“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

To accomplish this, Paul said, “to the Jews I became as a Jew … to those who are without law, as without law … to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).

Although he approached each group differently, his goal wasn’t to merely instruct and improve them, but to see they became new creatures in Christ, God’s supernatural workmanship, walking in the Holy Spirit, becoming more like Christ from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:9, 2 Corinthians 3:18). He never compromised with sin in the Church. “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people … put away from yourselves the evil person” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

Unfortunately, most evangelical churches today tell people they’re saved if they repeat a salvation prayer, and have a don’t ask, don’t tell policy regarding sin. Let’s repent of these compromises, so we won’t be responsible when Christ tells false converts, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

Paul didn’t just improve sinners. He saw them sinking into Hell, and did everything he could to make sure they were born again. If sinners wanted to play games, he didn’t waste time on them. He told them the truth. “Walk as children of light … finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).

To those who bore no biblical evidence of salvation, he warned, “examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

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