An Essential Quality: Humility
7/8/25 Bible Thought (1 Corinthians 4)
The Christian life is one of humility, no matter what position we might hold in His Kingdom.
I’ve heard stories of pastors or teachers who feel very entitled to elite treatment by others because of their position. Likewise, in our day and age, I’m sure we’ve all heard of mega-church pastors who invest millions in their own private jets. At times, those who’ve been given positions of influence in the church can lose sight of the humble reality of the Christian life.
The apostle Paul puts these things in proper perspective in 1 Corinthians 4.
As we’ve seen in recent days, the church at Corinth was divided and one of the main causes of that division was that various sects within the church chose to follow their favorite minister: whether Paul, Peter, or Apollos.
Yesterday, Paul pointed out that they were all merely workers in God’s field, and that ultimately, He was the source of all their success. Today, Paul continues this thought, showcasing that apostles are merely, “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1).
Paul goes to incredible lengths to point out that apostleship isn’t a glamorous thing.
I think we can even lose sight of this. Even at times in my writing, I refer to Paul as, “the great apostle Paul” because certainly in our estimation he was great. He did great things for God! His life was consumed with the cause of Christ.
Yet, Paul wouldn’t have described himself in those terms. Rather he concluded,
“For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men” (1 Cor. 4:9).
This is expressed in the fact that they are hungry and thirsty, homeless and poorly clothed, amongst other things (1 Cor. 4:11). All in all, he concluded,
“We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things” (1 Cor. 4:13).
While there was great significance to the task of apostleship it didn’t come with pomp. He wasn’t courted around by his fans and bestowed with the nicest things while others in the Kingdom were treated like peasants.
Paul was humble.
Apostleship didn’t entitle him to special privileges—no, rather it made him a chief servant. Again and again in his letters he introduces himself as a servant or slave of Christ.
Paul’s goal in this chapter was to keep the Corinthians from boasting in one minister over another (1 Cor. 4:6) because at the end of the day they weren’t that great. Yes, he might be their spiritual father (1 Cor. 4:15) but he was merely a man.
Now, if this was the case for the apostles who we esteem so highly, then how could we ever become puffed up in our service to Christ?
Even for the congregation, Paul pointed out,
“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Cor. 4:7b).
No Christian has any reason to boast, save in the cross. We can’t boast in a gift that was given! We’re merely the recipients of God’s generosity.
Everything that we have is a result of His grace. Our salvation, our appointment to His service, our gifts that we contribute to the church, anything we do or have that is of any lasting value is a gift that was received from Him that will ultimately be judged by Him (1 Cor. 4:5).
Let us then continue in the Christian life and in our service to Christ in great humility. I try and keep the perspective that, “It is a privilege to serve.” We aren’t entitled to anything. We aren’t entitled to His grace. We aren’t entitled to position. We aren’t entitled to the praise or honor of man.
We’re merely recipients of God’s kindness that we weren’t owed.