PRAY: Lord Jesus, you came into this sinful, evil-dominated, and broken world as a servant in order to give your life as a ransom for many. O Lord, set us free from sin and evil that we may take our place as servants of Christ who are entrusted with the mysteries of God.
READ: 1 Corinthians 4:1–5
MEDITATE:
In the face of the boasting and pride of the Corinthians, Paul makes clear how his ministry is to be understood. The contrast is clear. Paul and those who are with him are servants of Christ. God has entrusted to them the mysteries (or the secret things of God), the profound and one-time-hidden truth of the gospel. Given this trust, he must be a faithful and trustworthy steward.
Paul was called to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. In Jesus was the power and wisdom of God for the Jew and Greek alike. Jesus is the wisdom of God, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Jesus’ death and resurrection were the supreme acts of God in redeeming and rescuing his creatures. The Corinthians should be boasting in Jesus as Lord, not in men.
Paul wants the Christians in Corinth to know that their judgment of him is of no significance. Paul does not even judge himself. The Lord is Paul’s judge and, when the Lord comes, everything will be brought into the light; his life will be open before God. Things hidden in darkness, even the motives of men’s hearts, will be brought into the light and seen for what they are. As we pray, “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known and from you no secrets are hidden, cleanse the thoughts of our heart by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit.”
Paul must strive to be faithful to the gospel. He must preach so that men, women, and children may be converted and come into a living relationship with the Lord. When the Day of Judgment comes, each of us will receive praise from God on the basis of what was done in accordance with God’s will as revealed in God’s holy Word.
Questions and Application:
- What are we taking pride in?
- What do we have which has not been given to us by God? In other words, is there anything to take pride in or anything to boast in apart from our Lord Jesus Christ?
PRAY: Lord Jesus, expose the darkness in the church wherever it is found. Expose every duplicity, every half-truth, everything that is not of you and your Word. Move us into your light that we may be purified and cleansed from every sin and delivered from evil.