1 CORINTHIANS, Day 2
DON’T LET DIFFERENCES CAUSE SCHISMS
The Problems #2
1 Corinthians 3 – 4
Divisions in the church — Chapter 3
Paul begins this chapter by telling the Corinthians that they were conducting church matters in a worldly way and not a spiritual way. He states that while he was with them, he gave them Christian baby food (milk) and not Christian adult food (meat) because they were not spiritually ready for adult food. They had the tendency to follow people and not the leading of God through the Holy Spirit. They were giving credit to Paul’s teaching and Apollos’s teaching and not giving Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul goes on to say that Jesus Christ is the foundation of the CHURCH including each local church. Once the foundation is laid, each building block after that is adding to the foundation AND NOT PART OF THE FOUNDATION. Any adding to the foundation that Jesus Christ has already laid will eventually be destroyed. The temple of God is God’s people. He resides in His people. WE ARE HIS CHURCH.
Apostles of Christ — Chapter 4
Therefore, Paul and Apollos should be viewed and treated as servants of Jesus Christ and not lords. Paul and Apollos are asking the Corinthians to imitate their servanthood of Jesus Christ. Paul warns them, “[Do] not go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over against another” (Verse 6). He states that the apostles have been chosen to lead the church and to be examples for the new believers to follow their sacrifice of being a servant leader. The apostles have been chosen to show in their lifestyle before angels and mankind the witness of GRACE provided by God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “Therefore, I urge you to imitate me. For this reason, I am sending you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church” (Verses 16 – 17). Paul then chastises the Corinthians for being arrogant about not patiently waiting for Paul to return to Corinth to help clean up their mess in person. He asks them if he should come with a whip or in love and with a gentle spirit.
Personal application
I was asked to be a deacon at FBCA in my early 30s. I was just a Christian by 7 years. I had the privilege during those 7 years to set aside 2 of those years to attend Cairn University (formerly known as Philadelphia College of Bible). As a young deacon at FBCA, I was privileged to be tutored by a number of senior men who have served in Christian leadership service for many years. Their example as Christian fathers in my life served me well and many of my leadership principles and thinking were molded by these men. What Paul is saying in Chapters 3 and 4 of 1 Corinthians is that the Church Age was the new age in God’s plan. The new leaders in the churches did not have spiritual fathers to mentor them. Instead, they needed to rely on and imitate Paul, Apollos, and Timothy, and learn how to lead their local church in a servanthood way. Paul, Apollos, and Timothy needed to serve as their spiritual fathers for them to emulate. I personally praise God every day for those who have come before me, that have had influence in my life. And I look forward to the day when I can thank them personally for their investment in my life.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
Blessings from Carlton Ringer