Their Relationship to Ministers

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Proper Regard for Ministers

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Paul warns us here, in these verses, that we can be guilty of two injustices toward ministers. One, we should never "over" evaluate them. Always remember they are "human" like we are, they are ministers not masters, they are servants of Christ, no more and the only authority that they have is to preach the Gospel. Secondly, never "under" evaluate them. Always remember that they are the called messengers of God, they are stewards of divine mysteries and they deserve respect and honor because they perform these services.

Now, what about the minister's responsibility? Paul only mentions one here, "They must be found trust worthy or faithful."(verse 2) What does this involve? Faithfully proclaiming God's word. If they do this, Paul says that they will have a good conscience and they can safely ignore the comments of others. Ministers are increasingly finding themselves the target of much abuse from the pew. Available now are many books on how to handle criticism from members. I understand the scripture in back of the book is this 4th. Chapter of First Corinthians.

Notice what Paul further says, "It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or any human court." Matthew Henry says that certainly a good reputation and esteem among men is a good step towards usefulness in the ministry. But, "He that would make this his chief aim, to please men, would hardly approve himself a faithful servant of Christ."

Paul says in Gal. 1:10, "Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?" "If I am pleasing men than I should not be a servant of Christ." Paul goes on to warn the Corinthians, (verse 5) "Do not pronounce judgment before the time." To judge is to assume the role of God. Judgments by us are ill timed and arrogant, for this is not the time and we are not the judge. The Lord will judge the heart of His ministers, when He judges the heart of all Christians. Then every person will receive his just dues.

Life verses Death

In these verses Paul makes a comparison between what he believes is the conditions under which we, the pew, verses them, the ministers live. Here he belittles himself for their sake. Here he calls their attention to the fact that the Holy Spirit denied them nothing. Everything that they had was a gift, why did they boast as if it was something that they had acquired themselves.

In humbling himself, notice the comparison that Paul makes between himself and them.

1. They were wise and he was a fool.
2. They were strong and he was week.
3. They were held in honor and he was held in disrepute.
4. They ate well and he often hungered,
5. They had fine cloths and homes, he was ill clad and homeless.
6. They lived in luxury, while he labored with his own hands.
7. They strike back when they think that they have been unjustly condemned, he blessed them that reviled him, he endured when persecuted, he accepted slander and tried to reconcile, he was the refuge of the world, the off scouring of all things.

God never called most of us to be ministers because he knew that we could not live under those humble conditions, but there was a reward for Paul, because of his and Apollos' teachings, they, the Corinthians, had become rich. They rejoiced in this even though he and Apollos had become like men "sentenced to death".

Then again Paul warns them not to become "puffed" up about things that they did not earn or deserve, things which they received as a gift. Good advice you every one.

Paul's Love

In these verses Paul explains that what he was writing was motivated out of love. (verse 14), "I do not write this to make you ashamed but rather to warn you." It is a wise person who can reprove, with love, and gain a friend and not an enemy.

Paul assures these people that he loves them like a father and even though they have had many ministers sense he left, he was the instrument used for their "new birth". Therefore, he claimed the relationship of a father to them.

"Therefore, be imitators of me." "Follow me in so far as I follow Christ." Ministers should set the example of being Christ-like. They should guide us by their lives as well as by their lips. Someone once said that we should be "on our way to Heaven", not just by the wayside pointing it out.

Help Coming

Here Paul says to these Corinthians, "I'm sending you help." He was going to send Timothy to try to straighten things out. Now how do you suppose that Young Timothy was going to do this? Obviously, he was going to remind them of Paul's teachings. We all, regardless of our well intentions, are constantly in need of having our memories refreshed.

Notice Paul didn't have one doctrine for one church and another for another church. (verse 17) "Timothy will remind you of my ways in Christ which I teach in every church." "Later," Paul said, "I will come to you and see if those who are arrogant among you are all mouth or if they have some power." Some people, you know, are all talk, some seem to have a source of power, the Devil may even be that source of power. "The Kingdom of God does not consist of talk and power, it consists of truth.

Notice he then makes it very plain to them. (verse 21) "What are your wishes?" Ultimately, it was up to them. They had problems, they knew they had problems. Did they want to solve those problems themselves or did they want him to solve them? "Shall I come to you with a rod or shall I come with love, in a spirit of gentleness?" We know that Paul was capable of both.

Paul could be firm and deal with diversity and false teachings or he could be gentle and loving with those who recognized that they had problems and were truly trying to solve them. Paul knew that ignoring problems or denying that they existed, never accomplished anything. Waiting on someone else to solve them was a "cop out".

Paul was here giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming that they had these problems because they had forgotten what he had taught them, so he was going to send Timothy to remind them. Perhaps a word to the wise would be sufficient. In a word, Paul was saying to these people, straighten yourselves out or I'll come and straighten you out. The choice is yours.

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