“But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.”

Adamant, assertive, go-to-the-wall, plant-my-flag-on-this-hill—all could be said about Paul’s comments here. On the theological issues, these could describe Paul’s emphasis on salvation by grace through faith. He would not bend on that issue and would die defending it. Of course, that does not mean he didn’t stress other doctrines, but the truth of the gospel itself was central to everything else he had to say—remember he said, “Christ and Him crucified.” But on a personal level, his proclamation of the gospel was never going to be hindered by the issue of money. In fact, he says here, “[I]t would be better for me to die.” So what was he willing to die for?

Paul had a boast, and he was willing to die if anyone were to take that boast away. To understand him here we must note that he had criticized the Corinthians for their boasting (1 Cor. 4:7, 5:7) because their arrogance was so egregious, and now he uses the same word “boast” about himself. Read verses 15–18 again. Paul boasts that he preaches the gospel without any charge; he forgoes his right to financial remuneration to remove any hindrances to offering the gospel freely, without cost. He boasts that he did not make use of the rights he had just asserted are due to the person who preaches the gospel, namely the right for financial support. No one could ever say he preached to the Corinthians because it was a lucrative way to make money off them.

Paul’s motivation for preaching to them was partly because he was compelled by the greater “compulsion” of his mission to preach the gospel, but it was none-the-less “voluntarily” as well. He chose to preach the gospel to them without charge, using tent-making as his means of means of support.

But then, what is the payback for all the time, effort, and sacrifice in preaching the gospel to the Corinthians? Paul answers this: his reward is the work itself. He was thrilled to be used of the Lord to freely offer the gospel of grace without charge to those to whom he preached. That was enough for him. He would rather die than do anything to undermine this boast that he did not preach for money or demand his rights for financial support.

Lord, I want to serve You freely, not for any earthly reward. That is my thrill.