In today’s passages Paul finished writing about loyalty to spiritual leaders. He wanted the Corinthians to respect those who taught them, but he didn’t want them to choose favorites and form factions around them.

“This then is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed . . . Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.” 1 Corinthians 4:1, 6

The teachers of the gospel were held to a high standard: “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2), but they were not infallible. Those who learned from them had their favorites, but it was not up to the Corinthians to decide who was the “best” teacher.

“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

Spiritual Reproduction

The Lord had only one plan for building his kingdom on earth. He sent saved people to reach lost people and teach them how to reach other lost people. It was a system of spiritual reproduction.

“Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you to imitate me.” 1 Corinthians 4:15-16

It was a huge responsibility to model the Christian life for the churches! But Paul made his life an open book and practiced integrity so that his life was worth imitating. When he was falsely accused of a crime in Acts 24, he was able to refute the charges and he said, “I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” Acts 16:24

As their father in Christ, Paul had an obligation to address problems in the Corinthian church, so in the next part of his letter he confronted their sin and pride head on.

“Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have . . . What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?” 1 Corinthians 4:18-21

The Sin of Pride

The Corinthians had become lax in their attitudes toward sexual sin. They were proud of their open mindedness and didn’t feel the need to address the immorality among them.

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even the pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

Paul told them to act as if he and the Lord Jesus were there with them and put the man out of their fellowship. Paul actually was there in the authority of his apostolic letter, and the Lord Jesus was present in the Holy Spirit and in the authority of the Scriptures.

“Hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:5

When the church sent the sinful man out of their fellowship he went into the domain of Satan in the Greek world of Corinth. Corinthian society followed Greek standards, which were immoral by biblical standards. But as permissive as the Greeks were, even they drew the line at the incestuous relationship of a man sleeping with his stepmother.

There was no virtue in the Corinthian church’s open mindedness toward this sinner. Tolerating immorality in their midst could lead to even more sinful behavior.

“Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new unleavened batch – as you really are.” 1 Corinthians 5:6

Avoid Lawsuits

While the Corinthian Christians were willing to overlook gross sin in their midst, they got offended about minor matters and took each other to civil court over them. Paul reminded them that someday they were going to judge the world.

“Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? . . . The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.” 1 Corinthians 6:5-8

Things were all out of proportion for the Corinthians. They tolerated immorality that appalled even the pagans around them, while exaggerating personal conflicts that should have been dealt with quickly and privately within the church.

Avoid Sexual Sin

The Corinthians were on a moral learning curve as they came out of the free-wheeling Greco-Roman culture.

“Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Paul agreed that there was freedom in Christ to do almost anything, as long as it was beneficial and didn’t take over a person’s life. But it was important for the believers to remember who they  belonged to.

“The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body . . . Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:13-17

Sexual sin was different from other sins because it impacted the sanctity and integrity of a person’s whole being.

“All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Instruction on Marriage

Paul recognized the power of passion and sex. He encouraged people to practice self-control, but if that was too hard, he told them to marry. A husband and wife could satisfy each other’s needs inside their marriage and should not deprive each other. God blessed the union of a husband and wife because through them he created new people – and people were his greatest treasure.

Once a couple married they married for life unless one of them was an unbeliever and wanted to leave. If an unbeliever wanted to stay married to a believer, the believing spouse would bring sanctity into the relationship and bless their children.

Paul wanted people to think carefully before they got married. An unmarried person had more freedom to love and serve the Lord than a married person. Paul remained unmarried himself, although later in this letter he sounded a bit wistful about not having a wife (1 Corinthian 9:5).

“Now to the unmarried and widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” 1 Corinthians 7:8-9

Paul was so focused on sharing the gospel that everything else was secondary to it.

“What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they do not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of this world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Living for Jesus

For Paul, living was all about Jesus. He gave up everything to serve him and he paid a high price.

“For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as human beings. We are fools for Christ.” 1 Corinthians 4:9-10

But Paul was in love with Jesus and felt nothing compared to him. Whatever he gave up was like so much rubbish next to knowing and serving Jesus.