1 Corinthians 4:1-7

1 Corinthians 4:1-7
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 

I see the word servant and I think of what a servant would have meant to Paul and the readers of his time.  I servant was owned.  They had no rights. They did only the will of their master.  I call myself a servant of Christ.  Am I?

² Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³ I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

Am I being faithful with what God has given me?  Is my conscience clear and I am ready to stand before God and be judged?  These are the questions running through my mind as I read this.
 
⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.

The Bible is the final authority, not what you or I or our leaders and teachers say.  I'm not saying argue everything thing and don't listen to anybody.  I am saying know the word.  Have the Bible open when leaders are teaching.  If you disagree, discuss it in love.  I have a friend Rayford and he and I constantly disagree on the interpretation of certain areas of scripture.  We have so much fun lovingly debating and when we are done we know two things.  We love the Lord and we love each other.

  ⁷ For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

I like the perspective of this verse.  We were all born naked and broke.  In the physical realm all was provided by our parents.  In the spiritual realm all was provided by our heavenly father.  Everything we own as adults we had to pay for.  There is nothing in this world that we do not get elsewhere and the ultimate source is God.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.