1 Corinthians 4:15-21 Bible Teaching

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1st Corinthians 4.16-end
5.1-
March 11th 2018
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So we left off last week where Paul said:

14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

And that last line was a biggie as it opened us up to a discussion about God, His Words, and Jesus – all being interchangeable described in scripture.

After telling the believers that He was their spiritual father he adds more boldness to his message and says at verse 16 (let’s read)

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

He goes on . . .

17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

And that rounds out the chapter. Back to verse 16 where he writes:

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

The “wherefore” is a “therefore” meaning I have told you that I have begotten you through the preaching of the Gospel, WHEREFORE (or THEREFORE . . .

“Be ye followers of me.”

The Greek word translated followers here is mimi-tace and it is obviously where we get the word, mimic.

Imitate me, Paul is telling them. Which is a really bold thing to suggest.

The believers at Corinth had a disposition to gather into groups and sects and realizing this Paul seems to be telling them to unitedly imitate him and His Christian walk.

I think this was a reasonable request on the Part of Paul. He was called by Jesus. He was trained by Jesus and taught by Him. And He was an especially called Apostle from the foundation of the world – called to preach, teach, suffer and die – for the cause of Christ.

To imitate him, mimic and follow Him, while bold, was a reasonable request and one that comes with a incomprehensible amount of responsibility.

Now I realize that most people today believe that all pastors and preachers ought to be able to request the same thing of others. I disagree – completely.

This is not the only time Paul makes this request. We will read in 1st Corinthians 11:1 that Paul will write AGAIN

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

That is making some more sense. And then in

Philippians 3:17-19 He writes

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

In 1st Thessalonians 1:6 he fleshes it out more, saying: “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:”

Finally, in 2nd Thessalonians 3:7-9 Paul says something really interesting and it’s a point I use when speaking to Pastors who justify preaching tithes to their congregations because in another place Paul says that living off the donations to the faith is permissible.

But listen to him here in verses 7-9 of 2nd Thessalonians 3 where he says:

7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: (and listen to this)
9 Not because we have not power (meaning to eat of your bread), but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

I love this because having told them to follow him here in 1st Corinthians he later proves that he was capable and worthy of being followed as a representative of Jesus Christ.

I don’t think other men are capable – whether Bishops, pastors, elders, deacons or anyone else.

The reason is one a Sunday, perhaps its possible. And perhaps there are those few who are worthy of following throughout the week, but men and men and they will always let you down.

When we allow ourselves to believe that some person or another is worthy of being imitated, we will be disappointed.

It doesn’t mean that leaders in the faith shouldn’t try to live the Christian faith and to be a believer of integrity. It just better means that we have a Shepherd, and sub-shepherds don’t really have the right or the ability to ask that other men follow them.

I mean, we discover a built-in difference between following Paul and following any of these other false teachers – Paul was deserving of it and the false teachers were not.

So he was not creating just another group to divide from the rest – he was representing the Lord Jesus Christ – where the others were not.

After he tells them to mimic him he adds (verse 17)

17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Since I cannot get there myself but as a means to remind you of my doctrines and the manner of my apostolic life in Jesus, I have sent a fellow-laborer named Timothy to be my messenger.

He is well acquainted with my views and feelings and will present these ways and views as if I was present with you.

This was probably when Paul was at Ephesus. He sent Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, probably with instructions to go to Corinth if it was possible.

This is what Paul wrote but it does not mean it happened. In fact, later in 1st Corinthians 16:10, doubts are expressed as to whether he would.

In all probability Paul was engaged in Asia and did not think it possible to break away. Here he seems to believe that his ambassador Timothy would be able to settle the difficulties in Corinth as if he were himself present.

Here Paul refers to Timothy as his “beloved son” another reference to him being begotten by Paul through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ – and which we can read about in Acts 16:1-3 and 1st Timothy 1:2.

Quickly, Timothy is name that means
“honoring God,” and he was a young disciple who became Paul’s companion in many of his journeyings.

Timothy’s mother’s name was Eunice, and his grandmother, whose name was Lois, are mentioned by Paul as being respected for their holiness and piety in 2nd Timothy 1:5

We know nothing of his father but that he was a Greek according to Acts 16:1.

He is first brought into our notice at the time of Paul’s second visit to Lystra (in Acts 16:2) and it is believed that that was where he lived and it was then and there that he was converted during Paul’s first visit (1st Timothy 1:2 and 2nd Timothy 3:11 explain this for us).

The apostle formed a very high opinion of who he called “own son in the faith,” and he arranged that he should become his companion in Acts 16:3.

Paul then took and circumcised him, so that he might in harmony with the Jews around them and he was designated to the office of an evangelist (according to 1st Timothy 4:14).

Then, according to Acts 17:14, he went with Paul in his journey through Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia and also to Troas and Philippi and Berea.

He then (according to Acts 17:15) followed Paul to Athens and was then sent by Paul to go with Silas on a mission to Thessalonica Ac 17:15.

According to 1st Thessalonians 1:1 we
then find him at Corinth with Paul. After this he disappears for a few years, and then we pick him up with Paul in Ephesus (according to Acts 19:22) where he is then sent on a mission into Macedonia.

Then according to Acts 20:4) he accompanied Paul into Asia where he seems to have been with him for some time.

When Paul was a prisoner at Rome, (according to Philemon 1:1) Timothy joined him where it appears he also suffered imprisonment (based on Hebrews 13:23).

And then during the apostle’s second imprisonment he wrote to Timothy, asking him to rejoin him as soon as possible, and to bring with him his cloak and parchments which he had left at Troas.

According to tradition, after the apostle’s death Timpthy settled in Ephesus which became his sphere of labor, and there he was martyr’d.

But here Paul describes him as “faithful in the Lord,and tells the people at Corinth that he would “bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”

This last line seems to clearly indicate (from the mouth of Paul) that He was consistent in his teachings and that wherever he goes in his missional outreach he is consistent in his teachings of the faith.

At verse 18 Paul now addresses the situation of false teachers there. He has said that he was sending Timothy to represent him and now at verse 18 he says:

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

Apparently the false teachers were running their mouths – perhaps saying things like:

“Paul will NEVER show up here and confront us.” And perhaps they were saying that he sent Timothy to them out of cowardice. Whatever they were saying they were boastful and proud about it – they were “puffed up” like a turkey puffs up its chest.”

Verse 19 Paul adds:

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

This was a bold statement. I am coming to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and when I show up I will examine (written I will know here in the King James) I will investigate for myself NOT the SPEECH of them who are puffed up BUT THE POWER.”

I like the way Paul couches his words – he is not determined to do anything except what the Lord allows – that’s the way to live the Christian life, eh?

Anything else is considered the speech and ways of the proud – and remember that Paul said that these people were “puffed up.”

It’s a form of arrogance for a believer to say that they “will do this or do that” when in reality all if it is based on whether the Lord will direct and allow for anything to happen in the lives of his children.

This is why James, the brother of the Lord, wrote:

4:13 Go to now, ye that say, “To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:”
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
(Listen to this)
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

So Paul says, if the Lord is willing I will come and I will examine, I will put to the test NOT the words and speeches of these boastful teachers, but I will come to understand nothing “but the power” these false teachers exhibit.

(Which I take as the power behind the messages and teaching they are passing off as truth)

And he adds a line that is so important in so many ways to the faith but is also one of the most manipulated passages in scripture too. Paul writes:

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

There are several ways we have to examine this phrase and unless we include them all we run the risk of misappropriating the meaning of this passage contextually.

First of all, we must read this verse in context. Why? Because to take one verse and make it the foundation is a mistake in the faith.

Paul has been speaking against the wisdom and philosophies of Man from the get go of this epistle.

This is the setting. These false teachers were boasting in their logic and wisdom and has gone to great length to suggest that this approach to knowing heavenly truth is poor.

But he is NOT NOT NOT speaking against the Word of God, not against the power of the Word of God, nor is he suggesting that the Kingdom of God is ALL about displays of Power while EXCLUDING the Word.

I say this because we have showed at length how much the Word is synonymous with Light, and Love, and Truth and every other attribute that is God and Christ.

Paul established the meaning of this verse here in chapter 4 when he said back in chapter 2:

1st Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

So that is the first point to understand when we read this short line:

“For the Kingdom of God is Not in Word but in power.”

That he is NOT excluding the importance of the Word of God and the power that is associated with it. We note that EVERY exercise of God’s power is tied to words said. This is why Paul further clarifies or amplifies his point when he says in 1st Thessalonians 1:5

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

Next, we must remember that Paul and the other apostles, as well as the Lord Jesus Himself, came and went forth working miracles.

This was the means by which they would be known as coming from God, as prophesied all the way back in the Old Testament.

So in many ways, but not exclusively, this was the power that Paul was referring to.

These teachers were spouting all manner of “wordy philosophies” but Paul was going to come and test the power behind the words uttered.

It is one thing to claim that the words we speak can give and change life and heal. It’s another thing to actually see healings and the dead brought back to life.

That Paul was especially called to bring forth such Power and evidence it then is mentioned in places like Romans 15:19 where he writes:

“Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

He adds in 2nd Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

And Luke says in Acts 19:11 that

“God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.”

He gives a much broader description of the Apostolic call in 2nd Corinthians 6 beginning at verse 3 and writing:

3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

We must remember that these words were specifically assigned to the Apostles. I say this because here in Corinth there were false teachers attempting to draw crowds of people after themselves.

Paul is showing that the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, who draw all people to Jesus, prove their apostleship by and through powerful wonders and signs.

That the reign of God in the church would be known through power or authority which would not only establish it (through Jesus and His Apostles) but it would thrive and abide in the manifestation of heavenly power.

Peter said in his epistle, about himself and the other apostles:

2nd Peter 1:16 “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

They were eyewitnesses of Jesus majesty which was evidenced through power from on high as Jesus, in the presence of these Apostles, exercised power over

Inanimate objects like water into wine and the multiplication of bread and dead fishes.

They witnesses him as having power over illnesses, demons, animals, the waves of the sea, blindness, deafness and ultimately raising both Lazareth from the grave and then himself.

This faith is not just in words, its not just a philosophy, not just a formula for happy living.

It produces life – fixes death and broken things, improves the living of other – and is not in simply word alone.

But the greatest power that the Good News evidences and provides is the power to bring spiritually dead souls to new life and to raise all people from the grip that death would other wise have upon them.

Herein we see one of the biggest distinguishing characteristics between Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, New Age and eastern or western philosophy – non of them provide for spiritual regeneration which unites fallen man with Holy God and none of them come with the promise of resurrection from the grave.

In the early church, amidst the bride of Christ, in that day and age, the Kingdom moved by manifest exhibitions of power from on high.

Miracles of Jesus.
The Resurrection of Christ.
Speaking in tongues.
Miracles of Apostles and
And the Apostolic powers given to govern, lead, correct, write epistles and the like.

All heavenly – all spirit driven and lead by the Holy Ghost to bring about conversion in that age.

The word for power in the Greek is dunamis (doo’-nam-is) and it best means . . . force – literally or figuratively).

Like the force is with you.

It is especially used in the New Testament to speak of miraculous power, and also ability, abundance, and even might, strength, violence, mighty (meaning wonderful) work.
The King James translates dunamis a number of times to Mighty Deeds and Miracles, associating the two words with the power of God.

Jesus uses dunamis when he said in His prayer:

For thine is the kingdom , and the power , and the glory , for ever.

When Jesus was touched by the woman with an issue of blood and the King James says that he said:

“Who touched me?” – “I felt virtue go out of me” – the real word is dunamis – “ I felt heavenly ability or power leave me.”

Paul wrote in 2nd Timothy 1:7

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (dunamis), and of love (agape), and of a sound mind.” (Sophronismas)

Without question, 1st Thessalonians 1:5 holds as true today as it did when Paul wrote it to them, saying:

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only (so it came in Word),
but also in power,
and in the Holy Spirit,
and in much assurance;

Paul nails the whole matter in Ephesians when he writes:

In Ephesians 3:16 That he (God) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might (dunamis) by his Spirit in the inner man.

So where the Lord and His apostles were certainly manifesting the dunamis of God outwardly in signs and wonders in the lives of those who were seeking the Messiah, it seems that the overall universal body application of dunamis lies in its effects on individuals and their inner man or woman.

That . . .

“God would grant us, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might (force, ability, dunamis) by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Since we suggest that the same principles remain today as they did when the New Testament was penned, a question remains – and it’s a big one – does the Kingdom today, which is a kingdom in Word, power, the Holy Spirit and much assurance, still manifest heavenly powers in the same ways it did in the early apostolic church?

This topic divides the body in a major way as there are some who say, “yes, all the dunamis of the early church, all the miracles are at work today because this IS the kingdom of God”

To these the evidences of God’s dunamis is seen in the speaking of tongues, the governance of the body by the Spirit world-wide, and most importantly, in the working of all the same external miracles.

Then there are others who say, “no. The wonders and signs and miracles have stopped.”

For me, the extremes of both sides are troubling on many levels. On the one hand, it is really hard to live the Christian life refusing to see the miracles of God at work – in the world itself.

We have all sorts of miracles occurring in and around us every day – meaning things that cannot be explained other than by supernatural influence.

I personally see His miraculous hand in almost everything around me.

That being said, I also understand the resistance to thinking that God is still operating in signs and wonders and miracles like he did when Jesus and the Apostles walked the earth – as they were prophesied to do them as a means of identification.

And while there are claims of miracles like those of old, I have yet to read or see anyone born blind given their sight or a person born lame raised to full health stature.

And my same challenge remains – when will an amputee receive a new limb through these miracle workers.

The reason these questions are important is because what I have witnessed in the face of modern miracle claims is people who believe in them being really hurt and that should not be a product of the faith – in my estimation.

In ANY case, Paul wrote to the boasters of words –

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and I will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

And isn’t that the real test of legitimacy in religious profession –

Does it possess power, especially as Paul said, the power that

“(God) would grant us (according to the riches of his glory) to be strengthened with might (ability, power, dunamis) by his Spirit in the inner man.”

When I was LDS there was plenty of Words – testimonies and the philosophies of the faiths founders – set forth and shared.

There are people who praise the power of the priesthood to heal, and even raise the dead. I heard the words, the stories.

I also looked around and saw faithful people in the religion living what might be seen as miraculous lives in this fallen world – the evidence seemed to evidence truth – even miraculous truth.

But what was in me – the Spirit of the inner man – was NOT changing. Instead the outer man was conforming to environment while the inner man was not “strengthened with might by His Spirit within me.”

That was what I needed and sought. And that was what was given once I received the source of such power in this life – even Jesus Christ by faith.

So I submit to you here and now that while God is a God of miracles, and that most of the operations of this world are miraculous in His hands, the true indication of God’s power in His Kingdom is that of changed hearts, which then amounts to changed lives lived through selfless Christian love – the miracle of this graceless age.

The chapter ends with Paul asking a question, which in the King James asks:

21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

What he is asking is, “If you had your druthers, if you had your wish, how would you all want me to come to you?

With a rod (presumably to beat you with)
Or in love and in the Spirit of meekness?

To me he seems to be leaving the manner in which he comes to them on them – if they lay aside their contentions and strife’s I will come to you in one attitude, if you don’t I will come to you in another.

Chastising or encouraging.

This was his prerogative as an Apostle – one he executed without fear.

Chapter 5 next week.

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