1Corinthians 4
Outline:
I. \\#1:1-4:21\\ In Answer to Chloe’s Report
A. \\#1:1-9\\ Introduction
1. \\#1:1-3\\ Greetings of Grace
2. \\#1:4-9\\ Prayer of Thanksgiving
B. \\#1:10-13\\ Report of Divisions
C. \\#1:14-4:21\\ Reasons for Divisions
1. \\#1:14-3:4\\ Misunderstanding of the Gospel Message
a. \\#1:14-17\\ The Gospel Message is not BAPTISM.
b. \\#1:17-2:16\\ The Gospel Message is in the PREACHING.
(1) \\#1:17-22\\ It is not the preaching with wise
words.
(2) \\#1:22\\ It is not the preaching with signs.
(3) \\#1:23-31\\ It is the kind of preaching "we"
do.
(4) \\#2:1-5\\ It is not preaching with "eloquent"
words, "excellency of speech."
(5) \\#2:6-8\\ It is preaching with the wisdom of
Christ.
(6) \\#2:9-16\\ It is preaching anointed with the
Holy Spirit.
2. \\#3:1-4\\ Misunderstanding of the Reader’s Maturity
3. \\#3:5-4:21\\ Misunderstanding of the Gospel Ministers
a. \\#3:5-17\\ God’s Servants Aren’t Competitors but
Co-Laborers
b. \\#3:18-23\\ Seek God’s Wisdom
c. \\#4:1-6\\ The Minister’s Accountability
d. \\#4:7-13\\ The Minister’s Biography
e. \\#14-16\\ This Minister’s Purpose
f. \\#17\\ This Minister’s Actions
g. \\#18-21\\ This Minister’s Warning
III. \\#3:5-4:21\\ Misunderstanding of the Gospel Ministers
A. \\#3:5-17\\ God’s Servants Aren’t Competitors but Co-Laborers
B. \\#3:18-23\\ Back on Track: Seek God’s Wisdom
C. \\#4:1-6\\ The Minister’s Accountability
1Cor 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the
ministers of Christ, and stewards of the
mysteries of God.
1. \\#1\\ "account of us, as of the ministers of God"
a. Paul was stating that all of those the Corinthians
were following, including himself, were God’s
ministers.
(1) That is, they were on the same team working for
the same goals serving the same God.
(2) To pick one to follow over another was
illogical.
b. And each were "stewards of the mysteries of God."
(1) That is that each had the same truths.
(2) The Holy Spirit was revealing the same truths to
all of His servants.
(3) Now that we have the written Word of God, we too
are stewards of God’s mysteries,
2. \\#2\\ In a minister, above all else, faithfulness is
required.
1Cor 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards,
that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I
should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment:
yea, I judge not mine own self.
3. \\#3\\ "…it is a very small thing that I should be judged
of you" - And your judgment of me is of little
consequence.
a. Here perhaps we have another prelude of coming events.
b. This time, it was that some of the Corinthians would
not accept Paul as an apostle.
(1) Paul will deal far more in 2 Corinthians with
those who disregarded him as an apostle.
(a) \\#2Cor 3:1-2\\
(b) \\#2Cor 5:12-13\\
(c) \\#2Cor 6:4-13\\
(d) \\#2Cor 11:5-6\\
(e) \\#2Cor 12:1-15\\
(f) \\#2Cor 13:3\\
(2) Some of the above passages deal more directly
with Paul’s credentials than others, but all
have the undertow that some at Corinth doubted
Paul’s authority.
(3) Yet \\#1Cor 4:2-5\\ indicate that Paul was
already aware of their doubt, but did not
consider it important enough to be dealt with at
the time.
c. "or of man’s judgment"
(1) Paul was not correcting just the Corinthians, but
any others who doubted him too.
(2) For example, Paul gave his testimony in
Galatians 1-2, specifically covering how God had
called and revealed His Word to Paul, an
indication that others may have doubted his
calling as well.
d. "yea, I judge not mine own self"
(1) Elsewhere, Paul told the Corinthians that we
should judge ourselves.
1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we
should not be judged.
(2) Is this a contradiction?
(a) Not really.
(b) Here Paul was saying that men are not the
real judges of men.
(c) God is.
1Cor 4:4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I
not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is
the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until
the Lord come, who both will bring to light the
hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest
the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every
man have praise of God.
4. \\#4\\ "For I know nothing by myself" - Paul was not
preaching a message he had figured out by himself.
a. "yet am I justified" - And so, he was justified by
God in his preaching.
b. For it was God’s message that he preached.
c. "he that judgeth me is the Lord" - Therefore, the
only judgment that counted was the Lord’s, and Paul
knew he would be judged by the Lord.
5. \\#5\\ "Therefore judge nothing"
a. It is not that Christians are not allowed to make
assessments of the spiritual conditions of others
for we cannot correctly counsel others if we cannot
do so; but we are limited in ability and knowledge
to think that we are right at all costs.
b. The Lord is the true Judge and will reveal His
judgments when He comes.
1Cor 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a
figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for
your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to
think of men above that which is written, that no
one of you be puffed up for one against another.
6. \\#6\\ "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure
transferred…"
a. And what Paul had said of himself, he would say
applied to the other men (Peter and Apollos) as
well.
b. "that ye might learn in us not to think of men above
that which is written" - A good man should be
respected, but no man should be idolized.
c. "that no one of you be puffed up for one against
another."
(1) "puffed up" is to be swollen with pride or to
take pride in something that is not worthy.
(2) Paul will use this term 5 times in this book:
3 times in this chapter \\#1Cor 4:6, 18, 19\\.
1 time in the next chapter \\#1Cor 5:2\\.
1 time in \\#1Cor 13:4\\.
(3) The Corinthians had taken pride in one of God’s
servants over another, then used their sinful
behavior to set "one against another."
D. \\#4:7-13\\ The Minister’s Biography
1Cor 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from
another? and what hast thou that thou didst not
receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost
thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
1. \\#7\\ Who gives us our lot in life?
a. Paul asked three questions of the Corinthians, each to
get them to consider Who had given them their lot in
life?
(1) Who made you different? God.
(2) What do you have that you did not receive?
Nothing.
(3) If you have received it, why act as though you
did not?
b. Paul’s questions were first meant to tell the
Corinthians that the servants of God were created by
God and deserved that respect.
c. But, I believe, the questions indicate a shift in
Paul’s purpose.
(1) Paul had been writing to change the Corinthians’
thinking about the ministers’ roles. (i.e.
Ministers are not competitors, but co-laborers.)
(2) With these questions, Paul began to encourage the
Corinthians to listen to him \\#16\\.
1Cor 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye
followers of me.
(3) Plus by called them "puffed up" \\#6\\ and now
saying they were "glorying" \\#7\\, Paul was
giving a small censure on their pride which he
will refer to later \\#1Cor 4:18\\.
2. \\#8-13\\ Paul then compared the lot in life that God had
given to them to the lot in life God had given to His
ministers, including himself.
1Cor 4:8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye
have reigned as kings without us: and I would to
God ye did reign, that we also might reign with
you.
a. \\#8\\ The Corinthians’ Lot
(1) You are full (of food and happiness).
(2) You are rich (you have more than enough).
(3) You have reigned as kings-"without us."
(a) The Corinthians had ruled their own lives
without listening to the instructors that
God had given to them—even the ones they
claimed to be following.
(b) Paul went on to say that he wished they were
rulers so that God’s ministers might enjoy
some of their privileges.
i. However, Paul only said that to be
sarcastic.
ii. In fact, all the things that Paul said
of the Corinthians, he said
sarcastically.
iii. Paul, as well as, many of the other
ministers of God could have the same
things the Corinthians had if they
wanted to live the carnal, rebellious
lives that the Corinthians lived.
1Cor 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but
ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are
strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
(4) In \\#10\\ Paul will add that they are "wise in
Christ."
(5) That the Corinthians are strong.
(6) And that the Corinthians are honorable,
respected.
b. \\#9-13\\ The Ministers’ Lot (and I think Paul’s lot
in life specifically)
1Cor 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us
the apostles last, as it were appointed to death:
for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and
to angels, and to men.
(1) \\#9\\ God had set the apostles on the lowest
shelf of life when it came to benefits.
(2) They had been appointed to (an early and painful)
death.
(3) They had been appointed to be a spectacle (of
suffering) to the world, to angels, and to men.
(That would have to be Christian men since he had
already mentioned the unsaved men in the world).
(4) \\#10\\ They were fools for Christ.
(5) They were weak.
(6) They were despised by the world.
1Cor 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both
hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are
buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being
reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the
filth of the world, and are the offscouring of
all things unto this day.
(7-11) \\#11\\ They were—as Paul wrote the letter to
Corinth—hungry, thirsty, naked, and beaten
(buffeted), with no certain place to live.
(12) \\#12\\ They labored, working a secular job.
(13) When they were cursed, they blessed them.
(14) When they were persecuted, they endured it.
(15) \\#13\\ When they were insulted (defamed), they
attempt to make peace.
(16) They were treated like the most filthy thing on
the planet.
(17) They were what no one else wanted.
E. \\#14-16\\ This Minister’s Purpose
1Cor 4:14 I write not these things to shame you,
but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors
in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in
Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the
gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of
me.
1. \\#14\\ Paul’s purpose was not to get pity but, as
children, to teach them something very important.
2. \\#15\\ That though God might send them 10,000 teachers,
they had only one father.
(a) Paul was their father because he introduced them to
Jesus.
(b) And no one was going to love them like Paul loved
them.
3. \\#16\\ So Paul begged them to listen and do what he said.
Paul, knowing how hard he was about to get with the
Corinthians, wanted to plant the thought in their hearts
now that he loved them, was treating them like a father
would, and that they needed to listen to what he was
about to say.
F. \\#17\\ This Minister’s Actions
1Cor 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you
Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful
in the Lord, who shall bring you into
remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I
teach every where in every church.
1. Perhaps also in anticipation of how harsh he was going to
get with them, Paul was sending Timothy, no doubt with
this letter.
2. Timothy was to "bring you into remembrance of my ways…
in Christ."
(a) Timothy was to set things back in their proper order.
(b) What a difficult job Timothy had!
(1) He was not an apostle, and I know of no miracle
that he ever performed.
(2) Yet, he was to preach the words of Paul like
they were the words of Christ to people that
were doubting that Paul was a legitimate
apostle and living in sin.
G. \\#18-21\\ This Minister’s Warning
1Cor 4:18 Now some are puffed up, as though I
would not come to you.
1. \\#18\\ Some are puffed up (with pride), thinking Paul
would never return to Corinth.
(a) Perhaps they thought him too busy elsewhere to
return.
(b) Perhaps they thought he was too weak and scared to
return.
(c) Based on what Paul was about to say, I would think it
was the later.
1Cor 4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the
Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them
which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word,
but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a
rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
2. \\#19-20\\ But if the Lord would allow it, Paul intended
to return.
(a) Then he and they will know not just what men may say,
but what power they have.
(b) \\#20\\ For God’s kingdom is not mere words. It is
God’s power.
Note: It is this power that we are lacking today.
3. \\#22\\ How do you want me to return?
(a) With a rod of correction?
(b) With a spirit of meekness and love?
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