“To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.”
Paul continues by a catalog of cold facts to show how far the apostles were from reigning as kings.
To the present hour
Paul says that he and the apostles were in pain right up to the moment he writes 1 Corinthians (cf. 4:13).
we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.
The apostles suffered deprivations of the most basic elements of food, shelter, clothing, and water. They were beaten and left homeless. They wandered as vagabonds and were viewed as vagrants with no roof over their heads.
PRINCIPLE:
Ministry always involves a price.
APPLICATION:
The apostles paid a great price for ministry. Living the Christian life costs something. Many of us curry favor to the point of minimizing our message. There is certain flabbiness to Christian living today because we are cold, carnal, and careless. The attitude is, “Well, I am a Christian, and that is all I need.” This is self-centeredness that views the Christian life as religious spectators who sit in the stands and never get into the game. This is a great contrast to how the Christian life is to be lived.
Most of our contribution to the gospel is almost imperceptible, undetectable. I wonder how the kind of Christian life today stacks up with the kind of Christian life lived in the first century. I wonder if it is the same brand of Christianity. Does our Christianity cost something? We listen to a good sermon on Sunday and discard it on Monday. We lower our flags at half-mast on Monday.
He 11:37-38, 37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented – 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
1 Cor 4:11-13
Why was Abraham who was made righteous by faith so blessed with wealth and prosperity and the apostles suffered so much ? I am having a difficult time reconciling the contrast in the lives apostles who we're also made righteous by faith with Abraham.
I would appreciate any input you might have. Thanks , In Christ Jim
Jim, Abraham had his problems as well. Wealth and prosperity is not the standard for a godly life.
Grant, Thanks for your reply.
I realize we live in the Devil's world . Therefore there will be persecution against believer's in Christ. I am just not fully understanding the message 1Cor. 4:11. I don't think Paul wants us to look at his suffering as an example of Spiritual maturity anymore than prosperity. I do believe in the dispensational interpretation of scripture and realize there are charlatan's out the who preach a prosperity message that belongs to Israel. That being said, the gospel message is good news. Sometimes religious types make it bad news.
Grace itself is unmerited favor. I just don't want to give these types the permission to use this passage to portray Christianity as a bunch of suffering people.
Romans does teach we are heirs through promise not law. Grace should put a smile on the Christians face not a frown. Our message should be one of hope.
It should reflect the fruits of the Spirit .. Love , joy ,peace ,inner ,happiness ..
If we as Believer's could just learn the secret to living by the Spirit and not the flesh our message to the unbelieving world would be powerful not legalistic.
Romans 4:13-16
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Jim, I agree with most of what you say. The Christian life is indeed to be lived on the principle of grace–see my studies in Galatians on this subject. However, because there are 6,000 pages of studies on this site I cannot make each study walk on all fours. That is, it is difficult to qualify everything in each study. Suffering is part of the Christian life; the whole books of Job and First Peter were written to this end. Jesus said, "Marvel not that the world hate you" etc. With that said, the Christian life is a dynamic life filled with joy (book of Philippians).
I fully appreciate what you are saying … not being critical your commentary is a blessing . I definitely don't have all the answers .. the word of God is a big book, just trying to make sure I am rightly dividing it. If you ever take a second look at suffering in the Christian life vs blessing please let me know. Because it is very difficult living in America to understand the kind of suffering others have endured so we could have a life of ease. We don't know what suffering is in this country . God blessed us because of are founding fathers faith in God's word the basis of our constitution. I think that is what Paul is trying to convey in 1 Cor4 He planted the seed and suffered much because of it. The Corinthians were enjoying the fruits of his labour but needed to be reminded of the source their blessing. We in America are doing the same thing .. Being so blessed we have forgot the source of blessing. Again , Thank You much for your time, In Christ Jim
Jim, here is a summary of suffering:
PURPOSES FOR CHRISTIAN SUFFERING
Dr Grant C Richison
1. To comfort others
Pr= You can help people who are going through suffering because you learned to get on top of suffering. II Cor 1
2. To learn to trust God
Pr= It enables us to trust God instead of our own resources, II Cor one.
3. To keep eternal values in view
Pr= takes our focus off purely temporal things
4. To develop tenacity of soul
Pr= endurance when things are bleak
5. To be a testimony to others who are in suffering
Pr= to illustrate divine truth
6. To witness to the nonbeliever of the stability of the xn life.
Pr= witnessing in suffering demonstrates the reality of faith
7. To develop our faith
Pr= to strengthen our faith life.
8. To discipline the believer
Pr= pride is usually at the root of all sin
9. To develop the same mental attitude as Christ in suffering, I Pet 4:1
Pr= we need to orient to the person of Jesus Christ in suffering, Phil 3:10
10. To enable us to do the will of God, I Pet 4:2-3
Pr= to learn obedience
11. To orient us to the person of God during undeserved suffering, I Pet. 4:4-5
Pr= to glorify God in suffering
12. To bring us into spirituality, I Pet 4:6
Pr= to allow the ministry of the HS to produce the fruit of the Spirit