Justified Fools For Christ-3 Series

JUSTIFIED FOOLS For CHRIST-III—1Corinthians 4:1-21

Attention:

‘Fools for Christ’ are such because they know from experience with certainty, that there really is nothing worthwhile outside of Christ!

Paul admonished the Corinthian Church regarding his apostolic ministry.

The church must regard apostolic authority rightly...as those who are fools for Christ!

How/When are Fools for Christ Justified?

11 justifiers regarding Fools for Christ.

We discovered last time that

Fools for Christ are justified thru their...

1. STEWARDSHIP(:1)

2. FAITHFULNESS(:2)

3. DISCERNMENT(:3-5)

4—Fools for Christ are justified thru their...

GROUNDING(:6)

Explanation:(:6)

:6—“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself & 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.”

These things=Paul’s examples of his...

...Preaching the Gospel(1:17), Lack of wisdom(2:1), Lack of Superiority of speech(2:1), Planting(3:6), Watering(3:6), Building(3:10), Serving(4:1), Stewardship(4:1), etc.

Paul had “figuratively” applied these things/pictures to himself & Apollos.

He did this for the “sake” of the Corinthian Christians.

He had intended for them to “learn” thru Paul(& Sosthenes?) & Apollos’(et al) examples. The church’s being “in” their apostles, was an occasion for their “learning.”

HCSB—“...so that you may learn from us the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.”

To “learn” that they should not exceed that which is written.

They were to learn in/thru/by Paul & Apollos & Cephas, etc.

If we do not exceed “what is written,” then we will avoid arrogant attitudes which hold particular individuals above & in opposition to “others.”

**“Figuratively Transferred/In a figure transferred/Figuratively Applied/Applied”—metaschmatizw—1) To change the figure of, to transform. Refers to the transient condition from which a change happens. Strong—To transfigure or disguise; figuratively--To apply(by accommodation). Used 5X. See also 2Cor. 11:13-15, where it is used 3X.

2Cor. 11:13-15“...false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.”.....“...For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”.....“Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness...”

Php. 3:20, 21—“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

From—meta—a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly, denoting accompaniment; “Amid”(local or causal); occupying an intermediate position between apo[Off] or ek[From] & eiv[Into] or prov[Toward]; less intimate than en[In] & less close than sun[With])—&—schma—A figure (as a mode or circumstance), i.e. by implication--External condition.

“For...Sakes/Benefit/On account of”(See :10; 15—“Through”)—dia—Prep.—1) Through—1a) of place—1a1) With, 1a2) In, 1b) of time—1b1) Throughout, 1b2) During, 1c) of means—1c1) By, 1c2) By the means of; 2) Through—2a) The ground or reason by which something is or is not done—2a1) By reason of, 2a2) On account of, 2a3) Because of for this reason, 2a4) Therefore, 2a5) On this account. Strong—a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; Through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional).

“Learn”—manyanw—1) To learn, be appraised. Strong—To learn(in any way).

“Think”—fronew—1) To have understanding, be wise; 2) To feel, to think; 3) To direct one's mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for. Strong—To exercise the mind, i.e. Entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication--To be (mentally)disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively--To interest oneself in(with concern or obedience).

“Beyond/Exceed”(See “On behalf” below)—uper—Prep.—1) In behalf of, for the sake of; 2) Over, beyond, more than; 3) More, beyond, over. Strong—a primary preposition; “Over”, i.e. (with the genitive case) of place--Above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case--Superior to, more than.

**“Puffed up/Arrogant/Take pride in/Inflated”(See :18, 19)—fusiow—1) To make natural, to cause a thing to pass into nature; 2) To inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up—2a) To puff up, make proud, 2b) To be puffed up, to bear one's self loftily, be proud. Strong—in the primary sense of blowing; To inflate, i.e. figuratively--Make proud(haughty). Used 7X.

“On behalf”(See “Beyond/Exceed” above)—uper—

“Against”—kata—Prep.—1) Down from, through out; 2) According to, toward, along. Strong—a primary particle; prepositionally--Down(in place or time), in varied relations(according to the case [genitive case, dative case or accusative case] with which it is joined).

“Other”—eterov—Adj.—1) The other, another, other. Eterov denotes numerical in distinction from qualitative differences. eterov distinguishes('one of two'); every eterov is an allov but not every allov is a eterov; allov generally denotes simple distinction of individuals, eterov involves the secondary idea of difference of kind. Strong—of uncertain affinity; (an-, the)Other or different.

Argumentation:

**Mat. 13:3-9, 18-23—“Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. “And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; & the birds came & devoured them. “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; & they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, & because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, & the thorns sprang up & choked them. But others fell on good ground & yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”.....“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, & does not understand it, then the wicked one comes & snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word & immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, & the cares of this world & the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, & he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word & understands it, who indeed bears fruit & produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”