1 Corinthians 9:20
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
To the Jews it means becoming as far as possible like them in customs, ground and circumstance in order to win them, without giving up obedience, yielding a jot of principle or joining in human error.
This calls for tactful wisdom that sets aside personal preference, bears with prejudice and plans carefully what to speak and what to hold back so that hearts are reached.
With Jews this meant starting where they stood with the Old Testament promises of the Messiah and leading them step by step without at first pressing what would stir prejudice.
It meant honoring God's law and the sacrificial system as pointing to Christ, then showing its fulfillment in His life and death so He could be lifted up as the Lamb of God, and following nonessential customs as with the circumcision of Timothy to remove prejudice while holding firm that salvation is through Christ alone.
For workers today it means fitting methods to the people and place, meeting prejudice where it is and withholding unwelcome points such as the Sabbath until practical godliness and the love of Christ have opened the way.
Paul's Adaptation to Jews
To become as a Jew to gain the Jews means to adapt as far as possible to their customs, circumstances and ground in order to win them, without wavering in faith or abandoning obedience to God. It is adaptation without sacrificing one jot of principle, without being led away by human sophistry and maxims, without agreeing with those who teach human commandments as doctrine, and without letting love grow cold as iniquity and transgression advance. Zeal and earnestness are retained, yet features of faith that would at once arouse prejudice are held back until hearts can receive them.
This adaptation calls for tact and wise flexibility rather than deception, setting aside personal preferences and bearing with prejudice for the sake of truth. It means varying labor to suit hearers and circumstances, being broad in character, avoiding a fixed one-sided manner, and carefully planning what to say and what to leave unsaid so as to gain access to hearts without stirring combativeness. In this wisdom of the serpent joined with the harmlessness of the dove, patient labor succeeds to a large degree, though many will not be convinced by any method.
To the Jews this meant beginning where they were with teachings they accepted, dwelling on Old Testament prophecies and promises of the Messiah, His mission and work, and leading them step by step. Jesus of Nazareth was not pressed upon them at first, nor were other features of faith pressed that would at once arouse prejudice, lest their worst prejudice be stirred. Moses and the prophets were used to show that the Messiah had come, and then Jesus Christ was preached, without immediately emphasizing that the ceremonial laws had ended.
It meant showing zeal for the law of God as zealous as the most zealous, with full and perfect familiarity with the Old Testament Scriptures. God's law was honored and due honor was given to the ceremonial law and sacrificial service as instituted by Christ in the whole Jewish economy, dwelling on the types and shadows that typified Christ. Then every specification was shown to be fulfilled in Christ's first advent, life, death and crucifixion, exalting Him and His special work for humanity. In this way precious new light was opened on prophecies they had not seen, without offense, laying the foundation nicely so that when spirits softened He could be set forth as made flesh dwelling among us, the Lamb of God who takes away sin.
It meant following Jewish customs and ceremonies when doing so did not conflict with the mission or the law of God, treating customs of no vital importance as non-essential while remaining firm in essential doctrine. Salvation through Christ alone was still taught, for circumcision or uncircumcision was nothing and the gospel of Christ was everything. Thus Timothy was circumcised as a concession to Jewish prejudice to remove hindrance to work in the synagogues, not as a requirement from God.
By contrast, to Gentiles it means first preaching Christ as the only hope of salvation and the gift of God, saying nothing definite at first upon the law and not exalting the law first. Then, after hearts are warmed by His costly sacrifice and by the love of God who spared not His own Son, the law of God including the Sabbath is presented as the binding test of obedience. They are led back through that love, through the types and the Old Testament revealing Christ in the law, and through the light reflected from the cross of Calvary that gives significance and glory to the whole Jewish economy, until they are converted to Christ and to the law. Abrupt, unskillful handling of the Word reaches neither Jew nor Gentile.
Adapting Ministry Today
Workers and missionaries must accommodate themselves as much as possible to the field, locality, and circumstances of those for whom they labor, meeting people with their prejudices where they are in order to minister light, comfort, and peace to them. Methods cannot be the same in all localities but must be varied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, with broadness of character and avoidance of a fixed, one-sided manner. The aim is to reach all classes, both white and black, in the simplest manner possible, without giving up advocacy of the truth. Fruitful ministry finds common ground wherever it can without denying the truth, agreeing in principles and in the lessons of Christ.
Approach must be with caution and wisdom, the wisdom of the serpent joined with the harmlessness of the dove, agreeing with people wherever conscience and truth permit and giving fair credit to their honesty. Christ's inspiring, authoritative, and social life is the example, with His beneficent spirit and broad plans of action cultivated in meeting men where they are. A converted ministry does not shut its light within four walls but reveals His wisdom and mercy in a way few will meet with combativeness. Coming near in this way helps people receive light and truth, while beginning with an attack on their errors provokes resistance and hardens prejudice.
The work must not begin with unwelcome truth or with the Sabbath, which stirs combativeness, but must retain all zeal and earnestness while holding back features of faith that would at once arouse prejudice. Access is gained by coming close through personal labor and arousing conscience first with practical godliness, devotion, piety, and the self-denying, self-sacrificing life of Jesus, until people see the contrast with self-indulgent, unchristian lives. Only then are prophecies and the purity and binding claims of the law of God, including the Sabbath, to be presented, after patient labor has laid the foundation nicely and softened spirits. Labor must always be varied and shaped to circumstances, planning carefully what to say and what to leave unsaid without deception, so as not to raise prejudice but to gain access to hearts, and though such patient labor succeeds to a large degree, many will still not be convinced by any method.
In a community already acquainted with the faith this cautious course need not be pursued, but in every case the work is to build up and present the truth as it is in Jesus, dwelling on vital godliness, and not to tear down churches or run them down. Intercourse with the world is to be ordered so as to keep a calm, hallowed peace, not shunning the society of fellow men but encouraging it for the purpose of bestowing the heavenly benefits received. All possessions are to be held not as one's own but in trust as stewards to advance the cause, with a kind, generous spirit toward the poor.
In the Southern field this accommodation means not teaching people to work on Sunday, since conforming to the practices of the people wherever they do not conflict with the law of God avoids hindering the work and placing stumbling blocks before hearers. Sunday is to be used as the very best opportunity to hold Sunday schools, tell of the love of Jesus for sinners, educate in the Scriptures, and interest both white and black in the life of Christ from His childhood up to manhood and through His life of ministry to the cross.