1Corinthians Bible Study Message 12 1 Corinthians 4:6-13

Introduction

Would you say we live in a time of major dysfunction? The world is truly an interesting place to say the least. The reality is that each of us add to the dysfunction of this world. Everyone in this room has a degree of dysfunction. We all were born in the image of God, but each of us were born with a sin nature.

Each of us have encountered life I entire time on earth and all the things we have been exposed to has added to our dysfunction. Starting at birth, whether we lived in a Beaver Clever household or not, we all have been exposed to matters that play with our being, our psychics, and has infiltrated into those issues that cause us to have a degree of dysfunction.

An unsettled household, fighting, bickering, verbal abuse, physical abuse, addiction, the class bully, the comparison & contrast, large, small, tall, short, hair, no hair, slow learner, nerd, non-athletic, and then comes our new found families. Married and the new nuances of sin that creep into the new formed marriage and that in turn affects the children and the cycle continues.

Let me describe today a few disorders that come about by what we have been exposed to in our sin nature or our past that comes out in us.

Dysfunctional Personality Types to Consider:

Boastful/Braggadocious Individuals: Those who constantly seek to elevate themselves by boasting about their accomplishments or status.

Hypercritical People: Individuals who are quick to judge and criticize others, often as a way to elevate themselves or mask their insecurities.

Narcissistic Personalities: Those who have an inflated sense of self-importance and a need for admiration, often at the expense of others.

Competitive Individuals: Those who constantly compare themselves to others, striving to outdo or undermine them to feel superior.

Envious Personalities: People who resent others' success or gifts, feeling inadequate or less valuable in comparison.

Perfectionists: Individuals who set impossibly high standards for themselves and others, often leading to pride or harsh judgment when those standards aren't met.

Manipulative Personalities: Those who seek to control others to achieve their own goals, often disregarding the well-being or contributions of others.

Everyone of these makeups are something everyone of us in this room has either manifested or continue in our sin nature to struggle with these issues to this day.

The root cause of these issues is having a poor self concept. Something inn your life has brought about these disorders to make you feel accepted, to make you feel received, to fight for your place in this world, among many other causes.

Turn in your Bibles tonight to 1 Corinthians 4:6-13.

1 Corinthians 4:6-13

1 Corinthians 4:6–13 NKJV

6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Prayer

Message

I will remind you that when Paul wrote Romans, Ephesians and Colossians for example, the letters were theologically rich. When Paul writes to the church at Corinth, he is putting out a fire.

As I introduced our time together tonight, the early church at Corinth were dealing with the same issues we all deal with.

When God’s Word states that we are made in the image of God, we are ducks out of water in the world.

Hebrews 11:13–16 “13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

1 Peter 2:11 “11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,”

& the fact we have been plagued with the adamic nature, we combat

Ephesians 6:12 “12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Why is all of this important? Paul recognized that the Corinthians loved the Lord, but there was so much of the world infiltrating their souls that had to be flushed out.

We must recognize as well all the dynamics of life that has infiltrated our beings that we need to hold at bay in our ways day in and day out.

Paul writes in 1 Cor. 4:6-13 some tokens, some morsels to remember when we get upside down and we get out of kilter with our makeup, our insecurities, all the many false faces we put on to mask our hurts, our senses of inferiority, and our hang ups.

Paul is basically continuing to make these analogies or illustrations about himself and Apollos to use as a teaching moment to the people that have the distorted perspectives about both themselves and each other.

You may remember that Paul is addressing the factions, the competitiveness, the jealousies of what one seemingly had over another and all of those signs were signs of insecurities, signs that they really did not know what they had in Jesus Christ. They did not really even know who they were in Jesus Christ, nor did they realize what Jesus Christ brought to the table at that point they accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

Read verse 6 with me:

1 Corinthians 4:6 “6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.”

In this one verse we see Paul setting the table to make example of Illustration of the life of Paul and Apollos as a teaching moment.

Note: Paul was teaching this to help Apollos and Paul better understand, He was teaching this to help the church know how to think, respond, and act.

Do not think beyond what is written

The question must be asked?

What is written let’s look at it.

We are to maintain a humble and proper perspective, particularly when it comes to evaluating others as well as ourselves.

Let’s look up some verses that can help us have a proper perspective of self and others and get rid of all the junk of dysfunction that lingers in our pathways. Once we come into a newness of life in Christ, once we have been blood bought and saved listen closely to these verses and be reminded of who you are in Christ and who each of us are in Christ.

Our Identity in Christ

Ephesians 2:8–10 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Who gets the credit for how you have turned out?

He calls it a gift. How should we treat another when they have given us a gift?

“For we are His workmanship”-who is causing your growth, who is bringing you into maturity, who is making you a shining light? Who should get the credit?

Did He created us for bragging or brawn? Look at the text.

“Created for good works.”

Judging vs. Jubilation for the change He has brought about.

Hypercritical or humbled by His goodness

This passage emphasizes that our salvation is a gift from God, not something we earn. We are God's workmanship, created for a purpose, which gives us value and direction in life, rooted in God’s grace rather than our own efforts.

Romans 12:3 “3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

Let’s back up for a moment:

In verses 1-5,

1 Corinthians 4:1–5 “1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards (under rowers) of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”

It’s the same Paul that wrote Romans 12:3 and also writes this text in the first five verses.

Should we never place judgment against anyone and how they are acting or not acting or not place judgment upon ourselves?

I remind you that Paul operated from a different vantage point. he was an apostle.

The Bible does teach that there are times when believers should exercise judgment, both in terms of self-examination and in holding other believers accountable. However, this judgment is meant to be carried out in a spirit of humility, love, and discernment, rather than condemnation. Here are some key scriptures that speak to this:

1. Self-Examination:

I usually will always read this text before the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:28 “28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

2 Corinthians 13:5 “5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

So, God’s Word does call for self examination.

Paul urges believers to regularly examine their faith and conduct to ensure they are living in accordance with their relationship with Christ.

Psalm 139:23–24 “23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

The psalmist (David) invites God to examine his heart, acknowledging the need for personal reflection and correction.

Judgment of Fellow Believers

Matthew 18:15–17 “15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

Jesus provides a process for addressing sin within the community of believers. This involves private correction, followed by bringing others into the process, and ultimately involving the church if necessary.

Galatians 6:1 “1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

Paul encourages believers to gently restore those who are caught in sin, while also being careful not to fall into temptation themselves.

1 Corinthians 5:12–13 “12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.””

1 Timothy 5:19–20 “19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. 20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.”

Completing verse 6

none of you may be puffed up-prideful

on behalf of one against the other-not a competition

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

This verse speaks to the transformative nature of salvation. Believers are a new creation in Christ, with a new identity and purpose, no longer defined by their past but by their relationship with Jesus.

1 Peter 2:9–10 “9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Galatians 2:20 “20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

There are many other verses we could reference to understand our identity in Christ.

Paul continues in a quest to gain perspective of who we are in Christ Jesus

1 Corinthians 4:7 “7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

Why are you who you are?

What gifts, talents, abilities, resources, do you have that has not been given to you? Keeps us humble.

And lastly, if you have accepted Christ, you are blood bought, why do you still function everyday with all of this junk, these insecurities, these identity crisis issues?

You are a child of the King!

Let’s pray.