I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

This verse is in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth (9:22). It shows that, as one who served the Lord in the gospel, the apostle was willing to adapt himself, to some extent, to the religious practices of others so he could win them for Christ.

Unfortunately, it seems many believers today, including pastors and other Christian leaders, use this verse as a pretext for becoming no different from the worldly people. They seem to feel that, as they talk to others about the Bible, they should present themselves as those who are the same as the unbelievers, whether in terms of how they dress or even in displaying tattoos or other types of “body art” that are in fashion in so much of today’s world.

Yet, in Paul’s second letter to the church there, he made it clear he was not trying to become something the believers would appreciate in a fleshly way. Rather, he knew some there despised him, saying,

…While [Paul’s] letters are indeed weighty and powerful,…his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
— 2 Corinthians 10:10

The Corinthians took note of these things because, according to Greek culture, to be physically impressive and skilled in oratory were two of the most highly prized attributes a person could have. Yet, Paul did not “become all things” to the believers in Corinth in regard to these things!

He was not one who sought to please men or flatter them (Gal. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:5), but a servant of the Lord. Thus, while he would seek to accommodate others’ conscience as far as he could, he would not accept the worldly standard for how he presented himself, or the gospel, to others. He knew that to do so would actually dishonor the Lord and so frustrate the gospel from going forth in power:

For indeed, Jews require signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews indeed an offense and to the nations, foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
— 1 Corinthians 1:22-24

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—  16 August 2025 —