105 1 Corinthians 4 - Privileges and Responsibilities of Church Leadership - a podcast by Dr David Petts - Pentecostal preacher, former AoG Bible College Principal

Talk 7: The Privileges and Responsibilities of Church Leadership

 

Chapter 4 forms the final part of the opening section of Paul’s letter in which he deals with divisions in the church.

The divisions have been based largely on personalities and it is with this subject that the chapter opens.

Paul is appealing to the Corinthians not to glory in men and to follow his example.

But there is much in the chapter that we can learn about the privileges and responsibilities of apostleship, and this is how we will be looking at the chapter today.

 

Note: Much, though not all, of what Paul says could be applied to all forms of church leadership.

 

Apostles today? Yes. In NT we find three categories of apostle:

 

Christ the unique apostle – sent by the Father

The Twelve – sent by Christ

Later apostles – sent by the Spirit.

 

Apostles today fall into this third category. For more, see Body Builders

 

Privileges

 

1. To be a servant of Christ

 

• So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ…

 

1. To be entrusted with the secret things of God (the gospel)

 

…and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.

 

1. To exercise power and authority in Christ’s name

 

20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

 

 

 

Responsibilities

 

1. Servanthood

 

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.

 

Huperetes means under-rower or galley-slave

 

1. Faithfulness

 

2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

 

The word here means literally a household administrator or the overseer of an estate, one who looks after something on behalf of another as if it were his own. In relation to Christ, Paul is a galley-slave, in relation to the church he is an overseer. He is accountable only to Christ, the Master of the house

 

1. Accountability

 

3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

 

The verse is self-explanatory, but what a solemn thought! At the Lord’s coming every secret thing will be made known (cf 3:13). Thus any Christian judgment is premature before the Lord comes, although Paul allows Christian courts in this age for practical purposes (cf Ch. 6)

 

19 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.

 

Compare James 4:13-15. Everything we do must be subject to his will

 

 

 

1. Adherence to Scripture

 

6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is

written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.

 

RSV: that you may learn in us to live according to Scripture. By considering what Paul has had to say about Apollos and himself they will learn the scriptural ideal of the subordination of man. What is written was a catch-phrase of Paul. In the NT church the all-important thing was What does the Scripture say? The phrase may have been included to correct the Everything is permissible slogan of some of the Corinthians (6:12)

 

1. A life of sacrifice

 

9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.

10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honoured, we are dishonoured!

11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

 

v8      Already you have become rich........ kings.....

 

This section is full of heavy irony. Already is the key word. The Corinthians were behaving as though the age to come had already been consummated, as if the saints had already taken over the kingdom. The Holy Spirit had already been given as a deposit (Eph.1:14), but they must still live by faith. The End has not yet arrived and the time for fulness and wealth is not here!

 

“They have indeed entered the kingdom, of which the Spirit is the evidence. But they have not yet fully realised the End, of which the resurrection will be the evidence (cf chap.15)” (Fee, p 173).

 

I wish you really had....

 

Paul wished that the Kingdom had come! It would make a pleasant change for him!

 

v9      procession...... arena........ spectacle

 

In the Roman arena the gladiators came in last in the procession and were in a very real sense condemned to die, the most wretched of men. Paul sees the apostles in this position, while men and angels are the spectators

 

v10    we are fools ..... but you are wise

 

He is, of course, referring to their own opinion

 

v11    to this very hour

 

The letter seems to have been written from Ephesus (16:8), possibly during the period described in Acts 19. Contrast the spiritual revival in that chapter with Paul’s personal circumstances mentioned in these verses

 

v12    We work hard with our own hands

 

The word used here means literally work to the point of weariness. Manual work was despised by the Greeks. It was the work of slaves.

 

          When we are cursed, we bless

 

The words are reminiscent of the Sermon the Mount, but there is no indication that Paul was aware that he was using the language of Jesus

 

v13    the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world

 

What is referred to here is the filth that is left at the edge of the cleaning. Because the word suggested cleansing there is also a connotation of sacrifice. Paul also thinks of himself as scum. To say I  follow Paul is to identify yourself with scum, so don’t boast in me

 

1. Fatherhood

 

In vv 14-21 Paul sees himself as their spiritual father

As such he has a responsibility to warn and even discipline them. But to have the moral authority to do so he must set the right example.

 

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.

15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

 

v14    warn

 

The primary meaning of this word is to try to have a corrective influence on someone, as a father would his children. See below.

 

          as my dear children

 

Paul was their only spiritual father, for only he had begotten them in the Gospel. There is no contradiction here with the spirit of Matthew 23:1-12. Scripture frequently refers to those whom we lead to Christ as our spiritual children. This is a very special relationship. We should love them as a father loves his children. We have a responsibility to them, but must beware of an over-emphasis on ‘discipleship’ and ‘submission’

 

v16    imitate me

 

Children do like to imitate their parents. (Note the connecting word therefore). Compare 11:1 as I follow the example of Christ. Their imitation of Paul was no doubt intended to include the tribulations listed in vv 11-13

 

17 For this reason I am sending 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.

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

19 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.

20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

 

His spiritual authority to discipline them with supernatural power is very important in these verses. Compare 5:5 and Acts 5:1-11.

 

Summary

 

Privileges

 

To be a servant of Christ

To be entrusted with the secret things of God (the gospel)

To exercise power and authority in Christ’s name

 

Responsibilities

 

Servanthood      Faithfulness      Accountability

Adherence to Scripture      A life of sacrifice      Fatherhood

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