Justified Fools For Christ-8 Series

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

Attention:

True Love

The bride was escorted down the aisle & when she reached the altar, the groom was standing there with his golf bag & clubs at his side.

She whispers: "What are your golf clubs doing here?"

He looked her right in the eye & said, "This isn't going to take all day, is it?”

The groom was a ‘Fool for the Game’!

Likewise, ‘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. GROUNDING(:6)

5. RECEPTION(:7-8) “Without us”

6. FOOLISHNESS(:9-13)

7. WARNING(:14)

8. PARENTHOOD(:15-16)Birth

9. REMINDINGs(:17)

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

REINING IN(:18)

Explanation:(:18)

:18—“Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.”

‘Rein in’—To pull all the worldly stuff in line with reality(in Christ).

The Israelites did the same thing after Moses ascended the mountain for many days. He’s not going to come back. We’ll do something else(of our own choosing!).

Ex. 19:1-7; 32:1—“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, & camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, & the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, & tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, & how I bore you on eagles’ wings & brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice & keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests & a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” So Moses came & called for the elders of the people, & laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him.”.....“Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, & said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

*In the absence of truth speculation & falsehood flourish!

We witness newspeople(paid to talk & carry a ‘show’) who talk incessantly to ad nauseam about things which have no need of being given such speculative attention. ‘Truthful’ reporting is useful & informative. But to form theories & elevate opinions regarding circumstances about which the details are pending, is a breach of faithful journalism.

“Some”—among the Corinthian church.

Some became arrogant. It is not that these had not previously been arrogant, but that they had not openly vaunted their arrogance.

The arrogant “are” so because they suppose themselves to be teachers who can supercede Paul. The arrogant do not become apparent until they can safely assume that there is no competition of ideas/belief. that Paul would not return.

Mat. 7:15-20—“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down & thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

This is why we must know one-another(fellowship) & simultaneously, the exact reason why some never really get settled into our church...they are afraid they will be discovered! they set themselves above God’s word!

2Pet. 1:17--2:2—“For He received from God the Father honor & glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns & the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, & bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”