1 Corinthians 4
4
The Ministry of the Apostles
1#Ro 16:25; Titus 1:7Let a man so regard us as the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by man’s judgment. I do not even judge myself. 4#Ps 143:2; 130:3For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this. But He who judges me is the Lord. 5#Ro 2:16; 2:1; 2:29Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the purposes of the hearts. Then everyone will have commendation from God.
6#1Co 1:12; 13:4Brothers, I have figuratively applied these things to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, so that you may learn from us not to think of men above that which is written, and that not one of you would be arrogant for one against another. 7#Jn 3:27; Ro 12:6For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8#Rev 3:17Now you are full, now you are rich; you have begun reigning as kings without us, and I wish to God you reigned, so that we also might reign with you. 9#Ro 8:36; Heb 10:33For I think that God has exhibited us, the apostles, last, as if we were sentenced to death. For we have been made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. 10#1Co 2:3; Ac 17:18; 26:24We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised. 11#Ro 8:35; 2Co 11:23–27Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless. 12#1Pe 3:9; Ac 18:3; Mt 5:11We labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. 13#La 3:45Being slandered, we encourage. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the refuse of all things to this day.
14#1Th 2:11; 1Co 4:15I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15#Gal 4:19; 1Co 3:10For if you were to have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. In Christ Jesus I have become a father to you through the gospel. 16#1Co 11:1; Php 3:17So I implore you, be followers of me. 17#1Co 7:17; 1Ti 1:2Therefore I have sent Timothy to you. He is my beloved son and is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
18Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19#Ac 18:21; 19:21But I will come to you shortly if the Lord wills. And I will know not only what those who are arrogant are saying, but also their power. 20#1Co 2:4For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21#2Co 13:2; 1:23What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?
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Military Bible Association
1 Corinthians 4
4
The Faithful Manager
1A person should consider us in this way: as servants # Jn 18:36 of Christ and managers # Lk 16:1 of God’s mysteries. # 1Co 2:7 2In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. # Nm 12:7 3It is of little # Mt 5:19 importance to me that I should be evaluated # 1Co 2:14 by you or by any human court. # Lit a human day In fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. 4For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified # Ac 13:39 by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. 5Therefore don’t judge # Lk 6:37 anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, # Mk 8:38; 1Pt 5:6 who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. # 2Co 10:18
The Apostles’ Example of Humility
6Now, brothers, # Ac 9:30 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos # Ti 3:13 for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” # The words in quotation marks could = the OT, a Jewish maxim, or a popular proverb. The purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another. 7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? 8You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us — and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! 9For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! # 1Pt 5:14 We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; 12we labor, working # 2Jn 8 with our own hands. # Ac 18:3 When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals. # Is 64:6; Lm 3:45
Paul’s Fatherly Care
14I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. # 1Th 2:11; Phm 1 15For you can have 10,000 instructors in Christ, but you can’t have many fathers. For I became your father # Gl 4:19; Phm 10 in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17This is why I have sent # 2Co 9:3; Eph 6:21-22; Col 4:7-8; Phm 12 Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful # Nm 12:7 son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, # Ac 19:21; 1Co 16:5; 2Co 1:15-16 if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, # 2Co 1:23; 2:1,3; 12:20-21; 13:2,10 or in love and a spirit of gentleness? # Jms 3:13
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