What qualities make a good leader in church? 1 Corinthians 3, Paul presented three pictures of the local church. Now he presents three pictures of the minister or church leader—a steward (1 Cor. 4:1-6), a prisoner (1 Cor. 4:7-13), and a father (1 Cor. 4:14-21). He wanted his readers to understand how God measured and evaluated a Christian’s service. First Corinthians 4:6 explains Paul’s purpose: “That no one of you be puffed up for one against another.”
We must avoid extremes when it comes to evaluating leafers in ministries. On the one hand, we can be so indifferent that we accept anybody who comes along. But the other extreme is to be so hypercritical that Paul himself would fail the test. It is important that we “try the spirits” (1 John 4:1-6; and note 2 John), but we must be careful not to grieve the Spirit as we do so.
In these three pictures of ministry, Paul presented three characteristics of a true minister of Jesus Christ.
1. Faithfulness—The Steward (1 Cor. 4:1-6)
Paul answered the leaders of the various factions in the church when he called himself, Peter, and Apollos “ministers of Christ.” The word translated ministers is literally “under-rowers.” It described the slaves who rowed the huge Roman galleys. “We are not the captains of the ship,” said Paul, “but only the galley slaves who are under orders. Now, is one slave greater than another?”
Then Paul explained the image of the steward. A steward is a servant who manages everything for his master, but who himself owns nothing. Joseph was a chief steward in Potiphar’s household (Gen. 39). The church is the “household of faith” (Gal. 6:10), and the ministers are stewards who share God’s wealth with the family (Matt. 13:52). Paul called this spiritual wealth “the mysteries of God.” We met this important word mystery in 1 Corinthians 2:7, so you may want to review it.
The responsibility of the steward is to be faithful to his master. A steward may not please the members of the household; he may not even please some of the other servants; but if he pleases his own master, he is a good steward. This same idea is expressed in Romans 14:4.
So, the main issue is not, “Is Paul popular?” or, “Is Apollos a better preacher than Paul?” The main issue is, “Have Paul, Apollos, and Peter been faithful to do the work God assigned to them?” Jesus had this same test in mind when He told the parable recorded in Luke 12:41-48. If a servant of God is faithful in his personal life, in his home, and in his ministry of the Word, then he is a good steward and will be adequately rewarded.
But a servant is constantly being judged. There is always somebody criticizing something he does. Paul pointed out that there are three judgments in the life of the steward.
There is man’s judgment (v. 3a). Paul did not get upset when people criticized him, for he knew that his Master’s judgment was far more important. The phrase man’s judgment is literally “man’s day.” This is in contrast to God’s day of judgment yet to come (1 Cor. 1:8; 3:13).
There is the servant’s own self-judgment (vv. 3b-4a). Paul knew nothing that was amiss in his life and ministry, but even that did not excuse him. Sometimes we do not really know ourselves. There can be a fine line between a clear conscience and a self-righteous attitude, so we must beware.
The most important judgment is God’s judgment (v. 4b). Certainly God judges us today through His Word (Heb. 4:12) and by the ministry of the Spirit. Sometimes He uses the ministry of a loving friend to help us face and confess sin (Matt. 18:15-17). But the main reference here is to the final evaluation when each Christian stands at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10). Then the true facts will be revealed and the faithful servants rewarded.
These verses must not be used to cultivate a self-righteous independence of people. The local church is a family, and members of the family must help each other to grow. There is a place for honest, loving criticism (Eph. 4:15). If the critic is right, then he has helped us. If he is wrong, then we can help him. Either way, the truth is strengthened.
Paul’s “therefore” in 1 Corinthians 4:5 alerts us that he is about to make a personal application of the truths just discussed. He closed this section with a threefold rebuke.
First, “you are judging God’s servants at the wrong time” (v. 5). It is when the Lord returns that He will evaluate their lives and ministries, so wait until then. In fact, you cannot see into men’s hearts; you cannot begin to judge their motives. Only God can do that. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
The Corinthians who were passing judgment on Paul were actually “playing God” and assuming to themselves the privileges that only God has. How often in my own ministry I have made this mistake! How easy it is to misread a situation and misjudge a person.
Second, “you are judging by the wrong standard” (v. 6a). The Corinthians were measuring different men by their own personal preferences and prejudices. They were even comparing ministers with one another. The only true basis for evaluation is “that which is written”—the Word of God.
The Bible clearly reveals what kind of life and service is required of God’s ministers. There is no need for us to devise new standards. Often I receive letters from churches seeking pastors, asking if I could recommend candidates to them. Too often their “requirements” have gone beyond what God requires in His Word. Again, it is the problem Paul discussed in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2—the wisdom of men versus the wisdom of God.
Third, “you are judging with the wrong motive” (v. 6b). Each group in the church was tearing down the other preachers in order to build up the man they liked. Their motive was not at all spiritual. They were promoting division in the church by being partisan to one man as opposed to the others. They needed to examine their own hearts and get rid of the pride that was destroying the church.
God’s servants are stewards of His truth, and the key test is: Have they been faithful to obey and to teach the Word of God? Not just faithful preaching, but faithful practicing as well. The testimony of Samuel (1 Sam. 12:1-5) and Paul (Acts 20:17ff) will bear witness to this truth.
How does someone get your attention as a Christian leader? Are you more impressed by a person’s image or the evidence of personal integrity? What servant-leader for Christ has made the deepest impact on your life? Take time to thank God for that person
2. Humbleness—The Prisoner (1 Cor. 4:7-13)
When Paul called himself and other apostles “a spectacle unto the world” (1 Cor. 4:9), he was using an image familiar to people in the Roman Empire. The government kept the people pacified by presenting entertainments in the different cities. The amphitheaters would be filled with citizens, eager to see men compete in the games and prisoners fight with the beasts. (In fact, the Greek word translated spectacle gives us our English word “theater.”) The Colosseum at Rome became the center for these “entertainments.”
When the “main events” were ended, then the poorest and weakest prisoners were brought in to fight with the beasts. Nobody expected too much from their performance.
What a picture of the Apostles of Jesus Christ! But it forms the background for a series of contrasts that Paul presents for the purpose of trying to humble the Corinthians.
Kings—prisoners (vv. 7-9). The questions in 1 Corinthians 4:7 ought to make all of us stop and think. I like the New American Standard Bible’s translation of the first question: “Who regards you as superior?” Perhaps it is our own biased opinion that makes us feel so important. The best commentary on 1 Corinthians 4:7 is the witness of John the Baptist, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven…. He [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:27, 30).
Paul used a bit of sanctified sarcasm in 1 Corinthians 4:8 when he described the Corinthians as kings. “I wish I could reign with you and be important!” he wrote. “But instead, I must go into the arena and suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. You are first in men’s eyes, but we apostles are last.” In the eyes of God, the apostles were first (1 Cor. 12:28), but in the eyes of men they were last.
There is no place for pride in the ministry. If a truly great leader like Paul considered himself “on exhibition last in the program,” where does this leave the rest of us? Church members are wrong when they measure ministers other than by the standards God has given. They are also wrong when they boast about their favorite preachers. This is not to say that faithful servants cannot be recognized and honored, but in all things, God must be glorified (1 Thes. 5:12-13).
Wise men—fools (v. 10a). Paul was a fool according to the standards of men. Had he remained a Jewish rabbi, he could have attained great heights in the Jewish religion (Gal. 1:14). Or had he sided with the Jewish legalists in the Jerusalem church and not ministered to the Gentiles, he could have avoided a great deal of persecution (Acts 15; 21:17ff). But when Paul asked the Lord, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6) he really meant it.
The Corinthians were wise in their own eyes, but they were actually fools in the sight of God. By depending on the wisdom and the standards of the world, they were acting like fools. The way to be spiritually wise is to become a fool in the eyes of the world (1 Cor. 3:18). I often find myself quoting those words of martyred Jim Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Strong men—weak (v. 10b). There was a time when Paul gloried in his strengths; but then he met Jesus Christ and discovered that what he thought were assets were really liabilities (Phil. 3). It was through his own personal suffering that Paul discovered that his spiritual strength was the result of personal weakness (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Strength that knows itself to be strength is weakness; but weakness that knows itself to be weakness becomes strength.
The Corinthians were proud of their spiritual achievements. The factions in the church were proud of their human leaders and favorite preachers. But all of this was only weakness. There is strength only when God gets the glory. “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
Honorable—despised (vv. 10c-13). This was the crux of the whole matter: the Christians in Corinth wanted the honor that comes from men, not the honor that comes from God. They were trying to “borrow” glory by associating themselves with “great men.” Paul answered, “If you associate with us, you had better be ready for suffering. We apostles are not held in honor—we are despised!”
Paul then described the privations and sufferings that he had to endure as a servant of God. The fact that he worked with his own hands as a tentmaker would have lowered him in the eyes of many, because the Greeks despised manual labor.
Paul also described how he responded to the way people treated him; and this, in itself, helped to make him great. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us. When Paul was reviled, he blessed—just as Jesus commanded (Matt. 5:44). When persecuted, he endured it by the grace of God and did not retaliate. When he was slandered, Paul tried to conciliate. In all things, he sought to respond in love.
What was the result? Men treated him “as the filth of the world… the offscouring of all things” (1 Cor. 4:13). “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For it is not fit that he should live!” (Acts 22:22) Paul and the other apostles were treated just as their Lord was treated; but God vindicated them and brought glory to His name.
Faithfulness in service and humbleness of mind: these are two important characteristics of a minister of Jesus Christ. He must be willing to work and willing to suffer. It is one thing to be faithful and quite another to be popular. But there is a third characteristic that helps to balance the others.
3. Tenderness—The Father (1 Cor. 4:14-21)
Paul had already compared the local church to a family (1 Cor. 3:1-4). But now the emphasis is on the minister as a “spiritual father.” In none of his letters did Paul ever call himself “father.” He was mindful of the Lord’s teaching in Matthew 23:8-12. But in comparing himself to a “spiritual father,” Paul reminded the church of the important ministries he had performed on their behalf.
First, Paul had founded the family (vv. 14-15). The Corinthians were Paul’s beloved children in the faith. Whenever we share the Gospel with someone and have the joy of leading him to faith in Christ, we become a “spiritual parent” in his life. This does not give us any special authority over his faith (2 Cor. 1:24), but it does create a special relationship that God can use to help him grow. The local church is God’s family for helping the newborn Christians develop.
It is important to note that Paul did not take the “credit” for their conversion. Their spiritual birth was in Christ and through the Gospel. Sinners are born again through the ministry of the Spirit of God and the Word of God (John 3:6; 1 Peter 1:23-25). Paul was the “father” who stood by and assisted at their birth.
A child may have many guardians and teachers, but he can have only one father. He has a special relationship to his father that must not be preempted by anyone else. There had been no church in Corinth before Paul came, so that even the second-generation believers in the church were the results of Paul’s effective ministry.
Paul founded the church and Apollos followed him and taught the people. In some way that is not made clear in the Scriptures, Peter also ministered at Corinth. (Perhaps he had not been there personally, but other teachers from Jerusalem had ministered in Corinth as “representatives” of Peter.) God’s children need the ministry of different teachers, but they must never forget the “spiritual father” who brought them to Christ.
Second, Paul was an example to the family (vv. 16-17). Children have a way of imitating their parents, either for good or for ill. Researchers tell us that teenagers learn to drink at home and not from their peers. My guess is that other bad habits are learned the same way.
The word followers literally is “mimics.” Paul gave the same admonition in Philippians 3:17, but we must not think that he was exalting himself. Little children learn first by example, then by explanation. When Paul pastored the church in Corinth, he set the example before them in love, devotion to Christ, sacrifice, and service. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Paul was a good example because he was following the greatest Example of all, Jesus Christ.
But Paul was also a good teacher. It takes both example and instruction to bring a child to maturity. Paul sent Timothy (also one of his spiritual children) to remind the church of the doctrines and practices that Paul always taught. Timothy did not carry the letter to the church (1 Cor. 16:10), but apparently went ahead to prepare the way for the letter.
God does not have one standard for one church and a different standard for another church. He may work out His will in different ways (Phil. 2:12-13), but the basic doctrines and principles are the same. Because churches have gotten away from God’s wisdom and have substituted man’s wisdom, we have serious doctrinal differences among various churches. Men have gone beyond “that which is written” (1 Cor. 4:6) and this has brought division into the church.
Third, Paul was faithful to discipline the family (vv. 18-21). A child’s will must be broken, but not destroyed. Until a colt is broken, it is dangerous and useless; but once it learns to obey, it becomes gentle and useful. Pride is a terrible thing in the Christian life and in the church. The yeast of sin (leaven, 1 Cor. 5:6-8) had made the Corinthians “puffed up,” even to the point of saying, “Paul will not come to us! His bark is worse than his bite!” (2 Cor. 10:8-11)
Paul had been patient with their disobedience, but now he warned them that the time had come for discipline. Paul was not like the tolerant modern mother who shouted at her spoiled son, “This is the last time I’m going to tell you for the last time!”
A faithful parent must discipline his children. It is not enough to teach them and be an example before them; he must also punish them when they rebel and refuse to obey. Paul-would have preferred to come with meekness and deal with their sins in a gentle manner, but their own attitude made this difficult. They were puffed up—and even proud of their disobedience! (1 Cor. 5:1-2)
The contrast in this paragraph is between speech and power, words and deeds. The arrogant Corinthians had no problem “talking big,” the way children often will do; but they could not back up their talk with their “walk.” Their religion was only in words. Paul was prepared to back up his “talk” with power, with deeds that would reveal their sins and God’s holiness.
This section prepared the way for the next two chapters that deal with discipline in the local church. There was much sin in the Corinthian congregation and Paul was prepared to deal with it. He had already written them a letter about the matter (1 Cor. 5:9), but the congregation had not obeyed him. It was then that some of the more spiritual members contacted Paul (1 Cor. 1:11; 16:17) and shared the burdens with him. Some of the church leaders had written Paul for counsel (1 Cor. 7:1), and Paul prayed that they might obey the counsel he wrote to them.
It is a principle of life that those who will not govern themselves must be governed. Insurance companies and medical authorities urge drivers to wear seat belts, but many of them refuse. So the government must pass a law requiring drivers to wear seat belts. If you fail to obey, you will be punished.
Paul gave the Corinthian church opportunity to set their household in order. In the following chapters, he explains how the local church ought to be governed in the will of God. Unfortunately, the church did not immediately obey. Paul had to make a quick visit to Corinth and his experience during that visit was very painful (2 Cor. 2:1; 12:14; 13:1). He then had to write them a very strong letter (1 Cor. 7:8-12); possibly it was carried by Titus.
To the glory of God, the matters did get settled for the most part. There was still some “mopping up” to do (2 Cor. 12:20-13:5), but the crisis was now over.
It is not an easy thing to be a minister of Jesus Christ. As a steward, you must be faithful to your Master no matter what men may say to you or do to you. You will be treated as refuse by the people of the world. Your own spiritual children may break your heart and have to be disciplined.
God’s faithful servants deserve our love, respect, obedience, and prayer support.
Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/watch-now/leander-campus-videos
Watch Messages: YouTube-Upwards Church
Upwards Church 