1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
The Corinthians were evaluating and comparing the Christian workers. Therefore Paul begins Chapter 4 by telling them how a Christian worker should be viewed.
First, they are servants. That is, they are there to serve, not to boss over other Christians.
Second, they are stewards. That is, they managers of someone else’s (specifically, Christ’s) property. The ‘property’ is the mysteries of God. That is, Christian workers explain to others what God is like. They unfold the mystery of what God is like. They do this so that people can draw closer to God.
If you are a Christian worker then this is how you must view yourself in regard to those you serve.
You can’t explain the mysteries of God to others if you don’t understand them yourself. If you don’t know God yourself how can you tell others what He is like?
For example, if somebody speaks evil of you behind your back, and you hear about it, what do you do? If you have the knowledge of God that God will avenge then you will not be upset and speak or do evil to them but you will leave it in God’s hands. Then, when you see God avenge you, you will be able to share with others this experiential knowledge of God that you have. That is, you will become a steward of this mystery of God (namely, that God will avenge you) and you will be able to share it with others.
2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.
What is expected of a steward? That he be trustworthy. That is, the steward must do what he is supposed to do.
When people spend time with you do they get a better understanding of what God is like? If so, then you are doing well. Otherwise, you are not a good steward.
3 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.
4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
5 Therefore do not go on 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.
The Corinthians were examining and comparing Paul and Apollos and others. Paul is trying to point out the foolishness of such an endeavor.
We must be careful not to evaluate, or be jealous of, other people’s gifts or ministries especially if they don’t like us or we don’t get along with each other. Also, there is a great tendency to compare different preachers or ministers in our church, or other churches.
Paul points out the foolishness of such an endeavor by explaining that he doesn’t even compare himself to others. And he doesn’t care of what others think of him. He explains why: it is because even if he can find nothing wrong with himself that doesn’t mean that he is without fault. The Lord examines him, and he realizes that the Lord can spot faults in him that he himself cannot spot.
As an aside, what Paul says here is in contrast to what Paul says in 2 Cor 13 where he tells the Corinthians to examine themselves. There he is talking about examining oneself to see if he / she is in the faith whereas over here Paul is talking about not making a list of your accomplishments and comparing them with the accomplishment of another servant of God.
If a man, who knows what goes on in his own mind, cannot even evaluate himself accurately how can it make sense for someone else, who can’t even read his mind, to evaluate him?
In view of his argument, Paul concludes that we shouldn’t judge or compare others. Rather, we should wait to hear what God has to say about them Christ returns.
When God evaluates, He also considers things about the person that no one else knows. For example, God considers the back biting about that other servant of God who has a greater anointing. He considers that income tax return that didn’t disclose all income. He considers that under-the-table deal made by telling a few lies. He considers the bribe given to hide a fault. He considers the way we speak to the opposite sex and why we speak to the opposite sex. We may think that no one saw it but God did.
In addition, He also examines why the person did what he did. We cannot do either of these and so our evaluation of anyone is bound to be inaccurate.
What we should do though, is examine our own motives for serving God. Are we serving for money? For earthly honor, or for reputation before others in the church or at home? So that we can find a spiritual spouse? So that we can be part of the inner circle of a church? So that we can have a bunch of friends?
And when we serve, does our message match our life? Do we preach one thing and do something contrary to what we preach? Are there things about us that others would be horrified to find out?
When Christ returns, God is going to ask us such questions anyway, so we would do well to ask ourselves those questions right now.
6 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.
Since we can’t make an accurate judgment, it is best to not evaluate someone else. That is what it means to not exceed what is written, because it is written that we should not judge.
7 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 tells the Corinthians that they can’t make judgments better than anyone else (i.e. they are not superior in this regard). They haven’t come up with anything uniquely spiritual from within themselves and therefore they have no grounds to claim that their evaluation is better than anyone else’s.
8 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.
Paul is talking sarcastically here. He is pointing out that they are acting as if their word on who is greater is completely accurate and that everyone should listen to them. The picture of a rich king is that of one whose word is law and to be taken very seriously.
We see that God can speak sarcastically at times, and so sarcasm, at the appropriate time, is not necessarily bad.
9 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.
10 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.
11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;
12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
13 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.
Paul now gives a description of what it is to be an apostle. His hope is that when the Corinthians understand what the life of an apostle is really like then they will not even want to proudly say who is their favorite apostle. After all, no one wants to say that they are followers of a homeless person who doesn’t even have enough to eat and drink most of the time, and who cannot afford good clothes, and who is at the bottom of the social ladder, and who people think is crazy, and who is a man marked for death!
So what do you think of such a life? Would you want to be an apostle if this was your lot?
Do you think that the true apostles of today would be any different?
It is a truly miserable life! Why does God have it so?
And what about all these preachers who tell you that if you obey God (especially financially) you will reap lots of money?
The apostle’s reward is not in this life but in the next. Nevertheless, there are benefits. Paul was taken up to the third heaven (where God is) and he did great miracles and he wrote Scripture and he was a blessing to many. A life well spent. As Jim Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
Even if you are not an apostle, just as it pleased God to crush Jesus, and just as it pleases God to crush His apostles, you can let Him crush you too.
For example, when the woman (or man) you love does not love you and you feel your world has come to an end, can you see God’s hand in it?
Or when others have money to spend but you don’t, and you feel like life’s not fair, can you accept it?
Or when you do a great job at work but get no award, but someone else does a mediocre job and gets an award, how will you deal with that?
Or when you’ve worked hard all year and accomplished a lot for your boss and then during the annual review he minimizes your accomplishments and focuses on your weakness, will you hold to a bad attitude about it?
Or when your coworkers are jealous of you (like they were of Joseph and Daniel) and give you a difficult time, will you let it go?
There is more to life than all these and you are blessed if you, like the apostle Paul, come to a point where your eyes are opened to see that.
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