1 Corinthians 4:1-13

(1 Corinthians 4:1-13)

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? 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. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.  We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.  Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;  And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:  Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

 

Paul was clearly aware of the mission that Jesus Christ had called and entrusted to him. Therefore, he was able to boldly testify of the gospel and of Jesus Christ. Clear awareness of his mission is also revealed in Chapter 4:1: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 』

 

Paul defined himself and his associates who labor for the gospel this way. He had a mission as a worker of Christ, a person entrusted with the mysteries of God, a watchman of the gospel. Paul, who is living as a watchman of the gospel, teaches what is required of the saints who must live as workers of Christ and entrusted with the mystery of God. 『Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 』

 

The word loyalty means “trustworthy, reliable”. The word loyalty means "to do our best to keep the faith to the end." The first thing that is required of those who are called to be Christ's workers is whether or not he is a person who will keep his faithfulness until the end, enough to entrust the work. By the way, Jesus said in Luke 18:8, "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 』 This means that few people have faith when Jesus comes again.

 

If loyalty is required of Christ's worker, then Jesus Christ's worker does not judge others. 『Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 』 The word not to judge others implies that the act of judgment is the realm of God. He said he would not judge whether Paul's own ministry succeeded or failed. Because it is only the Lord who judges and judges.

 

What is required of the workers of Jesus Christ is self-lowering. 『For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 』The position of Christ's worker is absolutely not a high position. It is not a place to be respected. Rather, the opposite is true. The Lord's worker will always be the end. It is inevitable that the world's filth and all things are left behind. Christ's workers are to take for granted the insults, contempt, and grandeurs they receive now.