to do

as he pleases,”5 that he could engaged even in “unprincipled”6 conduct if

that meant the salvation of people. For example, they point to his use of

Greek poetry in Acts 17:28 as a supposed attempt to accommodate Zeus in

order to proclaim the Gospel. Instead of clearly defining the difference

between him and God in Christ, he was supposedly willing to associate the

two as if they were the same God for better acceptance of his message.7

Such practice was seen in the propagation of Roman Catholicism in pre-

colonial Philippines. So that early Filipinos will receive the faith, their

local idols were not rejected outrightly but simply changed into

“Christianized” ones like that of the Sto. Niño.8

However, interpreting Paul’s words as unbounded contextualization

is problematic, even bordering Antinomian. Yes, he wanted people to be

saved “by all means” (9:22), yet earlier he emphasized that he was “under
5

Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New
Testament (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), 1183, Ebook.
6

Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity
Press, 1985), 425, Ebook.

7
Chris Burnett, “How would Paul engage today’s secularizing society?: An Exegetical Revisiting of Acts 17,”
in The Master’s Seminary Journal 30, no 1 (2019), 161-62, https://www.tms.edu/m/msj30.1.pdf
8
James Alexander Robertson, “Catholicism in the Philippine Islands,” in The Catholic Historical Review 3, no
4 (Catholic University of America Press,1918), 376, JSTOR.

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the law of Christ” (9:21). This clarifies that “all means” and “all things”

are qualified by the law of Christ. As such, he did not compromise Gospel

convictions and truths “in the least way in order to satisfy anyone.”

Instead, he was willing to “condescend in any way” or “restrict his liberty

in the Gospel” if it will help bring people to Christ. 9 Furthermore, as Paul

imitated Jesus who humbled Himself in the incarnation10 and embraced

human frailty, except sin (Heb 4:15), he is similarly bound to conduct his

Gospel outreach in any way, except sin. And lastly, how can Paul promote

a free-for-all contextualization approach when he himself wrote, “we have

renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning

or to tamper with God’s word” in his ministry? (2 Cor 4:2).

Indeed, when Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all people,

that by all means I might save some,” he was operating under a clear

understanding that he was freed by the Gospel and had the right to live

according to Christ’s law. However, he was compelled by love for the lost

9
John MacArthur, 1 Corinthians, 883, Ebook.

10
Roy E. Ciampa and Bryan S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, 1715, Ebook.

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so he willingly condescended or altered his lifestyle and behavior without

compromising Gospel truths in order to win people to Christ.

In the same breath, the author sees it an imperative to have this same

understanding of qualified contextualization when it comes to campus

ministry. Though there is strong temptation to be culturally “in” to attract

the youth, one must first reflect whether these modern strategies

compromise or even contradict the message of the Gospel. Are the

activities, music, fashion, message, lifestyle, relationships that are

espoused helping students know and love Christ more? Or are they feeding

the inherent self-centeredness of fallen youth by making them the center of

the ministry instead of Jesus? Often, important questions such as these are

sidelined in the name of being cool and hip, at the expense of clear

Biblical standards. Sadly, one deceptive strategy creates a tsunami of

mistrust for the entire body of Christ, closing Gospel opportunities and

tainting the Lord’s Name. Indeed, one cannot win the world by being like

the world in every aspect.

In addition, Paul’s willingness to Biblically adjust his lifestyle for

more Gospel opportunities is a good culture to develop in ministry. This

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involves dealing with the idols of comfort and complacency, and

embracing sacrifice and intentionality. Such attitude is especially crucial in

Campus ministry with its long journey alongside students in their

academic and life challenges. One has to adjust to this reality while

intentionally using every interaction to point students to Christ. It is indeed

uncomfortable, but a heart filled with affection and compassion by the

Spirit will overcome natural resistance to change.

Lastly, Paul’s humility and willingness to relinquish his rights for

Christ are attitudes that Gospel ministers need to recover. Often, pride and

self-centeredness get in the way of genuine service. Because of one’s

desires for visible and immediate results, ministry unwittingly becomes a

numbers game meant to feed people’s egos. Furthermore, unhealthy focus

on statistics is also often the culprit behind Gospel compromises. Even if a

strategy is unbiblical, for example, as long as it produces “results,” it is

used all in the name of growth. Yet, Paul demonstrated that in his humble

outreach, despite the great sacrifices, his heart is passionate to be all things

to all people in order to save even some.

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 Christians are called to live lives that build Gospel bridges to people

without compromising Gospel truths. This entails willingness to allow

love to direct one’s use of freedom and rights in Christ. That is, affection

for the lost should lead believers to act and live in Biblical ways that draw

people to Christ even if it entails great sacrifices on one’s part. This is the

essence of “being all things to all people.”

Bibliography

Burnett, Chris. “How would Paul engage today’s secularizing society?: An Exegetical Revisiting of Acts
17.” The Master’s Seminary Journal 30, no 1 (2019). Accessed February 19, 2021.
https://www.tms.edu/m/msj30.1.pdf

Ciampa, Roy E., Bryan S. Rosner. The First Letter to the Corinthians. The Pillar New Testament
Commentary. Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2010.

Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. The New International Commentary on the New
Testament. Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014

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MacArthur, John. 1 Corinthians. The MacArthur New Testament
Commentary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1984.

Morris, Leon. 1 Corinthians. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity
Press, 1985.

Robertson, James Alexander. “Catholicism in the Philippine Islands.” The Catholic Historical Review 3, no
4. Catholic University of America Press,1918. JSTOR.

Thompson, James W. "All Things to All Men: Paul's Motto for Missions." Leaven 7, no 1 (1998). Accessed
February 18, 2021. http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol7/iss1/4

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