The Nature of True Apostleship
Paul begins verse 4 with the phrase, “This, then, is how you ought to regard us.” My little rule of thumb is when the verse begins with a “then” or a “therefore” it’s referencing something that was just mentioned, so for that reason we will start back at the very end of 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.
21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter) or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
In these verses, Paul is reiterating something that he’s said in the past to this church. One problem of the church in Corinth was there were different factions or groups of people. Some considered themselves followers of one Apostle or Teacher, over another. It’s important to note that Paul has discussed this already in the letter (1 Corinthians 1:10-17). So this is review for the Corinthians. The idea in that context was stressing the importance of unity within a body. We are a church and we are the Body of Christ, and we need to be one in spirit. Then the second time he mentions these divisions is in 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. The context of this second time stresses the importance how we as a church are a temple of God’s spirit, and what this means for the church, and for our lives. If we are part of God’s building, we all rely on the same foundation and the same message.
Two times he mentions the divisions of the church, but each context is a little different. So, here we are, and he’s mentioning this issue about following different leaders for a third time. How is this different from the first two times? For one thing, he is taking a more general approach to his argument. He’s kind of backing up to look at everything at once, instead of this one issue of division in the church. He starts by explaining what are leaders, anyway? First of all Leaders are just HUMAN. And humans (except for Christ) aren’t worth boasting about. Paul tells us that with salvation, God has given us EVERYTHING. “All things are yours”, so this “all things” includes Paul and Apollos and Cephas (or Peter). This includes the whole world, this includes our lives, and our deaths. Right now, and later. Present and Future. Everything has been given to us if we are truly believers of Christ. Everything! Praise God! He gives great gifts to his sons and daughters. Never doubt that God’s gifts are great. Your life is great, and even your death will be great, because you belong to Christ. You like to follow Apollos, but not Paul? Well God gave you BOTH. You follow one guy but not the other? That means you’re taking only advantage of HALF of the blessings that God’s given to you. Remember this while we discuss the issue of Apostles. Now, we start chapter 4
1 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
So, Paul is telling the church that all these leaders, or “Apostles” are just servants. Not Doulos or Diakonos servants. Hypiretis, which is literally an under rower, in boating, a subordinate muscleman, and the word was used for a valet, server, lackey, footman. There were sometimes military connotations type of servant may execute penalties or punishments for a king. Any discussion of elevating them too high, or regarding them as super-saints, or associating yourself more with “Apollos” than Christ is a big mistake. Leaders are merely servants, they are NOT saviors. A good leader will be humble and know his place. In light of God’s greatness, His power, His awesomeness, we are mere servants. If a leader tries to present himself as someone big, or great, or high, or more holy, they are at best confused, and at worst, deceptive, Unbiblical, and not what they say they are. Someone who is looking to attract followers for themselves is not directing followers to God or caring for and feeding and shepherding sheep for the Good Shepherd. Any such leader is to be avoided, especially if he or she is claiming to be leading in the name of God. As I said before, leaders who elevate themselves are worse case Anti-Christian, manipulators, false prophets, and condemned. And Best case, they are confused, or not that well trained in scripture And for that reason alone, should not be followed. They need to be taught themselves, and should not be teaching people. Being a teacher is a huge responsibility. Teachers are entrusted with the very words of God. That’s what verse 2 is saying Paul says, leaders and Apostles are mere servants, but they are entrusted with something very special. What is that? The Mysteries God has revealed. Whose mysteries are they? God’s. These aren’t our mysteries! They aren’t Paul’s mysteries, or Apollos’s mysteries, or Peter’s mysteries. They’re God’s… Leaders and Apostles have nothing to add to God’s mysteries. Who reveals these mysteries? God has revealed them. So, apostles don’t even reveal anything! God reveals. So if you think about it, the Apostle is called to serve God, to speak and transmit a message faithfully, and preserve God’s mysteries, and be faithful in their duties to serve. Anything more is beyond God’s instruction. And the term mystery is very loaded as well, as if the truth is shrouded in layers of confusion or mysterious hidden wisdom. But God does reveal these things, and they have been revealed, past tense, so there is nothing hidden which requires man to unhide. The truth has been given to us, but being dead in our sinful nature, it was all hidden, we were blind, and it took a miraculous act or work by God himself to reveal it to us..
3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
A true apostle is serving with one passion, and one thing in mind. God. People use the phrase “Audience of One” to describe this mindset. Paul says leaders aren’t serving for the approval of men. True Apostles are not working to please men. True Apostles don’t care if they are judged by anyone in the world, their eyes and their focus is on serving the God of the Universe faithfully. Verses 3 and 4 show what it really means to be freed by Christ. Nobody’s judgement should matter to Apostles; they don’t even judge themselves. Why? Because God is the judge, and Christ has freed us from judgement. Nobody’s opinion matters except for God’s.
Paul stops his train of thought to make sure to clarify a concept. Even though the Apostle has a clear conscience, that doesn’t mean the Apostle is innocent. We are all sinners. And we’re all GUILTY. But the freedom from the judgement of our sins comes from Christ. Instead of spending our lives focused on whether or not we are living up to the letter of the law, and doing everything perfectly, we understand and acknowledge that we are not. There will be a time where all will be made known and come to light. Every motive of the heart, every dark thought, every sin. For a true Apostle, at that time where all their sins are made known, the most humiliating moment of existence, where everything comes to light what happens? “Each will receive their praise from God”.
WHAT??? Did I read that correctly??? Now if that isn’t the most twisted, opposite, unexpected turn! I actually read this once in the ESV version, which says each will receive their commendation from God. I read it quickly, and my eyes saw the word Condemnation. which makes more logical sense. We deserve condemnation, but Romans 8 says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The real word is commendation or praise, and that is illogically beautiful for us!
That’s the most amazing thing in existence. God will give praise to those that don’t deserve it. This is Grace, and it should be AMAZING to everybody. If the absolutely beautiful unfairness of it all isn’t SHOCKING, then we don’t really get it. We should never get familiar with this, or make this something that’s a given. This should always be amazing. Our very worst is revealed- every sin, everything hidden in the dark is in one moment revealed in a blinding LIGHT, and God looks at my soul. My disobedient soul. God illuminates my proud, filthy, perverse, and disgusting thoughts, words, deeds, motives. each terrible thing enough to sentence me to an eternity of Hell. These terrible things happening every day, every hour, nearly every moment. And at that time, what this is all revealed, each will receive his Praise from GOD!
6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Paul explains that he and Apollos are on the same page, and their position as “Apostles” or “Leaders” will not conflict with each other. A well functioning church must have leaders that are all on the same page when it comes to something as important concepts of “Judgement” or the Gospel. Paul says that if any member of the church observes Apollos or Paul’s behavior, they will be consistent as fellow servants of Christ. The leadership of the local church is entrusted with the same mysteries of God that Apostles are. Maybe the Corinthian church gets a message from Apollos every week, or teaching from Apollos on a regular basis, but they really want to see what Paul’s Apolostic ministry is doing, or what Paul thinks. Paul is reminding the people that God’s leaders, when they are faithful servants, are all doing the same thing, serving the same master. Different people have different gifts for sure. Maybe Paul’s letters are good, but Peter’s altar presence is just captivating. Paul explains these differences in chapter 7. What makes you different from anyone else? OK. Different talents, different skills. Fine. But where did you get those talents, or skills? They are gifts. Gifts from GOD. We RECEIVED them. What do you have that you didn’t receive? This is a question for everyone here today. Have you ever gotten anything without any help whatsoever? Be honest. The answer is No. For everything.
The US president once angered many by telling businessmen and innovators that “You didn’t build that”. He was kind of right AND wrong. We don’t do or achieve anything in a vacuum. But instead of just making that point, he directed their focus toward his administration and the government, and tried to reap the praise and credit that was due to only God himself.
What do I have that I didn’t receive? Obviously we can’t talk about gifts, because they’re received. But lets say there’s something I worked for. That wasn’t a gift, right? OK. well, Even if I worked for it, God gave me the physical ability, or mental ability to DO the work. God gave me the time in my life to do something. Even if we “earn” something or “develop” a skill, it’s because God gave us breath, and a life, and a will to work, and the ability to do whatever we did to “earn” that thing. If anyone can come up with something they have that wasn’t received or derived from something that’s received, I would love to hear about it. Whether apostle, leader, deacon, servant, church member, or visitor, we are all different in our own ways, but everything we have that makes us unique and special is given to us, and it’s only by God’s grace. It’s only God’s grace that I am comfortably sitting here in North America, typing into my computer, instead of committing a crime, or fighting a war or starving to death. It’s only God’s grace that I have been given a faith in Christ and a heart of flesh instead of a hardened, disbelieving heart. What do I have that hasn’t been given to me? Nothing. All I have is a Maker, who gave me his Spirit and his Son who died for me. It’s absolutely humbling.
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul is continuing talking about what different people have. Some have these things, others have nothing. Some have political power, others have persecution. Corinthians in general seemed to have a lot of blessings going for them. They were a commercial center, a very important stop on vital Roman trade routes. Corinth had 700,000 people, second only to Rome itself at the time. Anytime there exists prosperity, there will be the temptation for certain types of people to show up and take advantage. Everyone wants their piece. When people think you’re well off, everyone has something to sell, or offer, or provide. This environment and these temptations lead to the arrival of certain types of leaders. Paul wants to warn them that Apostles, and servants don’t have it easy. If you see a leader or some “super apostle” showing up with an attitude that isn’t Paul’s, or Apollos’, be careful. Leaders and apostles are here to serve. They aren’t here to be served.
So am I saying pastors should work for free? Not at all. Paul discusses the idea of compensating pastors and leaders of a church at a great detail in chapter 9, so I won’t go into a serious discussion about that (yet). It’s important to know that pastors that are looking to serve a church are not looking to get materially rich, nor are they looking to get their congregations materially rich. If any leader goes into a ministry for the money, their motives aren’t in the right place (and they are very misinformed, naive, or misguided). The apostle shouldn’t be looking for an easy life. The life of an apostle is difficult, involving persecutions, beatings, being cursed, weakness, rags, hunger, thirst. But vs 12 shows he blesses when cursed, and follows Jesus’ instruction!
In verse 9 Paul describes a Roman practice of parading gladiators condemned to death in an arena. These people were taken through the streets in a procession before they faced death in an arena. This type of persecution was common in that time, not just for apostles, but for any believer. Whenever I think of these types of things, I am so thankful that I don’t face these types of persecutions. I don’t risk my life to come to church and worship. There are people out there that attend church faithfully with real and present risks to their life and property. They have a fire for God’s kingdom and their local church that I only wish I possessed. On the day where all is revealed, I am sure I will be embarrassed for how callous and indifferent my heart can become for Jesus’ beautiful bride, the Church. Sometimes, scripture leaves me feeling so weak, so inadequate, but Paul reminded us in the beginning of Chapter 4 that in Christ we have a freedom from judging ourselves. We have a freedom of a clear conscience. Not that we’re innocent. Hardly, but we have a righteousness that is given to us, imputed on us, from Christ. We have forgiveness, and on the day when all the things in darkness are revealed, we actually receive Praise from God!