1 Corinthians 4:14-21
Today's Scripture


¹⁴I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. ¹⁵Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. ¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me. ¹⁷For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

¹⁸Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But 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. ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

How fortunate we are today to have a heritage of many spiritual fathers throughout the 2000 year history of Christianity! Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, who didn't have such a wealth of leaders to draw from. He himself appeared unable to come to them at this time, but promised to send Timothy, who would remind them of the way of life Paul lived, following Jesus.

Of course, with a multitude of leaders today, comes more of a possibility to follow false teachers. We must be discerning and follow them as they follow Christ.

I love Paul's plain language in verse 21. He promises to come to them eventually, even though some are arrogant and do not believe they need the guidance Paul can give. When he would arrive, he wondered if he would find empty talkers, or ones who had the true power of Christ. In verse 21 he says, "What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?" (NIV) I don't hear many preachers speaking on this verse, but I'm sure most prefer to come in love with a gentle spirit. Sometimes we need painful discipline from the pulpit, but if we seek to follow Christ as those who lead us follow him, we can worship and grow together in love and with a gentle spirit.

- posted by Suzi @ 8:05 AM