1 Corinthians 3:18-4:21

[Jim Watt]

"*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253.874.4265 -- Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*



   * 2009-01-10 - 1 CORINTHIANS 3:18-4:21 *


 *G. 3:18-4:17 THE IMPORTANCE OF APOSTOLIC MINISTRY*

*1. 3:18-23 GOD'S ESTIMATE OF THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD*

*a. 3:18a A WARNING*

M*e*DEIS he-auTON e-xa-paTAt*o* [1818].

*Let no one deceive himself.*


 *b. 3:18b LET NOT PHILOSOPHY HOLD BACK FROM TRUE WISDOM*

ei tis doKEI [1380] soPHOS EInai en huMIN en t*o* ai*O*ni TOUt*o*,

*If any thinks he is wise among you in this :age,*

m*o*ROS [3474] geNESth*o*, HIna GEn*e*-tai soPHOS.

*let him become a fool, that he become wise.*


 *c. 3:19a GOD COUNTS WORLDLY WISDOM FOOLISH*

h*e* gar soPHIa tou KOSmou TOUtou m*o*RIa [3472] paRA t*o* The*O* es-tin.

*For the wisdom of this :world is foolishness with :God.*


 *d. 3:19b-20 GOD SEES HUMAN WISDOM AS FUTILE*

GEgrap-tai gar, Ho drasSOme-nos [1405] tous soPHOUS en t*e* pa-nourGIa
[3834] auT*O*N:

*For it is written, Who takes the wise in their :craftiness:*

kai PAlin, KUri-os giN*O*Skei tous di-a-lo-gisMOUS [1261] t*o*n soPH*O*N,

*20 and again, The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise,*

HOti eiSIN MAtai-oi [3152].

*that they are vain.*


 *e. 3:21a A WARNING*

H*O*Ste m*e*DEIS kauCHASth*o* [2744] en anTHR*O*pois.

*Wherefore let no one glory in men.*


 *f. 3:21b-23 ALL MINISTRIES AND TIME ARE GIFTS FROM GOD*

PANta gar huM*O*N es-tin;

*For all things are yours;*

EIte PAUlos, EIte A-polL*O*S, EIte K*e*PHAS, EIte KOSmos, EIte z*o*-*E*
[2222],

*22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or world, or life,*

EIte THAna-tos, EIte e-nesT*O*ta [1764], EIte MELlon-ta [3195]; PANta huM*O*
N;

*or death, or things present, or coming; all are yours;*

huMEIS de ChrisTOU; ChrisTOS de TheOU.

*23 and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.*


 *2. 4:1-5 GOSPEL MINISTERS: STEWARDS OF GOD*

*a. 4:1 TRUE MINISTERS ARE TRUSTEES*

HOUt*o*s h*e*MAS lo-giZESth*o* [3049] ANthr*o*-pos, h*o*s hu-p*e*REtas
[5257] ChrisTOU,

*Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ,*

kai oi-koNOmous [3623] mus-t*e*RI*o*n [3466] TheOU.

*and stewards of God's mysteries.*


 *b. 4:2 FAITHFULNESS: PRIME REQUISITE OF TRUSTEES *

H*O*de, loiPON, z*e*TEItai [2212] en tois oi-koNOmois,

*Here, moreover, it is required in the stewards,*

HIna pisTOS [4103] tis heu-reTH*E*.

*that one be found faithful.*


 *c. 4:3 PAUL DISREGARDS JUDGMENT OF OTHERS: EVEN HIS OWN*

eMOI de eis eLAchisTON [1646] es-tin

*But with me it is a very small thing*

HIna huph' huM*O*N a-na-kriTH*O* [350], *e* huPO an-thr*o*PIn*e*s h*e*
ME-ras:

*that I should be judged of you, or of man's day:*

alLA, ouDE e-mauTON a-naKRIn*o*.

*yea, I judge not my own self.*


 *d. 4:4 THE LORD, NOT PAUL'S CONSCIENCE, JUSTIFIES HIM*

ouDEN gar e-mauT*O* SUnoi-da [4894]; all' ouk en TOUt*o* de-diKAI*o*-mai
[1344]:

*For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified:*

ho de a-naKRIn*o*n me KUriOS es-tin.

*but who judges me is the Lord.*


 *e. 4:5 SEEING THE LORD WILL JUDGE: WE CAN DISPENSE WITH PRESENT JUDGMENT*

H*O*Ste m*e* pro kaiROU [2540], ti KRIne-te [2919],

*Wherefore judge nothing before the season,*

HE*o*s an ELth*e* ho KUri-os,

*until the Lord come,*

hos kai ph*o*TIsei [5461] ta krupTA [2927] tou SKOtous [4655],

*who will both light up the hidden things of the darkness,*

kai pha-neR*O*sei [5319] tas bouLAS [1012] t*o*n kar-di*O*N;

*and manifest the counsels of the hearts;*

kai TOte ho Epai-nos [1868] geN*E*se-tai heKASt*o* aPO tou TheOU.

*and then shall each have the praise from :God.*


 *3. 4:6-13 THE WAY FLESH TREATS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY*

*a. 4:6 IN JUDGING, KEEP WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF SCRIPTURE*

TAUta de, a-delPHOI, me-te-sch*e*MAti-sa [3345] eis e-mauTON

*Now these, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself*

kai A-polL*O*N di' huMAS; HIna en huMIN MAth*e*-te [3129]

*and Apollos for your sakes; that in us you might learn*

to M*e* huPER ha GEgrap-tai;

*the Not to go beyond the things written;*

HIna m*e* heis huPER tou heNOS phu-siOUSthe [5448] kaTA tou heTErou.

*that you be not puffed up for the one against the other.*


 *b. 4:7 ALL TALENTS COME BY GIFT, NOT SELF-ATTAINMENT*

tis gar se di-aKRInei [1252]?

*For who makes you to differ?*

ti de Echeis ho ouk Ela-bes?

*and what have you that you did not receive?*

ei de kai Ela-bes,

*but if you did receive,*

ti kauCHASai [2744] h*o*s m*e* laB*O*N?

*why do you glory as if you had not received?*


 *c. 4:8 A DELUSION: TO THINK WE ARE ALREADY REIGNING*

*E*d*e* ke-ko-resMEnoi [2880] esTE? *E*d*e* e-plouT*E*sa-te​ [4147]?

*Already are you filled? already are you become rich?*

ch*o*RIS h*e*M*O*N e-ba-siLEUsa-te [936]?

*have you come to reign without us?*

kai OpheLON ge e-ba-siLEUsa-te,

*yes and I would indeed you did reign,*

HIna kai h*e*MEIS huMIN sun-ba-siLEUs*o*-men [4821].

*that we also might reign with you.*


 *d. 4:9 APOSTLES: THE LAST OF THE ARENA'S PROCESSION, FOR A SPECTACLE*

doK*O* [1380], gar, ho TheOS h*e*MAS tous a-poSTOlous [652] esCHAtous [2078]
,

*For, I think, :God has set forth us the apostles last,*

aPEdei-xen [584] h*o*s e-pi-tha-naTIous [1935]: HOti THEa-tron [2302]

*as doomed to death: for we are become*

a-geN*E*th*e*-men t*o* KOSm*o* kai agGElois kai anTHR*O*pois.

*a spectacle unto the world and to angels and men.*


 *e. 4:10 FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE*

h*e*MEIS m*o*ROI [3474] diA ChrisTON, huMEIS de PHROni-moi [5429] en ChrisT*
O*;

*We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ;*

h*e*MEIS as-theNEIS [772], huMEIS de is-chuROI [2478];

*we are weak, but you strong;*

huMEIS ENdo-xoi [1741], h*e*MEIS de Ati-moi [820].

*you have glory, but we dishonor.*


 *f. 4:11-13 SCUM OF THE EARTH: WORLD'S ESTIMATE OF APOSTLES*

ACHri t*e*s ARti H*O*ras kai peiN*O*men [3983], kai diPS*O*men [1372], kai
gum-niTEUo-men [2852],

*Unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked,*

kai ko-la-phiZOme-tha, kai as-taTOUmen ]790]:

*and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place:*

kai ko-pi*O*men [2872], er-gaZOme-noi [2038] tais iDIais cherSIN:

*12 and we toil, working with our :own hands:*

loi-doROUme-noi [3058], eu-loGOUmen [2127]; di-*o*KOme-noi [1377],
a-neCHOme-tha [430];

*being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;*

dus-ph*e*MOUme-noi [987], pa-ra-kaLOUmen [3870]: h*o*s pe-ri-kaTHARma-ta
[4027]

*13 being defamed, we beseech: we are become as filth*

tou KOSmou e-geN*E*th*e*-men, PANt*o*n peRIps*e*-ma [4067], HE*o*s ARti.

*of the world , offscouring of all things, even until now.*


 *4. 4:14-17 FOLLOW PAUL AS AN EXAMPLE*

*a. 4:14 PAUL'S PURPOSE: TRUE COUNSELLING (nou-theSIa)*

Ouk enTREp*o*n [1788] huMAS GRAph*o* TAUta,

*I write not these things to shame you,*

all' h*o*s TEKna mou a-ga-p*e*TA [27] nou-theT*O*N [3560].

*but to admonish you as my beloved children.*


 *b. 4:15 PAUL: A CHANNEL FOR SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST*

eAN gar muRIous [3463] pai-da-g*o*GOUS [3807] Ech*e*-te en ChrisT*O*,

*For though you may have ten thousand tutors in Christ,*

all' ou polLOUS paTEras;

*yet not many fathers;*

en gar ChrisT*O* 'I*e*SOU diA tou eu-ag-geLIou [2098] eG*O* huMAS eGENn*e*-sa
[1080].

*for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.*


 *c. 4:16 PAUL'S EXAMPLE TO BE IMITATED*

pa-ra-kaL*O* [3870] oun huMAS, mi-m*e*TAI [3402] mou GInes-the.

*I beseech you therefore, become imitators of me.*


 *d. 4:17 TIMOTHY: TO REMIND OF PAUL'S METHOD OF TEACHING THE FAITH*

diA TOUto Epem-psa huMIN TiMOthe-on,

*For this cause have I sent you Timothy,*

hos esTIN mou TEKnon a-ga-p*e*TON kai pisTON [4103] en KuRI*o*,

*who is my beloved child and faithful in the Lord,*

hos huMAS a-namN*E*sei [363] tas hoDOUS mou tas en ChrisT*O* 'I*e*SOU,

*who shall remind you of my :ways which are in Christ Jesus,*

kaTH*O*S pan-taCHOU en PAs*e* ek-kl*e*SIa diDASk*o* [1321].

*even as I teach everywhere in every church.*


 *H. 4:18-21 APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY CORRECTS KINGDOM MISUNDERSTANDING*

*a. 4:18 A REALISTIC APPRAISAL*

H*o*s m*e* er-choMEnou de mou pros huMAS, e-phu-si*O*th*e*SAN [5448] ti-nes.

*Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.*


 *b. 4:19 PAUL'S PROMISE*

eLEUso-mai de taCHE*o*s [5030] pros huMAS, eAN ho KUri-os theL*E*s*e* [2309];


*But I will come unto you speedily, if the Lord will;*

kai GN*O*so-mai, ou ton LOgon [3056] t*o*n pe-phu-si-*o*MEn*o*n [5448], alLA
t*e*n DUna-min [1411].

*and I will know, not the word of those puffed up, but the power.*


 *c. 4:20 A STARTLING DISTINCTION IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD*

ou gar en LOg*o* h*e* ba-siLEIa [932] tou TheOU, all' en duNAmei.

*For the kingdom of :God is not in word, but in power.*


 *d. 4:21 TWO POSSIBLE WAYS OF VISITATION*

ti THEle-te? en 'RABd*o* [4464] ELth*o* pros huMAS,

*What will you? shall I come unto you with a rod,*

*e* en aGAp*e* PNEUmaTI te praUt*e*-tos [4236]?

*or in love and a spirit of gentleness? *



 *NOTE*: It is important to see God's estimate of the Wisdom of this world:
Statesmen, Politicians, Philosophers, Educators, Psychologists, Scientists,
Religionists, etc. For individuals in these groups and others who are not
committed disciples to the Lord Jesus Christ - they are bankrupt in the
things of the Kingdom of God.


 Then see 4:1-5. Here we read Spirit-inspired words through God's servant,
the apostle Paul. All ministers of the Gospel are *stewards* to God if they
would be pleasing to Him. Dead to the self-life - identified with Jesus
Christ in His crucifixion - alive to God in the resurrection power of Jesus
Christ. He like Paul who lives in this state, is *above* the judgment of
this world. This is *not* just the ideal! *This* is the state of
*normal*Christianity, and normal ministry.
*Stewardship* to God is the key.


 Now look at 4:6-13, and the way the world sees and treats true apostles.
Who wants to be an apostle according to this insight? In the aftermath of
1948, a wave of carnal apostles arose, who did not meet the standard set
forth by the Holy Spirit through Paul as outlined here. Yet, this is the
Plumbline that will be set down beside ministries at the "Judgment Seat (B*E
*ma) of Christ" following the resurrection of the first-born.


 Paul then by revelation, sets himself forth as an example of a true
minister and apostle. In another place he says, *"Follow me as I follow
Christ!"*


 God used him to write 14 of the 27 New Testament books. In 1 Corinthians
14:37 (14:37-40). *"If any thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let
him take knowledge of what **things** I write you, that it is **the** Lord's
commandment.**" *- he witnessed that all his words were *not* his words, but
the words of the Spirit of Christ through him. Jesus said the same thing
about His words as the Son of Man, in the Gospel of John. When you hear
individuals say - "O, that's just Paul speaking!" Don't agree or receive it.
Rebuke it and correct it by quoting to them 1 Corinthians 14:37. Such
individuals are setting themselves up as judges of *God*, not Paul!


 And lastly, consider 1 Corinthians 4:14. The Spirit has Paul use a most
extraordinary word to set forth how he gently corrected and discipled the
Corinthian believers. It is the word *admonish* (nou-theSIa). "*Nous"* is
the word for the human mind, and "TIth*e*-mi" is the word "to place,
establish or set." Paul was bringing the human minds of the Corinthian
believers into harmony with the mind of God, the Word of God, and the
*ways*of God. He was helping them to fulfill Romans 12:1-2, to
*renew* their minds, until they thought God's thoughts after Him, spoke His
words, and acted out His ways. There is even a book written entitled
"*Nouthetic
Counseling*".


 *This* is what Oswald Chambers, George Muller, Rees Howells, H. A. Baker,
Madame Guyon and countless other saints have done. What man *has* done, man
*can* do!


 1 Corinthians is a basic book to help us renew our minds in line with basic
ABC's of the Gospel, the Foundation Truths of Hebrews 6:1-2.


 Ed Hird of Vancouver BC recently mailed out lecture notes on Carl Jung,
that he will be presenting in S. California in the near future. Jung is
Gnostic in New Age garb, and his non-Christian teachings are slipping
surreptitiously into the church. This is the thinking God saved the
Corinthian church out of. Let us not be misled, and be led back into what
Paul sought to fully deliver them from. - Jim Watt



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