Lesson for May 1, 2022
The Book of I Corinthians
Chapter 4:1-21
Verses 1-3
“Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.”
Servants and stewards of Christ refers to Paul and his team’s responsibility to teach the mystery doctrine of the Church Age (mysteries of God). It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy refers to Paul and other pastors who were responsible for guarding the integrity of sound, accurate Bible doctrine.
The word examined means to investigate and judge for the purpose of passing sentence. There are three inappropriate systems for evaluating a pastor that are found in this passage: a) to be judged by believers who are out of fellowship (by you) b) to be judged by unbelievers (human court) and c) to judge himself (myself). Paul was saying that no one had the right to “judge” him except the Lord. Any legitimate sentence upon the life of Paul would come only from God. Paul not judging himself does not mean that he did not examine himself to see whether he was personally walking with the Lord or whether his ministry was effective. Only God has all the facts, and He alone knows the true motives of us all. If we are faithful to the Lord by living our spiritual lives in accordance with His Word, we will not be concerned about being criticized by “the court of public opinion” for doing the right thing.
Verses 4-5
“For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore, do not go passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes Who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
Paul was not saying that he was perfect or that he had never done anything for which he could be criticized for by others. His point is to leave the judging to God Who would be the judge of his motives, attitudes, and actions.
Therefore, do not go passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes refers to the Rapture of the Church and the Judgment Seat of Christ which follows. A pastor’s ministry will be evaluated at the Judgment Seat of Christ by Christ. Therefore, Paul said to stop judging and criticizing. The things hidden in the darkness means only God knows the far-reaching effects of any pastor’s ministry and the tremendous effect the teaching of the Word of God has on believers. Disclose the motives of men’s hearts refers to whether the motives were pure or whether they are corrupted.
Verses 6-7
“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
Paul took a principle of doctrine and applied it to himself and Apollos so that it became personal. In other words, he was saying that he makes no apologies for talking about himself regarding his relationship to them. He set himself and Apollos up as the example of divine authority. What is written was a reference to any portion of Scripture that had been written up until that time. These believers had been thinking beyond that which was written, they had accepted systems of legalism, systems of false doctrine; they had gone beyond the teaching of accurate Bible doctrine. Paul was saying to follow the example that he and Apollos had given them of following accurate doctrine and not to be duped by false teachers such as the Judaizers.
These believers were comparing Paul with Apollos. Paul was saying not to compare one minister with another minister or argue about who is the greatest. And furthermore, it was arrogance to think that because you follow a certain teacher, who is also teaching doctrine accurately, that you are personally superior to those who don’t follow your teacher. We then have three questions for the arrogant believer: For who regards you as superior? It certainly was not God, Paul, Apollos, or any other pastor. As a manner of fact, by becoming arrogant they demonstrated they were not superior. Instead, they were inferior because they were in a state of reversionism.
What do you have that you did not receive? These believers had salvation and they had grace blessings as well. So, what was with all the arrogance? If it were not for Paul, Apollos and the other pastors allowing God to use them, these believers would probably not have heard the Gospel or been taught the Word of God.
And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? ‘If’ is a first-class condition meaning it is true that you did receive it (salvation and doctrine). The word boast means they had lost the perspective of the grace of God and were operating on the basis of their sin nature and not the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Verses 8-10
“You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.”
Now Paul used sarcasm to drive his point home about their arrogance of superiority which had been causing division in the church at Corinth. Already filled means to be satisfied and was used to describe someone who had overeaten or over indulged in some beverage. Sarcastically, it meant they thought they had everything they needed spiritually. You have already become rich means they believed they were already prosperous or successful, spiritually. The truth was that they had become indifferent to spiritual things. You have become kings without us refers to them thinking they were superior to others. In other words, they were so spiritual that they had no need of the apostles. Paul said he wished they were kings in a spiritual sense of knowing and living according to what they had been taught, but they weren’t.
Paul described the apostles as gladiators in the middle of the arena. The believers in reversionism were in the stands as observers, when they should have been in the arena as gladiators. So, Paul was saying in effect, “Look, you are in the stands, you are not even on the field as gladiators, but we are on the field fighting for our lives as gladiators (condemned to death).” So, we need to ask ourselves if we are on the battlefield, or are we in the stands observing others fight the spiritual battle?
We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. A spectacle means to be under observation, and Paul refers to the fact that believers are being observed by angels and other people. The Greek word for spectacle is “thetron” from which we get out English word ‘theater.’ To angels is referring to angels watching believers as part of the Angelic Conflict. (Hebrews 12:1) To men refers to the reversionistic believers observing the apostles and other believers as they were engaged in the spiritual battle. The reversionistic Corinthians were in the stands full of their own importance, critical of others, divisive, and vindictive. Sarcastically, Paul referred to these carnal believers as wise(prudent), strong and distinguished, which of course they thought they were as they “sat in the stands” criticizing and judging others. To these reversionists, the apostles were fools, weak, and without honor, and yet the apostles were not in the stands observing, they were engaged in the spiritual battle.
Verses 11-14
“To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.”
In verses 11-13 we get some description of the suffering of the apostles – the gladiators in the arena of a spiritual battle. Remember that the suffering in these verses is not divine discipline. The sufferings described in verses 11-13 were undeserved suffering designed for spiritual blessing and growth. This blessing is reached and achieved when believers under pressure utilize the grace of God and the doctrine in their souls. The greatest progress is made in the Christian life in time of pressure. It takes pressure to grow, to mature. Only under pressure do believers take full advantage of the Faith-Rest Technique. Pressure, then, is necessary for growth. Pressure makes us take stock of our lives and gives us the chance to evaluate our scale of values. Pressure clarifies the situation as to whether our lives are anchored in the Word of God or in human viewpoint. Human viewpoint does not stand up under the pressures of “the gladiator.” Only Bible doctrine can give peace and inner happiness in time of stress and catastrophe, and only Bible doctrine can give peace and happiness in time of prosperity.
Paul had first-hand experience as a “gladiator.” Paul had the weight of all the churches on his shoulders and all the pressure of dealing with those who wanted to stop his ministry. Paul endured with joy and happiness a tremendous amount of persecution and disappointment from believers deserting him. Sometimes he had all he needed physically, but often he went hungry or had to survive out in the cold. But Paul was a warrior in the army of God, and nothing stopped him from fulfilling his assignment from God.
When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate are the signs of a spiritually maturity believer, which Paul was. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. The purpose of the analogy was to warn or admonish them so they would get back on track spiritually and have an impact on the city of Corinth for Jesus Christ.
Verses 15-16
“For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore, I exhort you, be imitators of me.”
The Greek word for tutors is “paidagogos,” which means persons who were servants that took care of the children, persons responsible for the well-being of children. This Greek word for tutors does not mean to impart knowledge or teach. By contrast, Paul uses the analogy of a father whose responsibility it was to teach, train and instruct the child. Then he explains why he is their father (their spiritual father), and cares for them like a father should. He led most of them to faith in Christ. Therefore, Paul spoke the truth in love so they would recover from carnality/reversionism. (Ephesians 4:15)
Therefore, I exhort you, be imitators of me. Believers are to imitate God according to Ephesians 5:1, which is accomplished by the filling of the Holy Spirit forming the character of Christ in a believer and to imitate Paul in the same manner he imitates Christ according to I Corinthians 4:16, 11:1, Philippians 3:17 by using the two power options of the filling of the Holy Spirit and Bible doctrine.
Verse 17
“For this reason, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.”
Sending Timothy meant that he would review the doctrine that Paul had taught them, and he would give them further doctrinal teaching. Timothy had the gift of pastor/teacher and had traveled with Paul and learned at his feet. He was certainly well-qualified to both remind them of the doctrine they had already learned but to also teach new doctrines as well.
Verses 18-21
“Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?”
Paul gave these arrogant ones a jolt by saying that he was coming, and he would find out who really had power. The only power that is legitimate for believers is the power of God the Holy Spirit. These arrogant believers were obviously not filled with the Holy Spirit or living within God’s power system. Their so-called power was human power and they had been attempting to exert that power over others by claiming to be superior.
Claiming human superiority, which is power lust, has no place in the life of any Christian. The power in the kingdom of God is the power of God the Holy Spirit and the Bible doctrine resident in our souls. These carnal believers were using the persuasiveness of words in an attempt to appear superior to other Christians in the church at Corinth and to become the authority.
Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?”
Paul could get tough, when necessary, but he preferred to come to them with virtue love and gentleness knowing they had received the message and had returned to fellowship with God and to their spiritual lives.