1 Corinthians 4:14-21 says...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 4:14-21, which read,
v.14, 15 - I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
Paul has had to be tough with the Christians at Corinth about the sin of pride in the church but he wants them to know that it wasn't without reason and direction. He loves them as a father to a child. His correction is not just from someone who is tutoring them but someone who is by blood part of them. The Christians in Corinth had numerous spiritual tutors who were feeding them information good and bad about the gospel but Paul was their spiritual father that told them first of the gospel.
Remember that the word beloved means someone who you have as a friend that you wish well of that has become someone who you love in a general way that has become someone who you become fond of to be around that has become someone who is esteemed by you and worthy of your love. Paul has a deep relationship with his readers that he has spoken sharply with.
v.16, 17 - Therefore, I exhort you, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
Paul gives them some more help. The first help is to imitate him and his actions as he imitates Christ. The second help is the sending of Timothy, someone with Paul that has been in training with him like Jesus did with His disciples. The third help is that what they are receiving is what is also being taught in all the churches that Paul is connected with.
We see generations of disciples of Christ here. We have Jesus and then the next generation of the disciples and then next generation of Paul and then the next generation of Timothy and then the next generation of the Christians in Corinth. It begs the questions, "Who is our next generation of believers?" and "Are we purposefully and intentionally training or discipling them in the way of the Lord?"
v.18-21 - Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness.
"Paul will never come back" was the cry of some of these prideful Christians. Paul will come back if the Lord wills and he lets them know that if that happens he will not be just listening to their words but discerning the power that is behind those words. This is where we get the popular phrase, "actions speak louder than words." The actions are the fruit of true conversion and not just the words. You can say the prayer of salvation but do your actions show that you meant it?
The rod is a term referring back to his position as a spiritual father to them. He has given discipline to them and will they accept it or will the spiritual father have to come with a more harsh corrective measure? The rod here is not a physical implement but a figure of speech to relate to some harsher correction with greater consequences. The ball is in their court to decide how Paul, their spiritual father, will come. Paul will hear from Timothy that the Christians have repented and turned from their ways regarding the sin of pride or he will hear from Timothy that they have heard the instruction but have rejected it and are continuing to cause divisions in the church because of pride.
"Lord, the rod is a harsh symbol but You wouldn't get it out unless it was necessary to turn me around at times. Your discipline is not without a tremendous amount of love behind it. You loved me before I loved You. Your love for me put You on the cross. Your love is providing for me a heavenly home. Help me to listen and respond when I feel the rod of You correcting me out of the deepest love that anyone has given to me. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.14, 15 - I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
Paul has had to be tough with the Christians at Corinth about the sin of pride in the church but he wants them to know that it wasn't without reason and direction. He loves them as a father to a child. His correction is not just from someone who is tutoring them but someone who is by blood part of them. The Christians in Corinth had numerous spiritual tutors who were feeding them information good and bad about the gospel but Paul was their spiritual father that told them first of the gospel.
Remember that the word beloved means someone who you have as a friend that you wish well of that has become someone who you love in a general way that has become someone who you become fond of to be around that has become someone who is esteemed by you and worthy of your love. Paul has a deep relationship with his readers that he has spoken sharply with.
v.16, 17 - Therefore, I exhort you, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
Paul gives them some more help. The first help is to imitate him and his actions as he imitates Christ. The second help is the sending of Timothy, someone with Paul that has been in training with him like Jesus did with His disciples. The third help is that what they are receiving is what is also being taught in all the churches that Paul is connected with.
We see generations of disciples of Christ here. We have Jesus and then the next generation of the disciples and then next generation of Paul and then the next generation of Timothy and then the next generation of the Christians in Corinth. It begs the questions, "Who is our next generation of believers?" and "Are we purposefully and intentionally training or discipling them in the way of the Lord?"
v.18-21 - Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness.
"Paul will never come back" was the cry of some of these prideful Christians. Paul will come back if the Lord wills and he lets them know that if that happens he will not be just listening to their words but discerning the power that is behind those words. This is where we get the popular phrase, "actions speak louder than words." The actions are the fruit of true conversion and not just the words. You can say the prayer of salvation but do your actions show that you meant it?
The rod is a term referring back to his position as a spiritual father to them. He has given discipline to them and will they accept it or will the spiritual father have to come with a more harsh corrective measure? The rod here is not a physical implement but a figure of speech to relate to some harsher correction with greater consequences. The ball is in their court to decide how Paul, their spiritual father, will come. Paul will hear from Timothy that the Christians have repented and turned from their ways regarding the sin of pride or he will hear from Timothy that they have heard the instruction but have rejected it and are continuing to cause divisions in the church because of pride.
"Lord, the rod is a harsh symbol but You wouldn't get it out unless it was necessary to turn me around at times. Your discipline is not without a tremendous amount of love behind it. You loved me before I loved You. Your love for me put You on the cross. Your love is providing for me a heavenly home. Help me to listen and respond when I feel the rod of You correcting me out of the deepest love that anyone has given to me. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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