1 Corinthians 4:7
Ps Paul Cheng
Dear Bethelites,
As we are focusing on the theme, dealing with pride in the church, we have considered the exhortation that scriptures clearly exhorted us that the church leader is but a farmer, builder, minister and steward. Essentially, we are all servants of Christ and should not be fighting over who was better. The root problem why people fight over who is better is because of pride.
Today, let us move on to consider the second point, examination!
II. The Examination
Since the root problem was pride, therefore, the Apostle Paul moved on to ask the Corinthians three pertinent questions in 1 Corinthians 4:7, For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
Firstly, Paul asked, For who maketh thee to differ from another? In other words, he was like saying, “Who qualifies you to be more superior to others? Do you think you are better than the other believers? Why do you think your group is better than others? You are a believer, and they are also believers, you are all redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, what makes you better, you are no better, you have nothing to be puffed up.”
Secondly, Paul asked, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? If I may put it, he was saying, “If you think of yourself as great, well, you need to be humbled because what have you got, or what have become, that you did not receive from God?”
Dear friend, some people think, “Well, actually I do feel I am qualified to be more superior, or I am intellectually smarter, or I am wealthier than others, or I am more talented, or the rest of the people do not have the same social status as me.” But whatever one may think that makes him or her better than others, Paul asked, “Where did it come from? Did you do that for yourself? Concerning your intelligence, wealth, talent, or status, where did they come from?” Others may say, “But you do not understand how hard I work to be who I am?” But does he realize that whatever work he does, it is God who provides him with the work and even the strength to do it.
The truth of the matter is that if God has not blessed one with the mind, strength, good health and opportunity, he can never do it.
Let us ponder on all the spiritual blessings we have received; salvation, eternal life, God’s presence, spiritual gifts, etc. What is it that we have not received from God?
So, the answer to the question, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Nothing! Everything we have is given to us by God! We are recipients at every point! Pride will cause us not to recognise that, but humility will help to open our eyes to see that!
The way to stop pride in our lives is that whenever we start to think that we are better than others, or we deserve the things we have, we should ask ourselves this question, “Where did I receive this? From God, or from my own doing?” If we are truly sincere, we will arrive at the right answer, “Nothing! Everything I have, I have received it from God!”
Thirdly, Paul asked, now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory (or boast), as if thou hadst not received it? If everything we have, we received it from God, then why are we boasting as if we have created those things by ourselves, or we have earned those things? Can you see how pride can cause us to behave as if we alone are responsible for everything?
Rather than being proud and boasting about ourselves, our attitude should be, “If today, I am worshipping in a Bible-believing church, God gave it to me! If I have good parents, God gave them to me! If I live in a resourceful country, God gave it to me! If I have a well-paid job, God gave it to me! Everything I have was given to me by God, so I have absolutely no reason to boast about what I have!”
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
(To be continued in the next pastoral chat)