Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Practical application of the theology [5] – Assessing Christian leaders [3] (1 Corinthians 4 v 6 – 8)

Paul stays on the theme of inappropriate criticism and judgement that he introduced in verse 2. ‘But brothers I have changed these outward appearances towards myself and Apollos through you, so that within us you do not learn over and above what has been written, in order that one not over and above one, blown up and inflated bringing down the other’ (I Corinthians 4 v 6). The first clause of this verse is slightly difficult to translate into English, but Paul seems to be saying that he has changed the shape of the images or outward appearances that the Corinthian Christians had formed of both himself and Apollos. In presenting basic theology he has changed these outward appearances away from that of different factions vying in competition with each other to be the best. He has replaced this with an appearance of the Corinthian house managers as sub-ordinate crewmen co-working together under the command of the Lord, as stewards of the mysteries of God (verse 1). He has applied this appearance to himself and Apollos because the Corinthians were placing them as different leaders of divisive factions that were in conflict, (I Corinthians 1 v 12). Paul’s purpose was that the Corinthian Christians did not use himself and Apollos to learn over and above what has been written, so that leaders were perceived as equal. Paul and Apollos were not examples to be used to create the idea of a leadership hierarchy, inflated to the point of one leader bringing down another.

I recently read a book on historical theology that outlined the development of thought within Christianity from the time of the Apostles through to the present day. It outlined some of the ‘heresies’ or ‘unorthodox teachings’ that began to emerge within Christianity and it became clear to me that a lot of these happened when Christians went ‘over and above what had been written’. Some Christian leaders were influenced by what were then current philosophical trends of thought, or by philosophical methods of reasoning for example, and they added these concepts and methods to Apostolic teaching. That is what Paul is guarding against here. He has outlined these different concepts of house managers and then applied them to himself and Apollos so that the Corinthian Christians don’t go beyond what is written and as a result introduce mistaken ideas and practices into the assembly. Paul is particularly concerned that no house manager is placed above another, that no house manager becomes inflated with a self-evaluation of their own superiority such that they ‘bring down’ or criticise other house managers.

Paul then introduces a sarcastic note. ‘Because who thoroughly judges you back and forth? And what do you possess that you did not receive? But if you also received, why do you boast in the manner of not having received? 8 Already now you are filled enough; already now you are enriched; you rule without us and O that you really did rule so that we also rule together with you’ (I Corinthians 4 v 7, 8).

In these early chapters Paul has established two important spiritual principles:

God is the effective proportionate Judge through His Messiah

Christians and Christian leaders do not attain their position and status through their own ability but by means of God’s free gift and effective summons

‘But you’, says Paul, ‘who is critically judging and assessing you? You are boasting of your status and ‘skills’ compared to those of others but your position and abilities have been given to you as a gift’. He says that already, before the proper time, they are filled enough and enriched. They rule the assembly reigning like kings, without and apart from the founding Apostles. He says in effect that ‘Already, before the appointed time, you have reached a pitch of Christian perfection. You have become mightily exalted and dominant leaders without us, so that you present an anticipation of the future Messianic approval and the Messianic fullness of possession and dominion before the appropriate season’. Paul turns to sarcasm and acidic wit. Many Christians consider such sarcasm to be ‘unseemly’ and ‘inappropriate’. It is worth taking an aside for a moment to consider the theme of Christian sarcasm.

Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Practical application of the theology [4] – Assessing Christian leaders [2] (1 Corinthians 4 v 4b – 5)

Paul continues to bring what he has been saying to a practical concluding application. ‘So then, don’t pick out and separate anyone before the fitting season, up until we have come to the Lord and Master who will enlighten even the concealed things of the darkness and will make clear the heart’s resolved advice and purpose. Then the commendation and approval will be away from God to each and every one’ (I Corinthians 4 v 5). Paul concludes that when it comes to judicially separating one house manager from another, to praising one and deriding or dismissing another in the way that the Corinthians were doing, Christians do not have the ability to properly make such decisions. A Christian cannot even make such judicial decisions about their own behaviours and motivations, let alone make such full and final decisions about other people. Only God, through his Messiah and by His Breath can effectively make these kinds of judicial assessments and He has set a Day in which such judgements will be made.

So Paul says, ‘don’t pick out and separate anyone before the fitting season up until we have come to the Lord and Master’. Don’t jump the gun. Don’t make critical, divisive judgements with regard to house managers or anyone else prior to the appropriate time and means for such appraisals, which will be the Day of the Lord when Christians will have come to the Lord. Under his authority, as one who shines a light on dark, hidden things, and as one who makes the resolved advice and purpose of an individual’s deep inner core clear, so that it is known, then effective, balanced judicial decisions will be made. In this way, any praise, honour and judicial approval will come down away from God, as opposed to coming from human beings, including Christians using the values, principles and methods of the worldly arrangement.

Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Practical application of the theology [3] – Assessing Christian leaders [1] (1 Corinthians 4 v 2 – 4a)

Paul adds a further practical consideration with regard to Christian leaders, namely assessing or judging house managers. ‘Here, beyond this, seeking to get to the bottom of the matter within the house managers in order that someone reliably persuaded is being found’ (I Corinthians 4 v 2). We are now coming to the core of the problem that Paul is dealing with. The Corinthian Christians had spiritual ambition. They wanted to excel and be the best and they wanted the best leaders. But in seeking to ally themselves with those who they considered to be the best leaders, passionate arguments, disputes and contentions were arising causing divisions. Some in the assembly were being criticised, derided or dismissed because they were allied to those who some saw as ‘inferior’ leaders.

It is correct to say that house managers need to be tested and examined. Why? Because not everyone who aspires to be, or who is, a house manager has a good foundation in the Messiah, or continues to build on this one foundation. So assessments have to be made in order to find leaders who are reliably persuaded to the point of obedience within the Messiah.

But this assessment is not based on worldly values, principles and methods. ‘But to me it is the least matter that I am judged up and down, questioned and examined by you or under the authority of a man’s day’ (I Corinthians 4 v 3a). In their spiritual ambition the Corinthians had ‘judged’ various different members of their house managers according to worldly values and principles. Paul assures them that as far as he is concerned such judgements are a very small matter. Indeed, no worldly judgement is of any concern to him. The literal translation at the end of this first part of verse 3 is ‘man’s day’. Paul constantly lived with the concept of the ‘Day of the Lord’ as being the judgement day, so much so that all days previous to the Day of the Lord are man’s days. He presents ‘man’s day’ as an antithesis to the Day of the Lord, the day appointed for trial and judgement.

Neither is the assessment of Christian leaders based on self-recommendation. ‘On the other hand I am not judging up and down, questioning and examining myself, 4 because I am seeing nothing together with myself, but this is not judicially approving me’ (I Corinthians 4 v 3b v 4a). The Apostle was not one to indulge in self-assessment to the point of self-recommendation. He did not go around examining himself and his inner thoughts, desires and motives in order to recommend or excuse himself with regard to criticism by other people. He did not constantly look at himself from top to bottom in order to be able to state his righteousness in front of other people. He did not rely of his own view and assessment of himself at all. Why? ‘Because I am seeing nothing together with myself’. The phrase in English would seem to mean that of his own power, Paul possessed no knowledge. But that is not correct. The meaning is that Paul was not conscious within himself of having been unfaithful. He does not refer to the whole of his life, but to his role as house manager. The sense is, ‘I am conscious of integrity in my role as Apostle. My own mind and conscience do not condemn me of ambition or unfaithfulness. Others may accuse me, but I am not conscious of anything that would condemn me, or render me unfaithful in this role or of in any way corrupting the word of the cross of the Messiah.’ This meaning is evident from what he says next. ‘but this is not judicially approving me’. The fact that he honestly sees no fault in himself as a house manager does not mean that God therefore judicially approves of him. God as Righteous Judge may see imperfections where he sees none.

The assessment of house managers is not based on the principles, values and methods of the worldly arrangement, or on self-recommendation. So what is the basis of the assessment of Christian leaders? It is based on the judgement of the Lord. ‘but the Lord and Master is scrutinising me up and down, questioning and examining me’ (I Corinthians 4 v 4b). Paul says of himself as an Apostle that it is by the Lord’s judgement that he would receive the judicial decision. The Lord searches the inner depth of the heart and may see undesirable qualities where he and/or others see none. Therefore Paul was not self-confident, but with humility he referred the whole case to the Lord. There is also a reproof here of those Corinthian Christians and house managers who were so confident in their own integrity. It is an admonition from Paul to be more cautious since the Lord can detect faults in them where they perceive none.

Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Practical application of the theology [2] – A logical consideration of Christian leaders (1 Corinthians 4 v 1)

We have now arrived at a chapter division with the beginning of chapter 4. These divisions which were added to Scripture centuries after the text itself was written, can be misleading. They sometimes interrupt the logic and reasoning of the Apostle for example. We may think that Paul is now moving on to a new subject, but this is not the case. Paul is still describing and defining Christian leaders and how Christians should perceive them.

Thus in verse 1 the Apostle states his major practical concluding application to the theology that he has been presenting in most of the first three chapters. ‘So then, let a man logically consider us to be like subordinate crewmen rowing under the authority of the Messiah, house managers of God’s mysteries’ (I Corinthians 4 v 1). There, stated in a nutshell, as a major conclusion arising from all that he has been saying with regard to Christian leaders. If we have been following his reasoning, then this statement requires no further explanation. This conclusion portrayed in metaphorical terms, presents Christian leaders as a unified ‘team’ of co-workers working with a single purpose under one single authority, namely the Messiah. It cuts across the problem of a Christian assembly in which its members have divided loyalties in terms of their leaders. Paul describes the leader/builders as being like crewmen who are rowing a ship whilst subordinate to the Captain’s authority. Christian leaders are working together to move the vessel forward under the authority of the Messiah. Employing another metaphor, Paul describes Christian leaders as ‘house managers’ of God’s mysteries or hidden secrets that the world cannot receive or comprehend to the point of obedient persuasion. This is how Paul wants the Corinthian assembly to perceive their leaders. They are not working in competition with each other, or against one another. Rather, they are a ‘team’ working together within their various duties and different positions with a common purpose – to build on the foundation of the word of the cross of the Messiah and manage the mysteries of God as co-workers with God.

Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Applying the basic theology to define Christian leaders (1 Corinthians 3 v 5 – 10a).

Paul begins to teach and apply conclusions from what he has been saying. He begins to introduce a less divisive way in which the Corinthian Christian assembly can look at their different leaders. ‘Therefore, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? Servants, through whom you came to believe, and to each in the manner that the Lord is giving. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God causes increase. 7 So then, neither the planting nor the watering is anything, but the cause of increase – God. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose and they will each be given back to according to their own labour’ (I Corinthians 3 v 5 – 8). In effect Paul says, ‘Let’s get back to basics, to primary-school teaching suited to your childish level of understanding, and in doing so let’s define who Christian leaders are’. They are all servants. The Greek word refers to those who are ‘kicking up dust as they hurry about, running to pursue their duties’. The image is of servants hurrying to do their various duties, in the manner that the Lord has given to each. Thus, Paul planted, he announced the word of the cross of the Messiah, but Apollos watered – perhaps a reference to carrying out baptisms as well as nurturing growth. Different leaders have different duties. But also in light of what Paul has said earlier in his letter, there is a unity within this diversity in that it is God Who is the cause of increase or growth by means of His Breath. It is not the busyness and activity per se that causes the increase but God Who is the cause of increase. These different leaders with their different gifts, skills and roles, have one purpose – to be faithful servants hurrying in service to the Lord, and God will reward them in proportion to their individual work and labour.

So what is the conclusion in the light of these facts? Just who are these different and diverse Christian leaders? ‘Therefore we are fellow workers of God; you are God’s cultivation, God’s building. 10 According to the free gift of God continuing to be given to me, in the manner of a wise master builder I am setting the foundation in place, but another is building above and upon it’ (I Corinthians 3 v 9 – 10a). Therefore – here is the logical conclusion – Christian leaders like Paul and Apollos are co-labourers of God, working together with God. Since it is God Who is giving the increase, this means that Christians under their leadership are God’s cultivation and architecture. In practice this means that Paul, in agreement with the free gift of God that has been given to him, was setting a foundation in place as a busy servant. But another busy servant was building upon that foundation according to their gifts that had also been bestowed on them by God. Paul announced the word of the cross of the Messiah, and by means of the Breath some perceived and were persuaded. But other leaders, such as Apollos, baptised those who were persuaded to the point of obedience.