First Corinthians 4 Part 4 Avoid Pride & Humbly Preach The Word

A proud and puffed up people cannot please God.

1 Corinthians 4:8  Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 

Many Corinthians were inflated with pride because they gloried in their spiritual gifts. In contrast to how the apostles lived, the Corinthians lived as kings. 

Jesus taught us to deny self and to take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus brings us His own doctrine, which He calls His yoke, (See Matthew 11:29). 

Taking up Christ's cross implies being a faithful and bold witness for our Lord. It also implies cheerfully submitting to any suffering and persecution that we might face because of our faith in Christ. 

Taking up the cross means a willingness to die to self and to live for Christ, even if we face martyrdom.

We are humbled by taking up our cross.

Mark 8:34-35  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 

Corinthian Christians were not taking up their crosses daily, to follow Jesus as all disciples of Christ are commanded to do.

Jesus taught us that living for self and the world will result in a great loss of spiritual blessings as we walk with Him.

We must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily so that we might follow hard after Jesus Christ each and every day. 

We are blessed when we are persecuted or reviled by others. 

Matthew 5:10-12  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11)  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12)  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

The Corinthians were not suffering for the sake of the gospel of Christ, even though almost every other church planted by Paul did endure hardship.

They were too busy creating cliques, following different men and causing divisions in Christ's church. 

Jesus taught us that we are blessed when we suffer for the sake of the gospel of Christ. We are blessed when people speak evil things about us. We are blessed when we are mocked or ridiculed for our faith. 

The apostles were living examples of suffering for the sake of the gospel and for the glorious name of Jesus Christ.

Jesus gave us the words of eternal life in His gospel. 

John 6:66-69 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67)  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68)  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69)  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

The Corinthians were more enamored with abusing spiritual gifts instead of being concerned with sharing the gospel of Christ. 

God uses our testimony to reach the lost with the words of life. We must be faithful to share the gospel with other people. 

The gospel has the words to lead people to repentant faith in Christ, and to give them eternal life. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation and we should never be ashamed of it (Romans 1:16-17).

The apostles were commanded to preach the words of eternal life. 

Acts 5:19-20  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20)  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 

Many Corinthian Christians were not preaching the words of life from the gospel of Christ. They gave themselves over to hearing what their favorite teacher had to say. 

When the Jews were angered by the apostles preaching the gospel of Christ, they arrested them and locked them up in prison. 

The angel of the Lord came that night and opened the prison doors to free the apostles. He commanded them to enter the temple and speak all the words of life to the people in that place. 

Christians are to put the words of life on full display.

Philippians 2:14-16  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15)  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16)  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 

The Corinthian Christians were not holding forth the words of life because they were too busy speaking in tongues which no one could understand. 

Paul instructed the church at Philippi about their spiritual duties for the Lord. A Christian should be known for being like Christ in our words and actions. 

We are adopted into the family of God and are by grace the sons and daughters of God.

Therefore, we must not be guilty of complaining, murmuring or speaking evil of others. By the Holy Spirit's power and direction, we can live for the glory of God.

Christians must hold forth the word of life. As Paul told the Corinthians, we must sow this good seed of God's Word, and we must water it with more truth and trust God for the harvest. 

We must open up the Bible and share the gospel because God is not willing that any should perish but that all should a come to repentant faith in Christ. 

Living for fleshly desires leads to death and loss of blessings. 

Romans 8:12-14  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13)  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

We shall see that the Corinthian Christians were guilty of several sins such as divorcing and remarrying, or committing sexual impurities. 

Paul's instruction to the church that we must mortify the members of our flesh is so that we can be guided by the Spirit of God.

In writing to the church at Rome, Paul makes it clear that those who are spiritually minded have life and bear fruit for Christ's kingdom. 

Those who live for self and the world, are carnally minded and are at enmity with God over the direction of their lives. 

Our greatest blessings are future and gospel work must be done now.

1 Corinthians 4:8  Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 

Many Corinthians were living as if the Master’s judgment was over, His rewards distributed, and they were already on their thrones (See Luke 22:29-30; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10). 

They viewed themselves as somehow superior to Paul and Apollos even though the church at Corinth would not exist without these men (See 1Corinthians 3:6). 

With a gentle irony, Paul essentially says “Would that the day for your thrones had really come! We would be on our thrones too, and all this weary life of labour and suffering would be over! But it is not over yet!”

Corinthians were divided instead of being faithful witnesses for Christ. 

Proverbs 13:7  There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

King Solomon's words describe the state of affairs of the Corinthians. They viewed themselves as rich and having reached the pinnacle of faith. 

In reality, they were spiritually bankrupt and not doing the work of the Lord. 

Proverbs 25:14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.  

The Corinthians were arrogant and filled with pride. 

They boasted in the abundant manifestations of spiritual gifts and were very much like rain clouds that come and go without dropping any rain. 

They hold out a promise of rain but did not make good on it. 

Revelation 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

The state of the church at Corinth is very much like that of the church at Laodicea. 

The Laodicean Christians thought they were in great shape and viewed their massive wealth as a sign of God's blessing.

We see this being promoted today by false teachers promoting the health, wealth and prosperity gospel.

Yet, Jesus said this church was wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

In like manner, the church at Corinth suffered from many grave defects.

Later in this study, we will delve into the flagrant abuse of spiritual gifts. We will see how abuse of spiritual gifts is connected with divisions, strife and discord found in this church. 

May we hear and heed the clear teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ by taking up our cross, denying ourselves and holding forth the words of life to a lost, dying world.

Bob