The Strand Study Bible

I CORINTHIANS Written From Ephesus During Paul’s T hird Missionary Journey ( Lk 12:42 a ). A steward is a trusted servant whom the MASTER has appointed to conduct His business matters in His absence. According to verse 2, there is only one prerequisite for stewardship –faithfulness! NOTE - This word ( faithful ) in verse 2 is the Greek word SLστο9 ( pistos ) and means “ to be trusted , reliable .” Those desiring to fulfill the prerequisite for stewardship must be responsible to God and God alone for what they do, or even why they do it (vs 3). As stewards, we need not care what others think of us. We need only to serve the One who first served us ( Phil 1: 15- 18 ). Harold Willmington in Willmington’s Bible Handbook notes: As stewards, we have been called to manage God’s message of salvation ( the mysteries of God ), not meddle in men’s motive for why they serve. Our calling is not to be judges but stewards. Stewards should be consistent, not critical, faithful, not fault finding, just, and not judgmental. According to Paul, it was none of his business what anyone else did for God, or even why. To Paul, judging another man’s motive for why he served God was to play God, for God alone knows the heart. To resort to critical examination of others or even introspective self-examination is to usurp a responsibility which belongs only to God (Mt 7:1-5, Rom 2:1-3 & 14:1-4,10,13 & I Cor 4:1-5 & Gal 6:1 and Jms 4:11-12). In other words, if you were to be God’s steward, there was to be no pre- judgment seat judgment (vs 5), for no one is competent to adequately examine himself, much less others. A wise steward, therefore, is not only one who recognizes the value of what he possesses and wisely manages it to the glory of the one who truly owns it, but he understands that he alone is responsible before God for what he does and why he does it, and cares “very little” if he is judged by others. 4:1b The “ mysteries of God ” refers to truths not revealed in the O.T., but which now are made known to us ( Eph 1:9 ). 4:5 There are four things to consider ( Mt 7:1 ) before “judging” another brother or sister in Christ ( Therefore judge nothing before the time ): First of all , we don’t know how hard he or she tried not to sin. Fourthly , the true Judge, JESUS CHRIST , is coming and He will bring to light everything that is now hidden to the eyes and heart of man. Therefore, since the true Judge is coming, we should “ judge nothing before the time ,” until the Lord comes. When we judge another, we usurp the role given by God to Christ alone (John 5:22). NOTE - The only person we’re qualified and authorized to judge is our self (I Corinthians 11:31). 4:6 Paul begged Christians not to get caught up in “lionizing” men and their movements ( not to think of men above that which is written ). Men and movements are like circles. Follow one, and all you end up doing is looking around at other believers that are not like you. Christians are admonished to look up and follow the Master, not look around and follow men. 4:17 Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son ( beloved son ) whom he had won to Christ while at Lystra during his First Missionary Journey (Acts 14:6-20 and I Tim 1:2,18). 4:19 Paul arrived in Greece a few months later (Acts 20:2-3). 5:1 Is it possible for a believer to behave “worse” than an unbeliever ( as is not so much as named among the Gentiles )? According to II Chronicles 33:1-9 and Matthew 6:23 , it is! Whenever the people of God do that which is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25), bizarre and sordid behavior is the result (Judges 19-21). 5:5 Notice it did not say, “for the destruction of the spirit or the soul.” It said, “ for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved .” The loss of life is the penalty for the Christian who crosses the line of God’s mercy ( Num 14:23,29 and I Jn 5:16 ), not the loss of salvation ( Jn 10:28-29 ). NOTE - No one does a better job at paraphrasing this verse than does Dr. Harold Willmington. In Willmington’s Bible Handbook , Willmington notes : The Lord loves His kids enough to chasten them, even with the rod of the world and/or Satan. 5:6 Paul here uses a bakery term ( leaven ) to describe what happens to a believer who hangs with the wrong crowd. People with colds don’t catch health; people with health catch colds. Left alone, one bad apple spoils the entire basket ( Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ? – Hag 2: 10- 13 ). 5:7 a “ Leaven ” here in the Bible depicts sin (impurity) (Mt 16:6-12). 5:7 b In the eyes of the Lord we who have been saved ( For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us ) are, by our very position, considered non-sinners ( ye are unleavened – I Cor 6:9a -11 and Eph 2:1-5). So, if in the eyes of God we are non-sinners, why then are we still sinning? Christians who are on their way to Heaven ought to act like it. Those who are on their way to Heaven ought not to practice the sins of those who are not. 1886 Paul refused to pass judgment on the quality of his or anyone else’s work for Christ, realizing that Christ would someday do this at the bema judgment seat. Until then, as a servant of Christ, his job was to remain faithful. 1 Secondly , we don’t know the strength of the force that assailed him or her. Thirdly , we don’t know what we would have done in the same situation. If this fellow is having so much fun in his sin, then remove him entirely from your fellowship and let Satan kick him around a little. Let him taste what it’s like to face a hostile world without the prayers and ministry of the church. 1

1 Willmington, Harold L. Willmington’s Bible Handbook . Wheaton, IL,: Tyndale House Pub,. Inc. 1997. Print.