October 31, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Numbers and 1 Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
1 Corinthians 4 (NIV)
The Nature of True Apostleship
1 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.……Continue Reading
Servant and stewards of God, a mindset that Paul clearly possesed. Caring only for what God wanted of him and not what the world expected of him. He was trying to show the Corinthians the importance of taking on that mindset. To remember what we have we have because of God and even our righteousness comes from the work God has done nothing we have done or can ever do. Therefore we should be humble, consider God first in all matters, and live a life pleasing to Him and Him alone.
A reminder to press on with God”s work and to be humble..
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” Reminiscent of “to who much is given much is required”.
Paul had his work cut our for him working with these Corinthians. They were being critical of him and yet they did not know His heart both for God and them. We are best to let God’s opinion of us be the only opinion that matters and yet strive to do everything in His will to serve others. And we can trust God to sort things out correctly. Because everything we are and have comes from Him. But a life service is a difficult one. When people treat us poorly, we treat them well. It is certainly consistent with the way Jesus conducted Himself, and as He resides in us, He gives us the same mindset to do the same. And even though godly leaders are servants, at times we also need to take people to task and call a spade, a spade and make a proper evaluation if someone is to be applauded or corrected. It is also how Jesus conducted Himself!
Paul`s attitude of however others treated him; was to look to the Lord; for in the end it is God that is the judge and not man. It doesn`t matter what others think as long as you are following the Lord. Paul was faithful to the Lord as was his spiritual son Timothy. God wants us all as believers to be faithful to the Lord doing the things that He wants us to do. Which is teaching, preaching, and proclaiming Him. Jesus Christ is the only one that can save us. We need only to put our complete trust in Him and not in ourselves. God bless.
”Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.“
I Corinthians 4:5 NKJV
”For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.“
I Corinthians 4:20 NKJV