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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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October 24, 2010
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Contents:
1) "What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive?" (1 Corinthians 4:7)
(Tom Edwards)
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-1-
"What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive?"
(1 Corinthians 4:7)
by Tom Edwards
The Corinthians had been guilty of various spiritual problems. In
Chapter 1, Paul speaks of a party spirit that led to divisions and
quarrels among them (vv. 10- 13). In chapter 3, he points
out that they were "still fleshly," which was characterized by their
"jealousy and strife" (v. 3) -- and these were just a few of their
problems, for we can see several more throughout the book of 1
Corinthians.
Not only, however, did they have these various spiritual problems, but
-- though it might seem contradictory -- they also appear to have
abounded in miraculous gifts. In chapters 12 through 14, for
instance, Paul addresses the topic of these gifts; and he tells them in
1 Corinthians 1:7 that they were "not lacking in any gift."
So what we infer is that it wasn't merely the miraculous gifts
themselves that would make Christians mature. For these
Corinthians were far from that.
Rather, spiritual maturity was the result of taking heed to the message
of God's word that some of these gifts brought -- such as the "word of
wisdom," the "word of knowledge," the gift of "prophecy," the
"distinguishing of spirits," and the gift of "tongues," and the
"interpretation of tongues." But if those who had these gifts did
not take heed to the Spirit's message, what good would that message do
them? ...and what good would those gifts do them? ...and how
would they ever be able to develop spiritually?
Concerning this type of need, Paul states in 1 Corinthians 9:27, "but I
discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached
to others, I myself will not be disqualified." In other words,
Paul knew that just receiving the truth through the Holy Spirit and
preaching it to others would not exempt him from his need to obey that
truth. For to not do so would result in his being lost. So
he diligently strove to carry out God's word in his life. Some
versions refer to Paul as saying, "but I buffet my body and make it my
slave," which figuratively expresses the determination and effort Paul
put into obeying the gospel.
Therefore, it is God's word that is able to build us up (cf. Acts
20:32); but we, like the apostle Paul, must also be "...doers of the
word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (Jam. 1:22).
For it will be not a "forgetful hearer," but an "effectual doer," who
will "be blessed in what he does" (v. 25).
So those Christians in the early church who were blessed with
miraculous gifts did not really have any advantage over us today (who
live beyond the time when these miraculous gifts had ceased to be,
according to 1 Corinthians 13:8-13). For the "perfect" has come,
that "perfect law...of liberty," which is the gospel in its entirety
(James 1:25); and when we read it, we are attaining to the same incite
that the Holy Spirit had given to those apostles and prophets (cf. Eph.
3:4-6).
But it seems that some of the Corinthians were more concerned about
having the gifts (in order to elevate themselves above others, as they
viewed
it) rather than in submitting to the message of the Spirit. For,
due to their spiritual immaturity and fleshliness, they had been puffed
up by these gifts and viewed some of the gifts as making one Christian
more important than another (so Paul dealt with that in 1 Corinthians
12:11-27). Notice, too, what Paul says to them in 1
Corinthians 4:6,7: "Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively
applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may
learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become
arrogant in behalf of one against the other. For who regards you
as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did
receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
From this, we see that there was a need for humility in their
lives. They needed to realize that whatever gift they had, they
received it from God and needed to be thankful unto Him for it.
But, instead, they were acting -- and even boasting -- as if they "had
not received it." In other words, they had become so arrogant,
they were not even attributing their gifts as something from the Lord;
but, instead, as if these gifts were just a manifestation of
their own "personal greatness," derived from no other, but themselves.
This reminds me of the case of Herod with regard to his
natural talent of being a good, public speaker; and his fault of not
giving God the praise for that. Acts 12:21-23 shows that while
Herod was delivering a speech, the people cried out, "The voice of a
god and not of a man!" But, on hearing that, Herod must have been
lifted up with pride, rather than being thankful to the Lord for this
oratorical ability. So the Lord had one of His angels to strike
Herod, which led to his being eaten by worms and dying. The
explanation the text gives for this divine wrath upon Herod is "because
he did not give God the glory" (v. 23). In view of this, we need
to each realize that for whatever good we can do, the Lord
has made that possible. So we need to be thankful unto Him and
give Him the praise for that.
But often people do not show gratitude to the Lord, nor give Him the
credit for their good talents and abilities.
This might remind you of those people who say, "God has never done
anything for me!" They work hard, earn their money, put a roof
over their heads and food on their table; but see no reason to thank
God for any of that. For they view it all as being just their own
doing.
But wait a minute! Who gave these individuals the ability to work
and earn a living? If they are farmers planting seed and
harvesting a crop, who really made that earth and seed possible, and
who really makes that seed to sprout and develop? If they are
inventors, who gave them the minds to conceive ideas and the resources
to build with? And, of course, from the simplest to the most
complicated line of work, what an important tool the mind is -- and of
which we, therefore, need to be thankful for.
What do we have that we did not receive? That question
should really evoke quite a realization. Paul appears to be using
that question specifically with regard to the miraculous gifts that
these Corinthians had received from God; but we also realize that
everything that has become a part of our lives is something that
we were able to receive. Even that which we acquired with
our own money was made possible through various factors (often
overlooked or taken for granted), but ultimately because of
God. For it is the Lord who gives us the ability
to work. We can also think of those things that sustain us
-- the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, the right
amount of sunlight, etc. All have been made possible by our great
Creator. Even our bodies -- the ability to walk, to work
with our hands, to work with our minds, etc. It is
all something we have received. And then when we focus on that
true essence of us (our eternal soul or spirit), is that the one thing
we could say we have because of us only and no one else? Of
course not! So what do we have that we have not somehow received?
I sit at my computer-table working on this article. I consider my
keyboard as a blessing from God, along with the monitor, the CPU, the
chair on which I sit, the house I am in to make life a little more
comfortable, the lights that are needful to see at night, and on and
on. It is all something I view as having been made possible
because of God (through various means); and, therefore, things that I
consider blessings -- which I am thankful for. So
just as I am thankful for a friend who would build for me a computer
and include a wide screen monitor, sound system, and other accessories,
as one of my friends did for me; or for my landlord who has been
renting to me the place in which I live, I'm also thankful unto God --
for He is ultimately the one who makes all good things possible.
Then, of course, there are also the spiritual blessings that, as
Christians, we receive in Christ -- and these, by far, are the most
important. At the top of the list, if I could receive only one
blessing while on earth, then may it be the forgiveness of sins!
How important -- and how valuable -- that should be to each one of
us. It should be worth whatever sacrifice we need to make in
order to obtain it and to continue in it.
How very little we can even begin to imagine all the ways in which God
wants to bless His people. So much the faithful Christian will be
receiving from Him. In his doxology to the Lord in Ephesians
3:20,21, Paul speaks of God as being one "...who is able to do
exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the
power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
May we never take our blessings for granted -- whether they be physical
or spiritual -- and come to realize even more of all the wonderful
things the Lord has made possible for us. For without Him, there
would be no blessings, there would be no us, there would be no earth,
there would be no universe, there would be no anything. And let
us remember, too, that God does not want to bless His people for just a
little while; but, rather, for all eternity! Does that sound good
to you? If you want that also, then please submit your life to
Jesus Christ today by obeying His gospel plan of salvation. It
involves hearing the gospel (for that is how faith comes -- Rom.
10:17), believing in the deity of Jesus Christ (Jn. 8:24), repenting of
sins (for without repentance, we would all perish
-- Luke 13:5), confessing our faith in Christ (as the Ethiopian eunuch
also did -- Acts 8:36-38), being baptized in water (Mk. 16:16; Acts
2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21), and striving to be
faithful unto death (Rev. 2:12; Heb. 10:36-39). Many in the
religious world today are not teaching God's complete plan of
salvation. So please study these Scriptures for yourself; and
come and accept God's plan of salvation today, as seen in His
word!
For the faithful child of God will one day receive what he now has only
the hope of -- eternal life (Titus 1:2) -- and
won't that be something to receive!
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"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you
stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the
only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty,
dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen"
(Jude 1:24,25).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb.
10:36-39;
Rev.
2:10;
2
Pet.
2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn), Denham Springs, Louisiana
70726
Sunday services: 9:15 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 4 PM (worship)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
tedwards@onemain.com
tedwards1109@gmail.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go (Gospel Observer website)
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/audioser.html (audio sermons)
Directions:
Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of
the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing
Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas
stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road,
and go a little less than 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on
the
right. We assemble in its "Meeting Room," which is very close to
the reception counter. Just walk pass the check-in counter; turn
right at the hall. The first and second doors on the left lead to
where we meet.