The Gospel of 1st Corinthians
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.
For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.
And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.
For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Content source: the New King James Version 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Image source: Our media Team
I draw my lessons from this chapter in verse 7:
Indeed, in life there is nothing to boast about save the saving grace of our Lord Jesus CHrist. God had paid even the price of our salvation and had in His own initiative endowed us with our strengths for every single work we're called to do. It therefore behoves that we are nothing outside of Him - the reason we ought not to boast.
May God help us to humble ourselves to exalt God in all He works through us.
The administration of the mysteries of God, in which Paul emphasizes in this chapter is a matter of responsibility and seriousness in the Christian, because, not everyone can have this privilege, those in charge are men called by the same God, for that reason Paul presents the ministers as administrators in the house of God, placed between the owner and the tenant, and charged with the task of serving them.
An administrator is fully in charge of the house and is responsible before the owner, who is the only one authorized to make the final decision, since the administrator is expected to be faithful in offering the family of the house exactly what has been entrusted In the same way, ministers must faithfully expose the whole counsel of God.