Monterey Summer :)
1 Corinthians and James this summer.
Introductory portion of 1 Corinthians.
1-4 Tribalism in the Corinthian church, especially centered around the major mouthpieces.
5 A flagrant form of immorality.
6 Lawsuits
6 Sexual immorality abounding.
1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
1 This is how one should regard us: Paul continued to hammer on this theme — how to treat Paul, Apollos, and other ministers of the gospel.
1 As servants of Christ: subordinates.
1 As stewards of the mysteries of God:
Define stewards: Household managers, responsible with the belongings, finances, staff, and children of another.
Joseph was a good steward in Potiphar’s house (Gen. 39:8).
Mysteries of God: Recall 2:7-10 — the Spirit awakened Paul (and others) to the mysteries of God.
2 Stewards must be found faithful: Faithfulness.
God is looking for faithfulness.
Deacons example: Stephen.
1 Timothy 3:13 (ESV) — 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
3 Paul thought it a very small thing if the Corinthians — or any other human court — judged him and his work.
3 The Corinthians had judged Paul. Literally, they sifted the evidence about Paul.
3 He did not even judge himself.
Paul did not see himself, let alone the Corinthians, as qualified to judge him or his motives.
4 But he was not acquitted because he was not aware of anything against himself, but the Lord would judge him.
I am not aware of anything against myself: One major mark of Paul’s ministry was the pursuit of a clear conscience, and here he mentions he had one, so he is not opposed to self-examination.
Self-examination and conviction: Romans 14:5–6 (ESV) — 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Nor was he opposed to the examination of the body of Christ, for in the next chapter he will tell us to ”purge the evil person from among you” (5:13).
1 Corinthians 2:15 (ESV) — 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
Key verse: Romans 14:13 (ESV) — 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
5 The Lord’s future judgement necessitated a present day application: do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes.
When he does, he will bring to light all that is hidden.
So we should not engage in premature judgment, exalting some and rejecting others.
Reasons For Divisions — Misunderstanding The Messenger — Understanding Paul’s Ministry (4:6-21)
6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.
6 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos / that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another: Perhaps the real schism was not the Paul vs. Apollos camp, but other unnamed teachers. Paul refrained from naming them at this point.
6 Learn by us not to go beyond what is written:
A phrase often used to introduce Old Testament quotations.
Context: Instead of holding a high or low opinion of various teachers, they ought to consider God’s view as the only valid view, and not go beyond it.
Romans 12:3 (ESV) — 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? 8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!
7 Who sees anything different in you?: It is a question dealing with their perceived superiority.
HCSB: Who makes you so superior?
NIV: Who makes you so different from anyone else?
Some Christians evidently were boasting because of their talents, positions, and parties. They felt they were different from other churches, superior in their gifts.
7 Why do you boast as if you did not receive it?:
8 Already you have all you want! Rich! Kings! We might share the rule with you!:
They thought they were full, with all they wanted - satiated and satisfied by their load of teachers.
They thought they were rich - prosperous and successful by their large work.
They thought they were kings - influential and powerful by their big reputation.
Truthfully, they were none of these things.
They were gifted, called, and set apart to God, but their pride had gotten in the way.
Paul taught Christlike humility should be taken up by all believers (Philippians 2:5-11).
1 — They should have praised God for receiving grace, but they instead boasted as if they had not received it.
2 — They should have been poor in spirit, but were instead acting rich.
3 — They should have been servants of Christ, but were instead behaving like kings.
Unfortunately, many have followed the Corinthian example of wanting exaltation without humiliation.
The desperate church is the effective church.
This world is full of adversaries (world, flesh, devil).
This world is no playground.
Ex. Modern playgrounds vs Dennis The Menace helicopter.
Space to talk about the danger of the word-faith movement.
Are you willing to endure humiliation to get exaltation?
9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, 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 held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
9-13 Paul wanted them to consider the apostles, exhibited by God as the last of all, though they are the greatest in his kingdom.
9 Spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men: standing before nobles.
10 Fools for Christ’s sake: rejected. End times, heaven, resurrection, Scripture.
10 Weak: at the mercy of the authorities. Outmanned, outnumbered, out-financed.
10 Held in disrepute: rather than honored everywhere.
This was the world’s view (the Corinthians had begun to adopt it).
Reality - the wisest, strongest, and most honorable men in all of history.
11 Hunger and thirst / poorly dressed / buffeted / homeless: Poverty.
12 Labor: Tent-building.
12-13 Reviled / Persecuted / Slandered:
13 The scum of the world: Brushed or scraped off - without value.
God used men of little value to the world.
Paul compared the apostles to the worthless men who were sacrificed to pagan gods.
They would find their worst criminals and hold them for a time when they needed a human sacrifice (burnt alive, thrown into the sea for Neptune).
Why did they do it?
Paul thanked God for getting to do ministry: 1 Timothy 1:12 (ESV) — 12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,
Again, how anyone could embrace a prosperity gospel after passages like these is beyond me.
14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed: Which seems to be the goal of so much Christian writing.
15 Countless guides / not…many fathers: Others would teach them, but Paul had fathered them and had their interests at heart.
HCSB / NKJV — Ten thousand instructors in Christ.
NIV — Ten thousand guardians in Christ.
Talk about the value of the local church, especially in an age where there countless instructors are accessible to every believer.
Hebrews 13:7 (ESV) — 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
The modern spirit of shopping around.
Spiritual parents!
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me: As their spiritual father, he wanted them to imitate his way of life, which was an imitation of Jesus’ life. He wanted a “like father, like son” relationship with the Corinthians. They certainly weren’t behaving like a church Paul would’ve founded.
17 That is why I sent you Timothy: Timothy was an imitator of Paul, and an extension of Paul’s fatherly work.
Philippians 2:20 (ESV) — 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.
18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
18-21 Paul knew not everyone would be motivated by his appeal to them, so he warned of his coming, lest they cast Timothy aside.
21 His visit could either be with a rod, an emblem of discipline and authority, or love and a spirit of gentleness.
Paul would not shy away from discipline.
Implications for parents from Paul’s words:
1 Be example worthy of imitation.
2 Realize the difference between you and every other instructor.
3 Become a spiritual parent also.
4 Be willing to discipline when necessary.