Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth. It was a young city, destroyed in 146 BC by the Romans and re-established by Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Corinth became a strategic port with a socially diverse population and exceptionally diverse religious backdrop.
Paul is writing to a church living amid all types of people, religious backgrounds and positions in society. He is writing to a new church … a new “religion.” A new church and religion in the middle of a sea of pagan religions. Corinthians worshiped a wide variety of gods, such as Asclepius (healing); Aphrodite (beauty, fertility and sex); Apollo (music, archery, medicine and prophecy); Athena (wisdom, handicrafts and warfare); Artemis (huntress); Dionysus (wine — aka: Bacchus); Isis (fertility); Jupiter (sky); Neptune and Poseidon (water); Venus (love); and Zeus (protector of humans, dispenser of good and evil, atmosphere). They also venerated the Emperor and his family. And finally, there was also a Jewish community.
We can see from this partial list of the gods worshipped that they accounted for human lusts, fears, the unknown and the penchant to create. To be Corinthian was to worship multiple gods.
The newly established church in Corinth was in turmoil. Members fought over social values such as power, position and prosperity. They found fault with those who were poor and esteemed those with position and wealth. Not pleased with the young church’s behavior, Paul scolds them in the first letter. His bold tone passionately battles the spirit of compromise with the world. He fights to prevent the blending of religions aka syncretism, with the profoundly different truth of Jesus Christ.
Paul starts by setting the stage telling us that we are “Servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” (Verse 1, ESV) He also states that “stewards must be found faithful.” (Verse 2) In Verses 3 and 4 Paul resets the field on which people are judged … emphatically stating that it is “The Lord who judges.”
In Verse 7 Paul then drops the hammer of rebuke by asking three powerful, rhetorical questions: 1) Who makes you different from anyone else? 2) What do you have that you did not receive? 3) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
His sarcastic scolding continues in Verses 8, 9 and 10.
Paul paints a stark picture of the price paid by the apostles with reference to their power, position and prosperity in Verses 11-14.
The counterintuitive truth that Paul exposes is that it is not our worldly power, position or prosperity which are the determining factors of our value or eternal standing, but rather, our position in relationship to Jesus.
We see these same Corinthian errors in the Church today. Mega churches preaching prosperity in place of obedient relationship with Jesus. Whole fellowships and denominations are carried away by the winds of syncretism, accepting and worshiping the societal norms of homosexuality, gender identification and dysphoria, nature, earth, unrestrained hedonism, intoxication, wealth and health. The first commandment, Exodus 20:3 is “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (KJV) And two verses later that “the Lord your God is a jealous God.” Paul’s letter exhorts both the Corinthian and the American church that there is absolutely no room for allowing other gods to mingle in our relationship with The Great and Almighty Creator God.
Power, position and prosperity are also used as the valuation of a person’s worth. The error is not in having these characteristics, but rather, considering these things worthy of boasting and praise. If God has given, what do we have to brag about? If you think you have done it yourself, you are in significant peril as you lack a proper understanding of God and what it is that makes a real relationship with Him.
Consider the following verses:
“I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23, BSB)
“The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24, BSB)
“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21, BSB)
“Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10, BSB)
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1, ESV)
“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth …” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18, ESV)
“Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.” (1 Chronicles 29:12, ESV)
It is not hard to find ourselves in this passage. Bustling cosmopolitan cities with a diverse population of peoples and religions from all over the world. The rich and powerful running the show with a few in the middle, and poverty on the rise. We can easily see the societal discord as people struggle for position, power and prosperity. We can also see how as a society we judge a person’s value from these same measurements.
However, Paul makes crystal clear, all that we have is given by God. So why are we so proud? Why are we not simply amazed at the grace of God? The counterintuitive truth that Paul exposes is that all that we have is given by God and that our value is determined not by our societal position, our tolerance to the debauchery of the world’s values, or the accumulation of stuff, but simply by our relationship to God through our Lord Jesus.
Re-read 1 Corinthians 4:7. Does Paul leave any room for pride and self-infatuation in these three rhetorical X-rays? Describe what you see.
What counterintuitive truth does this passage bring home to you?
What do you think are the root causes of compromise in the Church in America, and what is the solution that will turn this?