CHAPTER 4

Last chapter (1Cor. 3) Paul talked about carnal Christians and how they should GROW UP!
In this chapter (1Cor. 4), we will see how Christians should mature.

1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

FIRST....let's realize WHO we are!
We are ministers of Christ!

When we realize that, we correctly understand there is a NEED to study the Bible so that we
can actually MINISTER the things of Christ to others!

ALL Christians are ministers -- or those who TELL about Jesus!
Christians are called to be preachers!
A Christian may not be a pastor, deacon, Sunday School Teacher,etc; but they
ALL ARE preachers!!

If you are going to be a manager, then you have to STUDY management.
And, if you are called of God to be a Christian, you are also called to be a preacher.
So, you must STUDY how to tell others about Jesus!

If you are a Christian, unable to share Jesus from the Bible, then you must be
ashamed of that tool!!

SECOND ... we are stewards of the mysteries of God!
A steward, in Paul's day, was a person in charge of the household.
That person organized and dispensed as necessary for the household.
And, that person DID those things for the MASTER of the household.

Here is another wonderful treasure God with which God has gifted those who are "in Christ."
We are to organize and dispense the "mysteries" of God!
Those mysteries are unknown to the natural man.
But they are revealed in the Word of God!

And the "steward" (Christian, preacher) is RESPONSIBLE to organize
and dispense them FROM the household of Christ (church) TO the WHOLE WORLD!

When a person is saved, they are gifted with talents that must GROW.
The ability to minister the mysteries of God is contingent upon growth!

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

The "steward" must be "faithful"!
He/she must be faithful in prayer in order to be enveloped by the Holy Spirit, and
ABLE to minister to others the wonderful mercy and grace of God in Christ Jesus!

He/she must be faithful in Bible study in order to properly USE the TOOL (Bible)!

He/she must be faithful in attendance to exhibit the fact that God WANTS Christians
to be in church - having fellowship with other believers.
The church is the organized "body of Christ" which reaches out to the world,
evangelizing the lost; then educating the saved.

He she must be faithful in living a life that exemplifies belief in Christ and the Bible.

A Christian doesn't have to be polished!
They just must be FAITHFUL!

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

Our actions (life), as Christians, WILL BE "judged" by people.
But their opinions are not always correct!

Our actions (life), are often judged by our own self; our consciences.
Yet, even WE ourselves cannot properly judge our life!

However, the TRUE Judge is JESUS!

Let us be sure that we maintain a right relationship with God through prayerful
confession of our sins each day.
And let us be sure we are judged acquitted by God through the grace He
has shown in and through Jesus Christ!

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light
the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:
and then shall every man have praise of God.

Whoever we are, when we judge a person according to our own knowledge
we are taking upon ourselves the seat which is reserved for and by Jesus Christ!
(Let me add this. It is the duty of judges appointed or elected to judge a person
according to the laws of the land.)
But it is NOT our duty, nor our place, to judge a person's LIFE!

We see only a few moments of a person's life.
We cannot see from beginning to end!
And, we cannot see the intents of the heart!

John 7:24
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Don't judge a person's life by what you have seen!
Instead, LOVE them into Christ!

6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes;
that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be
puffed up for one against another.

There were divisions in the church at Corinth. (See 1Cor. 3:3)
One member would say he was of Paul, and another might say he was of Apollos.

But Paul and Apollos were both of CHRIST!
So, the things Paul has been talking about (judging others) Paul has "transferred" to
both he and Apollos.
In other words, they BOTH felt the SAME way!

As Christians, we should never allow ourselves to be "puffed up" against one another.
Sure, we will disagree; but we don't have to be disagreeable!

7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

We have received LIFE from God.
We must MAKE life under the guidance of God!
Whatever we have is by the GRACE of God.

Therefore NONE of us should ever be overly proud of what we have or own!

8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us:
and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

Perhaps Paul speaks here of those prideful and arrogant false teachers who proposed
things unethical and immoral according to God's Word.

Those people proposed they had enough knowledge and wisdom to state what
was ok and not ok.

Paul is asserting here that they are undertaking evil!

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death:
for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

Paul, and other apostles, were facing death often when they went to places and
preached salvation through Jesus alone.
But those (in verse 8 above) only spoke what was pleasing!

The statement in verse 9 shows these people were taking on the authority
given to the apostles.

We have some of those people in the world today!
Many self-professed "apostles" proclaim what is pleasing to the ear in order to
attract crowds and gain money from the crowds!

The Bible may not always be pleasing to the world; but
it is TRUTH!
Churches, and organizations claiming to be of Christ, must teach TRUTH!

One does not attend church to be COMFORTABLE!
One attends church to be:
convicted, confessing, converted, transformed and useful!

When self-professed preachers proclaim comforting words without teaching
of TRUTH, the REAL preachers "are made a spectacle" to the world!

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak,
but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked,
and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless;
being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are
the offscouring of all things unto this day.

Most genuine preachers of the WORD receive despite and ridicule from the world.
And, most genuine preachers of the WORD are not made rich by their work.

And, most true preachers of the WORD actually have to obtain second jobs
to support their families!

Isn't it ironical that those who preach the TRUTH will SUFFER, while those
who preach pleasantly to itching ears are comfortable?!

14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers:
for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Paul did not intend to bring shame on any of those members at Corinth; but
rather, he spoke those things to WARN them!

There will be many instructors; but there is only ONE TRUTH!
Paul led those Corinthians in the church there at Corinth to JESUS!
As such, he obtained the privilege of being their spiritual father.

And, Paul taught TRUTH from the WORD of God!
Therefore, they were to follow that truth and not instructors who
BENT the truth!

Don't look for a church which exemplifies your predispositions, or which
brings only pleasant music and preaching to your ears!
Look for a church that teaches and preaches the BIBLE TRUTH!

17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son,
and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways
which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Paul sent Timothy to the church at Corinth to REMIND them of his way
IN CHRIST!
He accounted Timothy to be "faithful in the Lord".
And, he knew Timothy would teach TRUTH.

In our churches, we should be sure pastors and teachers are like Timothy!

Instead of walking comfortable with the herd;
stand securely in the truth of the WORD!

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know,
not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

Because Paul sent Timothy, and did not come himself, some of the
self-professed teachers were haughty and did not believe Paul would
actually come himself.

However, Paul determined his route by the will of God!
He was detained from going to Corinth by the work he was doing
(which work was ordained) by the will of God.

Hearing of the trouble they had in the church at Corinth, and not
being able to go himself, Paul sent Timothy.

Often our church leaders (pastors) might not be able to attend
a member in a specific time.
However, other specified people (deacons, teachers) should go
to attend that member.

People often get "puffed up" when pastors don't visit them
in troubled times.

Let me just say that it is NOT the pastor's job to attend every member
who faces difficulty!
The pastor's job is to study and proclaim the Word of God!
All too often, pastors are erroneously given duties which do not pertain
to God's purpose for them!

Turning on the lights and a/c, mowing the yard, emptying the trash, dealing
with funds, etc are NOT the pastor's duties!

The pastor should supervise staff, yes.
But he should not be dragged into other chores which do not pertain
to his calling!

Let's look at what the apostles stated when they were first faced with these
things.
Acts 6:1-4 1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied,
there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said,
It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report,
full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Paul actually states the REASON he did not come himself later in this letter.

Paul actually revisited Corinth (about 57AD).
(See Acts 19:21) 1 Cor 16:8-9
8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

At the time 1Cor. was written, Paul had planned a trip to Ephesus, because
"a great door and effectual is opened."

That plan was made because of God's leadership.
What God says do, should take precedence over what others desire done.

WHEN Paul returned to Corinth he intended to examine the "power"
by which the self-professed teachers spoke.
His intention was to determine if their powerful speeches could measure up
to the power of God's TRUTH!

20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

God's church is more of the WORD of God, which is "power" than it
is of man's powerful speeches.
Often, Paul spoke in humility and pre-determined gentility.
He did that because he realized the power of the Gospel was
not his, but God's through the messenger!

I would to God, that more pastors preached in the same manner!
It is not in eloquent speaking that the power of God is displayed!
It is in the USAGE of the WORD of God!
Because God's Holy Spirit works on people's hearts while they are
hearing the truth from God's Word.

I would that a preacher would preach "in love, and in the spirit of meekness"
rather than with a "rod!"

Let it be known though, that when a preacher speaks in the spirit of love and
meekness, using the truth from God's Word, that it actually BECOMES a ROD!
The hearts of those hearing are STRICKEN by the TRUTH; not
by the eloquent speaking of a master speech maker!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
BACK TO INDEX OF DEVOTIONS