Good weekend to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
We live in a world of constant evaluation and criticism, would you agree? Do you see it where you live? Athletes and politicians; business leaders and educators; health care providers and restaurant chefs; media personalities and musicians; pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, counselors and therapists; even parents and grandparents… no one escapes the critical eyes and flapping tongues, and everyone has an opinion! Is it that way where you live? And have you noticed, that includes you and me, normal, everyday people, caught in the crossfire of analysis. And have you noticed an increasing anxiety, almost fear, of public opinion and the ‘cancel culture’?
Our friend the apostle Paul is writing about that today in his letter to the Christians in Corinth, in 54ad, who are both under fire and caught up in this criticism crossfire. In 1 Cor. 4 Paul writes this: “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord Jesus who judges me. Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord Jesus comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart…” (1 Cor. 4:3-5) We need to be careful with a critical spirit or judgmental attitude, don’t we? Every human being lives their life for an ultimate audience of ONE, God Himself, our Creator, before whom we will each stand in full accountability for the life we’ve lived.
While all people, down through all time, have lived under the jurisdiction of local, regional and national laws with police and courtrooms and prisons to encourage us to abide by the laws of our lands, ultimately every person answers to a higher Judge, God Himself, the Author of life.
But so easily, in every generation, we are quick to evaluate everyone and everything according to how we each imagine things ought to be, we’ve all seen and experienced it, haven’t we, and too often public opinion is very distorted, especially in a society with crumbling morals! Look around your world, do you see that?
So, what is Paul challenging us with here? Is Paul calling for a ‘free for all’, a ‘no restrictions’ society? Is Paul promoting that everyone should be free to do whatever they want, whenever and wherever they want, with no accountability and no responsibility? Of course not, that would be anarchy, chaos and our human race would self-destruct very rapidly! May I suggest that Paul is calling us to live God honoring lives within these parameters:
1. The ultimate Judge is Jesus Christ Himself, Lord overall, and there will be an ultimate day of judgment for each and every person. (2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12,13) So a wise person will live their life mindful and even anticipating this ultimate day of reckoning.
2. EVERYTHING, absolutely everything in a person’s life is seen by God and will be brought to account on that day of judgement. (Hebrews 4:13) So a wise person will live assuming God is watching ALL the time. No living in the shadows.
3. Built into the design of every human being is a God given conscience, but that conscience is not holy or perfect and can be profoundly influenced by the decaying society in which you live, therefore our conscience should not be trusted to always give holy guidance. Conscience and innocence and holiness are not at all the same in God’s sight. For the Christian, the indwelling Holy Spirit of God is our guide, and we demand that our conscience be holy!
4. God has not assigned you or me to be Judge. In fact, do you remember Jesus said: “Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged… Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye?” (Matt. 7:1-5) That’s us way too often, isn’t it, my friends? Pointing out a deficiency in someone or some group or some organization without looking closely at our own shortfalls. Have you discovered that living a God honoring life WITHOUT words is far more effective and appealing than living life pointing out everyone else’s faults and being critical of anyone or anything you don’t like?
In the subsequent verses of 1 Corinthians 4 Paul continues warning his friends in Corinth against the pride and critical attitudes that Paul has heard reported are growing among these Corinthian Christians as jealousy and disagreement were dividing them. So easily we find our focus distracted away from Jesus, our Savior and Lord, and the unity Jesus calls us to, which should be a beautiful evidence of God’s people, but it is disrupted by discord and disagreement. When that happens have you noticed Christianity becomes repulsive to our world and people turn away in opposition and criticism rather than interest in Jesus?
Paul encourages the Corinthian Christians to celebrate WHO they are as sinful people rescued by the atonement death of Jesus; and transformed into a holy people by the glorious work of the Holy Spirit; and adopted into His family by God the Father. What a dramatic difference from who they were before they heard the Gospel, the good news of Jesus and yielded their lives to Him as their Savior and Lord! They had so much to thank God for! They are trophies of God’s grace!
But lest they feel Paul, or the other apostles are prideful Paul then writes this remarkable statement: “It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.” (1 Cor. 4:9) What could Paul possibly mean by this? As we close today, let’s consider it.
In the first century world, war and conquering armies had been frequent historical events. Often a conquering kings’ victory parade displayed valuable artifacts and slaves taken from the conquered nation. In some cases, defeated soldiers of the enemy, stumbling along in shackles, were at the end of the parade. As the parade concluded they were sometimes taken to a public place of mass execution, as one final act of their defeat. As Paul told the story of the Gospel of Jesus and His disciples, Paul included the fact that he and the other apostles had often been maligned, slandered, rejected, persecuted, arrested, tortured and already in the case of James, executed, for their refusal to renounce or deny Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Rather than famous and popular heroes, Paul and his fellow apostles often felt criticism, ridicule and rejection.
Paul and the other apostles knew that in a world so violently opposed to Jesus, their lives could likely end in death. But Paul also knew the angels and demons both watched in amazement as Jesus accomplished His miraculous redemption work in these men and then commissioned them with His Gospel message as His ambassadors to the world. Paul was not ashamed, not fearful, but willing to face any hardship, any opposition as he gratefully lived as a follower of Jesus, trying to live his life every day for God’s honor and glory, while fulfilling his God given life purpose… to bring the Gospel of Jesus to anyone who would receive it.
Now with that powerful statement, let’s pause and ponder. What is your objective in life, your life purpose? How are you striving to achieve it? And what is your life and mine telling our world about Jesus? Yes, I have a song for us today and it’s a powerful song. This song asks and answers one profound life question… “Is Jesus Worthy” of our living the life Paul urges us to live?
Today’s Scripture is 1 Cor. 4:3-13.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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