Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

William Mac Donald said well, “The Corinthians had become self-sufficient; they were already full. They prided themselves on the abundance of spiritual gifts in their midst; they were already rich. They were living in luxury, comfort, and ease. There was no sense of need. They acted as if they were already reigning, but they were doing so without the apostles. Paul states that he could wish that the time to reign had already come so that he might reign with them! But in the meantime, “lifetime is training time for reigning time,” as someone has said. Christians will reign with the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes back and sets up His kingdom on earth. In the meantime, their privilege is to share the reproach of a rejected Saviour.”

In their self-sufficiency, the Corinthian Christians through the abundance of gifts and riches, have sidelined God’s servants. The Apostle Paul points out they have veered from their God-given mandate to honour God by side-tracking His appointed servants.

William MacDonald observed well, “The Corinthians were not forming parties around Paul and Apollos alone, but also around other men who were then in their church. However, out of a sense of Christian courtesy and delicacy, Paul transferred the entire matter to himself and Apollos so that by their example the saints would learn not to have exaggerated opinions of their leaders or to gratify their pride by the formation of parties. He wanted the saints to evaluate everything and everyone by the Scriptures.”

Paul having stipulated the qualities of God’s servant and his reward by Christ urges the believers in Corinth not to pit God’s servant one against another. Such actions will gender division in the church. He asks these brethren not to make unlawful judgments between Apollos and himself.

The Usher’s Code by Rev. Dr. SH Tow is helpful for memory by remembering the 5 “P”.

Prayerful
Punctual
Properly Dressed
Pleasing
Prepared

he Apostle Paul was a humble servant of God, he was a steward who constantly examines himself before the Lord. Doubtless, he receives many criticism and discouragements for the good work that he has done. He does not stop serving because of these discouragements. He had to defend his apostleship from the attacks hurled upon him.

Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.1 Ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.2 As ye have … received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.3 He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved