I have applied all these things to myself
and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go
beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one
against another. For who sees anything different in you? 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?
Show
me a preacher who has a high view of the Scriptures, preaching and living
accordingly, and I will show you a humble minister. Therefore, Paul says here, ‘none of you may be puffed up in favor of one
against another’.
Paul
acknowledges that he had been evaluating the ministry of both himself and of
Apollos. This was for the benefit of the Corinthians, so that they may learn
not to go beyond what is written. The point is ministers are to be evaluated on
the basis of Scriptures (not some sentimental feelings). Mark the words ‘not to go beyond what is written’ which encourage us to know our
boundaries are the Scriptures. This is a good place to learn the regulative
principle of worship. We must not argue from silence and so be guilty of
adding. Neither should we argue away what is written and so minimize what the
Lord has said, effectively subtracting from the Word of God and from our basket
of divine blessings!
Surface obedience to the Scriptures
and the commands of the Lord is one of the wicked suggestions of the devil in
order to ensnare us away from the Lord’s will for us. The devil teaches pride.
But God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The humble keep within
the limits of the Bible, neither adding nor subtracting.
We know that Corinthians were proud
of their human wisdom. They may have thought that they were very discerning in
their choice of their favourite preacher. To be proud of one’s discernment is
to lack discernment! Once one is wise in his own eyes, unbelieving the Word of
God, then he effectively becomes proud and ‘puffed
up’.
We must realize that there is a very
close relationship between the sin of unbelief and the sin of pride. The
relationship is that while the latter abandons Christ for idols, the former abandons
Christ for self-gratification outside of the will of God. The battle for
humility is the battle for the true Christian faith. No haughty or arrogant
person will enter the glory that was purchased by the humble Saviour.
Humility is acknowledging that all
you have are gifts that you have graciously received from Christ! First of all
you are what you are by grace, for ‘who
sees anything different in you’? All the temporary blessings are from God,
for ‘what do you have that you did not
receive’? And since you received it, how then can you boast as if it is a
wage rather than a gift? Paul is simply saying that arrogance is not congruent
with true Christianity. No one can truly preach the gospel in pride and
arrogance. Once pride is let in, then the gospel message withdraws.
In condemning their foolish pride, Paul turns to
sarcasm: “Already you have all
you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And
would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!” There
is an illogical retrogression from sufficiency to wealth, and then to royalty!
Pride too soon forgets and disdains he who enthroned it!
Pride is a great
hindrance to your improvement. For when you start reigning in your haughtiness
you no longer think you need grace to become better or to listen to God’s
servants who enrich you. Due attention to our obligations to divine grace would
cure us of arrogance and self-conceit.
Preachers have no reason to boast, for what they preach is a humiliating gospel. The King whom they represent is a humble King. The sinners whom they are reaching have been humiliated by the sinfulness of sin.
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