Title Ten thousand masters, one father!
Ten thousand masters, one father! / Classics: 4:7-21
Last week we looked at the importance of the written word over three weeks. That is why standing in the Word is absolutely important to our faith, so we looked into it a little more closely.
Two important words appear in today's text.
It means a teacher and a father. Paul used the word teacher in a slightly negative position here, and he puts the emphasis on the word father.
There are ten thousand masters in Christ, but there are not many fathers. Here, a teacher is not used as a teacher as a model of a truly personal and profound life as we think of it, but is used in the sense of merely talking teachers who teach once and then take no responsibility.
In other words, many people teach only verbally and do not take responsibility for their lives, their lives, or what they teach. Not only does he not take responsibility for the person he taught, he does not take responsibility for his own life.
Now, today Paul is very harshly rebuking the Corinthians, not just as a teacher, but as a father. The content of rebuking the Corinthians...
Let us first read verse 7 / (1 Corinthians 4:7) Who has set you apart? What do you have that you did not receive?
Therefore, we must remember that at any time, whether I have any spiritual grace, material blessing, or social prosperity, there have always been at least four graces.
1) God's grace
3) The prayers of the brothers of faith
4) The grace of all the neighbors who make up society / With 10,000 won, I can't make shoes, and with 10,000 won, I can't make a t-shirt. My dear brothers and sisters have worked hard for me by working hard at Bakbong. Therefore, we should always give thanks to our neighbors, not to enjoy everything with our own money and to be honest with our purchases.
In that sense, Paul's humility is truly worthy of imitation. Paul's humility:
1) Everything is by the grace of God. (1 Corinthians 15:10) But it is by the grace of God that I am what I am, and his grace that was given to me was not in vain.
2) I am the least of the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:9) I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. need.
3) Those who are less than the least of the saints. / (Ephesians 3:8) This grace has been given to me, who is less than the least of all the saints, so that the unfathomable riches of Christ may be communicated to the Gentiles.
Ex) I once thought that I received extraordinary grace and that God loved me the most. When I looked at other people, I used to see that something was lacking. So I prayed to God. “Maybe God is good? I feel proud that I can't. Also, looking at it objectively, I've never seen anyone pray more than me, I've never seen anyone who reads more Bibles than me, and I've never seen anyone who does more volunteer work than me. Lord, give me the wisdom of humility!” When I prayed, God gave me wisdom, and I heard a voice that understood in my heart.
“Dear son! It is good in my heart that you seek the wisdom of humility. Think about it, are you doing everything you do in your own strength or is it because of the grace I have given you? Isn't it my grace and the strength to supply? If you had given the grace you had given to someone you disregard, he would have been twice as loyal as you by the power of that grace! ”
From that moment on, no one seemed worse than me. No matter how ignorant or incompetent, when I see him, I feel like, “If God had given me the grace that he had given me, that person would have glorified him twice as much as me.” I was always humbled by the realization that I was being neglected.
4) He is the chief among sinners. / (1 Tim 1:15) This is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Among sinners I am chief.
If you have the mind that you have received everything, you will now only be highlighted because you cannot repay the grace properly, and you will come to know that the grace and blessings were not given to me to be proud of. Now Paul is trying to lead the Corinthians into the faith of right humility by contrasting the image of the Corinthians with who they are (8-13).
Corinthian
Apostle Paul's party
Full, rich, and reigns without apostles.
He put him at the end like a death row prisoner. It became a spectacle for angels and people.
Wisdom, strong, and honorable because of Jesus Christ.
Foolish, weak, and lowly because of Jesus Christ.
Hunger and thirsty, naked and beaten, homeless and toiling, working, being reviled, blessing, being persecuted, patient, being slandered, exhorting, until now we have become like the filth of the world and the dross of all things.
What is Paul's conclusion here?
1) I don't mean to shame you, I say these things to exhort you like a beloved child. / Sometimes it is necessary to illuminate one's true self spiritually. By illuminating the spiritual side of the Corinthians, Paul was able to realize his wrong position and to repent.
2) To make you imitate me. / This is not Paul's pride, but in order to make us live by the example of humble faith that he showed as a father. And for this, Timothy, the son of faith, is sent. This Timothy, too, was not a teacher who taught by words, but was truly a young minister who imitated Paul. When the Corinthians saw Timothy, they thought of Paul's faith and were able to return to the true form of faith in Jesus Christ. A true minister can say this. And this is what a capable minister is.
Because the kingdom of God is not in words, but in the ability to put those words into life. (18-21)