Skip to content Understanding Spiritual Maturity in Christ Sep 26 · 11 min ...more
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Spiritual Maturity and Unity in Christ 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word as we continue our journey through Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Today, we're reading, chapters 3 and 4 of first Corinthians verse 20 of chapter 4. For the kingdom of God0:21 is not in word, but in power. Now Paul does not hold back as he continues his pastoral correction of the Corinthians for living according to the foolish wisdom of men0:34 rather than the power of the Holy Spirit. Verse 1, and I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk0:45 and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able. For you are still carnal, for where there are envy, strife, and divisions0:57 among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? Now they were spiritually immature, refusing to grow up. And look what Paul says. You're behaving like mere men.1:09 And that that's pretty interesting because I think what Paul is communicating is that more is more is expected of us. Why? Well, because as Paul described in the previous chapter, we have the ability1:21 to understand the things of God that the world cannot know because we have the spirit of God. Therefore, our behavior should be different. The evidence of this immaturity1:33 is in their fractured view of the kingdom of God. Look at verse 4. For when 1 says I'm of Paul, another says I'm of Apollos, are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is1:45 Apollo but Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed as the Lord gave to each 1. I planted Apollo's water, but god gave the increase. Verse 7. So1:57 then neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but god who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are 1, and each 1 will receive his own reward2:09 according to his own labor. You know, this is what is called a kingdom perspective, a perspective that unfortunately is lacking among many followers of Jesus today. Those in the2:21 kingdom of god are not in competition with each other. We are 1 body, many members. We all have our part, and we should do it as unto the lord knowing that our reward comes from him. Over in Colossians chapter 3 verse2:32 23, it speaks to this. And whatever you do, from him. Over in Colossians chapter 3 verse 23, it speaks to this. And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the lord and not to men, knowing that the lord from the lord, you2:44 will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the lord Jesus Christ. So we're not competing against each other. We're advancing the kingdom, doing our work as unto the lord, and our reward is2:56 coming from him. Verse 9, for we are god's fellow workers. You are god's field. You are god's building. Now Paul speaks with confidence of the work that he did among them that it will3:08 stand the test of time because he laid a solid foundation. Look at verse 12. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, Each one's work3:19 will become clear, for the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire, and fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. So he laid the foundation. There is no other foundation3:31 but that of the word of Jesus Christ, and then we build on that. And time will tell whether we build, as unto the lord, a structure which will stand, or if3:43 we build with hay and straw and stubble. Alright. Drop down to verse 18. Let no 1 deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool3:55 that he may become wise. For the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, for it is written, he catches the wise in their own craftiness. And, again, the lord knows the thoughts of the wise, for they are futile.4:07 Therefore, let no 1 boast in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, as the world or or the world or life or death or things4:19 present or things to come, all are yours. And you are Christ, and Christ is God's. You know, he's saying your things are not what they appear. Don't be fooled by what you4:30 see in this world. The wisdom of man, like the approval of man, is foolishness compared to that which comes from God. Now as Paul continues into4:42 chapter 4, he presents what I think is it really is a life altering perspective. Look at verse 1. Let a man so consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of the4:54 mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that 1 be found faithful. Faithful to whom? Well, to the 1 that we serve, and that is Christ. But with me, it is a very5:06 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 is5:18 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 heart. Then each5:29 one's praise will come from god. Now this is an understanding of our position in Christ that once we grasp this, it sets us free. Our5:41 judgment is not from others. It's not even from ourselves. It comes from god. Who knows our hearts and our motives? And, you know, he he knows. God5:53 knows. And he will reveal the good and the bad. Think about what Paul is saying here. The judgments of man are both partial and they're temporal. But the judgment of god is complete and it's eternal.6:05 So which should we concern ourselves with? Should we live to please man that are here today and gone tomorrow, or should we live to please the 1 who is eternal and whose judgments6:17 are eternal? I think it's a no brainer. It it also speaks to how we view others. Alright? Do do we know their hearts? Do we know their motives? Do we know what's motivating6:29 them? No. We can't even discern our own heart. So we should not judge or condemn others based upon what we do not know. Now does that mean that there's no right or wrong and6:41 that, you know, it's not our place to hold up a standard of truth or morality? No. Short answer to that is absolutely no. It does not mean that at all. It it it in fact, in the very next chapter6:53 that we're gonna read, Paul addresses the immorality that was in the church and tells them to address it, to knock it off. But the standard for judging is the word of God, and the purpose of7:05 judging is not to condemn but to restore. Okay? Very important. But Paul then tells him to follow the example of Apollos and himself by living7:17 by what is revealed in the word, not what some say is hidden. Now there were some that said they had, like, a secret knowledge of what was in the word, and they were all puffed up building these,7:28 doctrines on reading between the lines. And this was a part of the pursuit and the glorification of human knowledge, and this this led to this, in many cases, heresy.7:40 And it was a source of pride. Verse 6. Now these thing first verse 6 chapter 4. Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes that you may learn in us not to7:52 think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of 1 another 1 against the other, puffed up meaning arrogant. Verse 7. But8:04 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?8:17 He goes on in verses 18 through 13. We actually detect a little scar sarcasm in Paul's words as he contrast the puffed up, the arrogant view the Corinthians had of themselves8:29 with the daily struggle of the apostles apostles who were serving the lord. Verse 15, for though you might have 10000 instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For in8:41 Christ Jesus, I have begotten you through the gospel. Now many preachers may have passed through and and taught them, but they only had 1 spiritual father, and that was him. And so they should receive his8:53 correction. 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 I9:04 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 words of those who are9:16 puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. It's not in what we say, but it's in what we do. Verse 21. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod9:28 or in love and the spirit of gentleness? He says, you decide. Father, we thank you for your word. And, lord, again, we look to the Holy Spirit that is as we've9:40 read here in Corinthians as Paul talks about, as our spirit is made live alive in Christ, we have the spirit of the of your spirit living within us that can show us the truths of9:52 your words, bringing light to, lord, the darkness in this world in which we live. We can have an understanding, and we can walk in that. And so, father, as we do, it should be evident in our10:04 lives. And so I pray, father, that you would work in us through your word, that we would know how to apply it to our lives in this world in which we live. We pray and ask this in Jesus'10:15 name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining this morning. And by the way, for those that, might be, in Southern California or even wanna travel there, coming up October seventeenth and eighteenth is the10:27 pray vote stand summit at pastor Jack Hibbs' church. And so, you can find out more about the pray vote stand summit. Go to pray vote stand dot o r g. I hope you can join us out there.10:39 Until next time, keep standing on the word.10:45 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you10:57 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at f r c dot o r g slash bible.In this video 0:00 Spiritual Maturity and Unity in Christ93.9K followers
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