1 Corinthians 4:16-21

Scripture: 1 Cor. 4:16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

1 Cor. 4:17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

1 Cor. 4:18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.

1 Cor. 4:19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.

1 Cor. 4:20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

1 Cor. 4:21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Teaching: Leaders are important in the Church, not to rule over us but to guide us, shepherd us, and when necessary, admonish and discipline us. No man is immune to his own pride and with pride comes arrogance, and with arrogance comes all manner of sin and error. Paul beckons the Corinthians in verse 16 not to just do what he says, but rather, do what he does! Be imitators of him (as he imitates Christ, as he will say in 1 Corinthians 11:1). While Paul could not be with them in person, he sent Timothy to be his stand-in, operating in such a leadership role (v. 17). It is interesting to note he adds in verse 17 “as I teach everywhere in every church,” reminding the Corinthians that they are not special amongst all the churches nor do they receive special revelation or doctrine. They are held to the same teaching as all other churches.

But, some amongst the Corinthians were arrogant. After Paul founded the church, they seemed to think, as the old saying goes, “while the cat is away the mice will play.”  But Paul issues them a stern warning: if the Lord wills, he will return and, in doing so, see who truly holds the authority from God, and thus, whose word should be obeyed. Paul is building towards the crux of his letter – addressing serious issues within the Corinthian church – starting in chapter 5. So, if the Corinthians cannot recognize the authority God had placed in Paul to speak truth into such matters, they would be in for potentially a rude awakening when Paul returns in person (verse 21).

Takeaway: We all have spiritual blindspots. There is no man on earth so self-aware, so versed in Scripture, or so obedient to the Holy Spirit that he is untemptable or incorruptible. We serve an awesome God who is fully of mercy – who delights in showing us forgiveness and mercy daily when we sin or misstep – but we often have a hard time recognizing the patterns of sin in our own lives before they lead us to devastating consequences, which God also allows for our own sanctification (Heb. 12:4-11). But one thing God has blessed us with in this life is spiritual guides – shepherds – who can speak God’s Word into our lives, can honestly hold us to account for our sin, and in doing so, encourage a closer walk with the Lord. These shepherds – be they pastors, elders, or brothers and sisters in Christ – are a blessing to us. While there is ample Scripture on discerning good shepherds and teachers from bad, we as followers of Christ, endeavoring to be more like Christ, should seek to submit to those carrying the authority of Christ. In today’s world, and in Western culture as a whole, individualism and self-determination – being in control of our own destiny’s and being the final authority for our own truth – are what the world calls good. But biblically, there is one truth giver – God. And when He speaks to us from His own Word through those shepherds, we should heed it. As Paul reminds us here, pride and arrogance cannot contend with the power of God, and it is in our own best interest to heed what God says to us when He speaks.