At the Cross all is level

1 Corinthians 4:6-7

From the time I arrived on planet earth my second home was a small Baptist church, in that we, meaning my parent's brother and sister were there three times a week, and often for revivals and other events all week long.  Most of that time we did not own a car, we walked about 2 ½ miles most of the time and often someone would have mercy on us in the evening and give us a ride home.  Now that is just the background for what Paul is addressing in these verses, although we did not have a car, we always had food, sometimes hand-me-down clothes and one pair of shoes, for church and school.  We did not see ourselves as under-resourced, the new word for poor.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 4:6-7, and see how my upbringing ties into this Scripture.  “I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”  Now chapter and verses were added for us, so remember this was a letter, a very long letter written to the church at Corinth, and we need to go back in the letter to chapter 3, for it needs to be clear what the Holy Spirit is saying through Paul’s pen.

In chapter three, around verse 21, Paul is saying that there is a remedy for divisions in the church, and it is simple, you do not elevate one person over another, not even a Paul or Apollos.  He goes on to state they are not their own, but belong to Christ, so we should never look to them or mistake them for our Master.  In this human flesh, we have a hunger to do one of two things, we want to be the master of others or to set someone up as the Master.

Now as we move into the fourth chapter we are told that leadership comes with many requirements and responsibilities for those who are called to lead.  These leaders should be seen as servants of God, to give us the message of Christ.   Paul makes clear that we as well as the leaders will be tested on how faithful they have been with the foolish message of Christ and the Cross.

That brings us to chapter 4, verses six and seven, and he uses himself and Apollos as examples.  Paul is telling us we did not go beyond what is written in the Scripture, in fact, Paul was determined to know nothing among the Corinthians except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  His message was clear the church was not to inflate one person over another this only leads to pride.  We as the church have only one who is worthy of honor and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator, the I Am.

Paul gave these responses to those in the church that wanted acclaim, what do you have that has not been given to you?  And if it was a gift and you did not earn it, why are you so full of pride and arrogance?

I began with my second home was a small Baptist church, and it was amazing what I learned in that church.  I observed some of the most precious, giving people that anyone could want to be around; in fact, most of them were a little better off in the financial area than us, but just good people being giving and supportive.

Then there were the ones who did not attend often but always seemed to come for the business meeting, making sure that the money they did not give got spent in the correct way.  And then there were the deacons, most were good, loving men, but a few saw themselves as responsible for running the church, to control the money and to keep the pastor in his place.  These men never read or understood 1 Corinthians 4:6-7, and it was these men that did great harm to the work of Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice