1 Corinthians 4:14-17
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
Paul demonstrates here the heart of an under-shepherd. He sees the believers as children; mostly as God’s in Christ, but in a sense as his own due to his concern and care for them. Unlike Rome, he was not demanding they worship and call him ‘father,” but served them instead. He witnessed to them the gospel words of life, so he felt responsible to disciple and shepherd them. Because of these things due to the grace of God in Paul and his working out that sanctification, he urged them to follow in his footsteps. When he could not visit to minister, he sent a trusted disciple in his place who was so like minded. All of this is a pattern of ministry for us. Bear witness to the gospel for God to quicken others into eternal life, follow up, disciple, shepherd, and bring up others to do the same.
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