[:en]SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 4
“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 motive of men’s heart. At that time, each will receive his praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5)
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20)
“Therefore, I urge you to imitate me” (1 Corinthians 4:16)
“I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17)
TEACHINGS OF PAUL:
- Servants of God are entrusted with the secret things of God. They must be faithful to the Master by teaching the truth. (v. 2)
- Believers should not judge and compare different Christians workers. It is the Lord who will be the final judge. (v. 5)
- Every gift a believer has comes from the Lord. We are not to boast about our abilities or blessings (v. 7)
- As a true servant of God, he may become “the scum of the earth and refuse of the world”. He must not settle down and live like the world does. He must not accept the world’s standards and look for world’s honors. Instead, he must give himself up for Christ sake. (vs. 9-13)
- The life of the spiritual leader should be a good example for people to follow. He should have good testimony by living what he preaches (vs. 16-17)
SUMMARY:
The church must have a proper attitude towards its spiritual leaders. Christians should pray for them, love and honor them. They should obey and follow his teachings of the Word. They should not compare fellow workers to exalt men and ministries.
The pastors must be faithful in teaching His Word. He must sow the seed and shepherd the flock. He must live a life worthy of God’s calling and he may have to suffer for Christ’s sake.[:]