1 Corinthians 4:1-21 - Imitate Those who Imitate Christ

1 Corinthians 4:1-21 

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Fools for Christ’s Sake

6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Paul’s Paternal Care

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.

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

We are like the Corinthians in that we are also urged to imitate those who imitate Christ as the apostle Paul did before the world to see clearly and sincerely.  Paul and the other apostles with the teachers alongside them presented their examples as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God for us all to follow afterwards.  He made it clear that stewards of these mysteries were to faithfully reveal them as God did in Christ by His indwelling Spirit in them and us.  If we are also faithful then we know that we can stand against false judgment of others who oppose us and even against ourselves when we doubt; God alone justifies each of us and judges our works to hold us accountable but not to condemnation (1 Corinthians 3:14-15) as we read last time.  We are therefore told to hold fast and not to judge anything before the time of the final judgment when the Lord comes to reveal the hidden motives and intentions of our hearts in His good grace.  Our praise will come from God who alone can say well done to His good and faithful servants.  He goes on to use his example along with faithful Apollos who worked alongside Paul as patterns of grace that we do not elevate servants to the lofty position of their master that we also do not allow pride to imagine the ones God gifts and uses are any better than any other servant-followers of Jesus Christ.  Whatever gifts we have are from God and not our own works or labors apart from what He puts in us to serve one another.  This is why pastor and Christian writer and teacher worship are contrary to the examples and teaching of scripture (1 Corinthians 3:4-7) and must be avoided at all costs.  False humility is the other side of this coin which we are warned of; the gifts we have received we are not to deny nor downplay, but humbly acknowledge and use for the gospel’s sake to honor the Lord.  We have everything to love godly and effective lives as servants of Christ acc to the gifts we are given as wise stewards and not in denial or boasting for what is the Lord’s anyway.  We are infinitely rich and completely full in Christ!  We see then that the apostles were meant to suffer most in bringing the final written word of God to us and canonize it for our instruction while still realizing we will suffer similar persecution for Christ’s and the gospel’s sake.  Paul wrote all these things to warn and encourage us and not to put any to shame for coming up short of the fullness of understanding or serving the Lord.  He specifically spoke to the believers reading this letter at Corinth to remind them that he was a spiritual parent to them because he had taught them and brought them up to maturity as grown men and women in Christ by the power and wisdom of the Spirit of God working in and through him.  This is the basis for his plea to imitate him as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) and also for our own spiritual mentors who lead us to Christ and discipled us with follow-up teaching and practical life lessons according to the scriptures.  Just as Paul sent Timothy to them, we are to receive and send those we disciple (2 Timothy 2:2) who are faithful to also make and teach disciples who follow and lead others to follow Christ.  This discipleship is part of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) that we are to faithfully follow and lead others to Christ and to teach them all things to maturity to do the same.  This kingdom of God we teach and preach is in His power and not our own, not just words we teach but the acts of God’s Spirit working salvation and sanctification in each one.  May we be faithful and humble in exercising the gifts and calling we each have been entrusted with as we imitate those who imitate Christ.