[:en]APOSTLES OF CHRIST (VS. 1-21)
Paul urged the Corinthian believers to regard him and Apollos as servants of Christ entrusted with the secrets of God. The Lord was his maaster, so he did what the Lord told him to do.
We are not to judge anyone but to wait till the Lord comes because only God knows the motives of a man’s heart.
Paul warned any believer against being attached to a spiritual leader and let his loyalty cause strife, slander, divisions and broken relationship. Our loyalty should be to Christ and not to human agents.
The Corinthians had split into vairous factions, each following its favorite preacher (Paul, Apollos, Peter, etc.) He warned against boasting being spiritually superioby tying to a particular preacher. Each preacher is a humble servant of God to proclaim the message of salvation. No preacher of God has more staus than the others.
Paul appealed his relationship with the Corinthian church as the spiri=tual Father because he was the church’s founder and had the best interest at heart for the church. He was motivated by the love a good father has for his children.
Paul urged them to imitiate him (v. 16) and follow his example of walking close to God and spending time in God’s word and prayer. He made his beliefs and conduct to model Christs way of living.
Timothy was commended by Paul as his son whom he love and who was faithful in the Lord (v. 17) He was the key person for the growth of early churches.
Some people talk a lot but do little. They know to say the right words but their lives don’t reflect their talk. Paul said that the Kingdom of God was to be lived not discussed. What is important is showing God’s power working in our lives.
THINGS TO PONDER:
- No human agent shall become our master. Only Jesus Christ is our master.
- Loyalty to a spiritual leader must not become a cause for church division
- We are not to judge anyone because only God knows the motive of a man’s heart.
- Spiritual leaders must not boast of being spiritually superior than anyone.
- Church leaders must have good examples for believers to follow.
- We are to live out our talk. The kingdom of God is about living not about talking.
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