You are already full!
You are already
rich! You have rained as
Kings without us --
-- and indeed I
could wish you did it
reign,
that we also might
reign with you!
For I think that God
has displayed as,
the apostles, last,
as men
condemned to death;
for we have been made
a spectacle to the world,
both to angels and to
men.
1 Corinthians 4:8 --
9
Paul has
been speaking to the Corinthian church and what he has spoke falls upon us as
well and that it is that we are to be cautious against pride and self -- conceit. It is that we must remember that all the
distinctions that we have both personally and in our church are only to
God. Therefore Paul asked the
Corinthians: "For who makes you
differ from another? And what do you
have that you did not receive? Now if
you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it" (1
Corinthians 4: 7)? We have no
reason to boast in our own accomplishments or attainments, enjoyment, or
preferences; all that we have, or all that we are, or all that we do, that is
good, simply owed to the free and rich grace of God. We are simply sinners snatched from the fires of hell and His
correction by the sovereign mercy and grace alone of God and to say anything
else than that is simply absurd and is inconsistent to the free gifts of
God. After Paul had visited Corinth the
Corinthians became more flattering to themselves and especially to those
eloquent teachers that were now satisfying and tickling their ears as noted in
verse eight as quoted above that they were already full and seem to be in need
of nothing. They were reigning as though
they were Kings and had become conceited towards their supposed godliness. Paul was teaching them and speaking that he
wished they had as much true glory as a Christian church as they had in
themselves. Also I should reign with
you so I can also be a king! Then Paul
goes on about to set forth his own circumstances: "We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are
dishonored! To the present our we both
hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless" (1
Corinthians 4:10 -- 11). How
different Paul was in regards to the haughty attitudes of the Corinthian church
for Paul was not pleasing himself rather he was pleasing God who appointed him
even to death. The apostles, including
Paul, exposed to great hardships. In
fact Paul alludes to the fact that he worked with his hands: "And we labor, working with our own
hands. Being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we increased. We have been made as of filth of the world, the offscouring of
all things until now" (1 Corinthians 4: 12 -- 13). Yes it is true that the apostles were
exposed to continual danger of death, in their faithful discharge of their
office. The apostles did not deny and
denigrate their office and the mission that they had been commanded to perform
in that mission was to manifest the power of Divine Grace, and to propagate
religion in the world. As Christians we
can see what occurred to Paul and the apostles under the hand of Divine
Providence that true Christians suffer cruelly for their fidelity to Christ. We may not be facing the same exact things
that Paul faced, but we do face dangers.
And we have to be brave when we encounter them, and we must be patient
as we endure them, and it is by the power of Divine Grace and holding fast to
our convictions in regards to Christian principles that as faithful ministers
in Disciples of Christ we can contentedly undergo anything for His sake and
honor. Paul was not writing to the
Corinthians to bring shame upon them, rather to instruct them and to show them
the correct way to being a Christian:
"I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I
warn you. For those of you might have
10,000 instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ
Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Therefore I urge you, imitate me" (1 Corinthians 4: 14 -- 16). As Paul instructed the
Corinthians to imitate him that same instruction to imitate him who is
imitating Christ as an ambassador and minister for Him, we are to do the
same. We are fools for the sake of Christ and this is our common account if we are truly faithful ministers then
we can bear being despised, so that the wisdom of God and the power of His
grace can be displayed. We are to be
wise in Jesus Christ. Yes, you will be
repudiated for your eloquence holding to your commitment to Jesus Christ and
not towards human wisdom albeit that many are making this their lifestyle and
pass themselves off to be wise men in Christ.
No, we are to be weak for He is strong, we are to suffer for Christ sake,
as being weak even when we are in easy and flourishing circumstances. It is true, not all Christians are alike and not alike in their being exposed for some will suffer greater hardships
than others and too often we pass in this world for persons who are people of
means and have great endowments and are looking upon ourselves as men. That attitude in those things are not always
the greatest proficients in Christianity, for there are many who think this of
themselves, or pass for such with others, it is easy and common for self-love
to commit such mistakes.
Do you have
the same commitment to your convictions to hold fast to the truth and be
totally submitted to your mission as an ambassador of the gospel of Jesus
Christ as did Esther? I pray that this
is true!
Go, gather all the Jews who are present
in Shushan,
and fast for me;
neither eat nor drink for three days,
night or
day. My maids and I
will fast likewise.
And so I will go
to the
king, which is against the law;
and if I perish, I perish!
Esther
4: 16
Submit today to God
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