1 Corinthians 4:20

"For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power." 1 Corinthians 4:20

How often do we come to the word of God and see it just as words on a page?  How often can you see in your own life that reading of the word does not change/move you in some way?  What is the power in God's word?

"For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe." 1Thessalonians 2:13

It performs work in those who believe.  So there is power in God's word to work in us, who believe.

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

So the word of God has power to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Christ says that those who hear his word and acts on it is like a wise man who builds his house upon a rock versus a fool who builds his house upon the sand (Matthew 7:24).  Christ says that we can miss what the word is truly about: him (John 5:39).  Summing up: God's word has power.  We can miss this power and the work it does on our lives.  

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 

Praise the Lord for this promise.  Let's make this our prayer that in whatever we read, the Lord would give us wisdom that we might be moved to action from a sincere faith!

1 Corinthians 4:15-16

1 Corinthians 4:15-16
"For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me."

Christ redefined how we think about family and relationships when he made it clear that those who do the will of the father are his sister, brother, mother (Matthew 12:47-50).  Those, like Paul, who take time to disciple and make disciples become the father's of those they disciple.  The disciple becomes the imitator of the father, however we must be careful in how we approach this thought.  We are not called to worship man or hold him any higher than our Lord.  Consider Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 18:4-9
"Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period-- if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully--he is righteous and will surely live," declares the Lord GOD."

Our faith must be sincere before God and not before those that may disciple (1Timothy 1:5; 2Timothy 1:5; Hebrews 10:22).  God is the keeper of our soul's and the judge (Hebrews 9:27; 2 Peter 3:7).

1 Corinthians 4:6

1 Corinthians 4:6

"Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other."

What things?

1Corinthians 1:12

"Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.'"

Paul & Apollos: figuratively any teacher other than Christ.


1Corinthians 3:4-6
"For when one says, 'I am of Paul,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth."

Paul & Apollos: figuratively any teacher other than Christ. 

1Corinthians 3:22
"whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,"



Paul & Apollos: figuratively any teacher other than Christ. 

What is Paul's purpose in applying these things to him and Apollos? So that they may not exceed what is written (that greek word there for 'written' - grapho; it appears 209 times  in the new testament and 208 of those times, it is translated as a form of write; so I think Paul meant to say 'written').  What did Paul just finish speaking on? He tells us that God's wisdom is far better than man's wisdom; there's no comparison! 1Corinthians 1:25, 2:11, 3:19.  Consider yourself blessed to have the scripture, so that we might not have to exceed what is written: and specifically the old testament which is what they had to work from as first century believers!  

This verse also reminds me of this scripture: ""It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel." Deuteronomy 17:19-20

Both verses bring us to what is written so that pride will not overcome us.  Let us look to the scriptures as the thing on which we stand, not missing the fact that it is these that tell us of Christ!