Who Are You Copying? - 1 Corinthians 4

 Paul’s Appeal and Warning

14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Paul becomes more pastoral to the Corinthians starting in verse 14. He calls them "dear children", a phrase of intimacy.  Paul says even if they have 10,000 guardians, they only have one father.  The term for "guardians" is best interpreted as "teaching assistant".  The guardians (teaching assistants) escorted boys and girls back and forth from school and oversaw their conduct (Guzik).  Paul considered himself a father because he brought the gospel to the Corinthians.  Though it didn't give him power over them it was a special relationship.  

Then, Paul says to "imitate" him.  The word comes from the Greek word "mimeo", which is where we get our term "mimeograph". A mimeograph makes copies.  He could have easily have said, "copy me as I try to copy Christ!".  Paul was not saying this because he was perfect, but because he was committed to follow Jesus' way of life despite his imperfection.  Paul tried to copy Jesus' life, and then Timothy tried to copy Paul's way of life.  This is not to say we are not trying to copy Jesus' way of life.  We don't follow any human being, and yet we can be mentored and discipled by others who have been living out the Christian faith longer than us.  Finally, Paul says this agrees with what he teaches in all the churches.  Paul didn't give one message to one church and another to the next church.  Paul's message and teaching were the same.  His message was how we come to Christ by grace through faith, and then how we follow Christ and imitate his way of life through the Spirit. 

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

Apparently some in the Corinthian church were doubting Paul's sincerity, since he had not yet visited them yet.  They also were prideful in thinking that Paul might have been afraid to visit them.  In asserting themselves in this way, they were acting as if they were all powerful.  In essence Paul gives them a choice.  Guzik says, 

"Paul leaves the ball in their court. Which Paul did they want to come – the Paul with the rod of correction (used by shepherds to smack disobedient sheep), or the Paul with the spirit of gentleness? There is no doubt Paul would prefer to come in gentleness, but he’ll leave that decision up to the Corinthian Christians."

Could you honestly say that you are trying to imitate Jesus' way of life? What parts of Jesus' life are hardest to copy?  Who has taught and/or imitated for you how to be a Christ follower?  If someone were to observe you on a given day would they conclude you are a disciple of Christ? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why are you persecuting me!"  Paul thought he was serving the Lord, but he was persecuting him b
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in
Read more