Apostle Paul is telling the
church at Corinth as a father in Christ not to shame them but to warn them. Not
many fathers are there these days as well as in the first century. The real
father is who is responsible for his family and children unconditionally. The
image of true father is depicted in the Gospel of Luke Chapter 15. As a steward
of the mysteries of God, Paul is telling the church to get serious and real
instead of being flattered and conceited, knowing the unsearchable riches of
glory God designed and intended for us to have even before time began.
“I am writing this not to shame
you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians
in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father
through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have
sent to 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.” (1 Corinthians 4:14-17)
Paul urges the church to imitate
him, being faithful to the One who called them into the fellowship with Christ Jesus
the Lord. Every Christian has been blessed to enter into the communion with
Christ. There are certain stages to grow to maturity in the faith of blessed
gospel—children, young men, and fathers. No one can grow instantly to the level
of maturity. It’s a process, taking time. But one thing is sure that one must
grow to maturity even though it may take a long time. Being fed and nurtured
faithfully, patiently, and even deliberately by the words of God, one shall grow
in Christ, graduating the stage of infants (1 Corinthians 3:1).
It is appropriate to send
Timothy to the church to explain the way of Paul’s life in Christ Jesus, which agreed
with what he taught everywhere in every church. He was the son of Paul in the faith.
In his early young age, he began to accompany the Apostle when he was in his
hometown Lystra. Later when Paul was put in prison in Rome, Timothy was sent to
Ephesus to minister the church there. This young man proved to be faithful in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
He would tell the way of Paul’s
life in Christ to the church at Corinth that agreed with what he taught
everywhere especially in Achaia. The way of Paul’s life is a miniature of that
of Jesus Christ the Lord. He resolved not to know anything other than Christ
and Him crucified when he came to the flourishing city of Corinth with great
fear and trembling. He appeared not wise or persuasive in words but in the power
of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and preached the mysteries of God. He presented
all but the realities of life in the light of the true God of heaven and earth.
Through the labor and toil of
birth pain, the church was born in Corinth and the multitudes found a true life
in Christ Jesus.
“Or do you not know that
wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the
sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor
thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit
the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you
were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by
the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
Then the church was blessed by
all kinds of spiritual gifts, not lacking anything at all.
“I always thank my God for you
because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been
enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—God thus
confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any
spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” (1
Corinthians 1:4-7)
Paul never changed the language
of the gospel anywhere in the church. He always identified himself as the servant
of Christ Jesus and never thought of himself beyond. He was faithfully
following the Master of the universe, fully acknowledging and being aware of
the truth that the Lord judges him in the midst (1 Corinthians 4:3). Also, he
was fully aware of that he was not subject to any judgment by the world and its
wisdom and philosophy. Like our Lord Jesus fixed His eyes on God the Father in
heaven, Paul was carrying the marks of Christ in his body.
“From now on, let no one cause
me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.” (Galatians 6:17)
Some apparently didn’t like the
way Paul was saying in a letter sent earlier because they were conceited and so
full of themselves that he would never come to Corinth. They were like someone
who determined not to listen to anyone.
“Some of you have become
arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if
the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant
people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a
matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod
of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?” (1
Corinthians 4:18-21)
Obviously, there were some who
didn’t want Paul to come to Corinth out of their arrogance and conceit. They were
puffed up with illusions and delusions. Here we see how the Apostle handled the
matter in Christ Jesus. When he was told that there were quarrels and dissensions
and many other problems, he would have been urged to come to Corinth at once
and corrected them. But instead, most likely, guided by the Holy Spirit, he
wrote this letter and delivered by the hand of Timothy.
Apostle Paul urgently wanted to
go see them face to face if the Lord was willing. Then he wanted to find out not
only how these conceited people were talking but more importantly what power
they had. That’s the demarcation line between the mature and infants. Whether or
not being puffed up or inflated by self-righteousness and pride, we can tell by
the demonstration of power, the power of the Spirit which truly transforms one’s
heart into more godly and Christ-like. For the kingdom of God is not a matter
of talk but of power.
Apostle James says bluntly and pertinently
that the faith not accompanied with power is uselessly dead.
“But someone will say, ‘You
have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show
you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the
demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that
faith without deeds is useless?” (James 2:18-20)
Then Paul is asking them,
saying “What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or
shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?”
The Apostle never bended the
truth even a bit but faced it truthfully and openly with the brothers and
sisters in Corinth. At the same time, he was compassionate and broken-hearted
for them to come to the reality and truth which might lead them to repentance. That’s
the heart of God. Our God is waiting patiently and faithfully for anyone to
come and drink out of rivers of living water and be overflown with only one
condition—by faith.
Prayer: Thank you Father for
telling the truth openly and honestly and inviting anyone to come to repentance
to have the eternal life, a life that you intended man to live before time
began. Lord Father, keep us from being puffed up with empty pride and arrogance
out of ignorance and unbelief. Purify and cleanse us continually and faithfully
with the blood of Christ as you have promised even before we were born. In His
name. Amen.
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