The Kingdom Of God: "Kingdom Life Is Power”

The Kingdom of God

“Kingdom Life is Power”

1 Corinthians 4:18-20

Watch on YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32UqfQiFSKI

This morning, we’ll be looking at another aspect of the Kingdom of God that's not well understood. Further, these verses we will be exploring, Paul could have written them to the church today.

Corinth was a Greek city and a commercial seaport. And like most Greek cities, they had their places of higher learning, where discussions on philosophy and life's meaning were held. And in was there in Corinth that the Apostle Paul established a church!

But because of a plethora of problems, Paul had to write them several times to deal with them. Some of those problems had to do with how they viewed him. They criticized his appearance and speech, but his writings were something else and well received. Apparently, he didn’t look the part, but his writings were eloquent.

Paul addressed this in his second letter. He said, “For some say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.’” (2 Corinthians 10:10 NIV)

Now, to understand, the Greek culture expected their leaders to be great physical specimen and orators, those who studied the art of speech and who could eloquently present an argument.

But this wasn’t Paul. By the time he got to Corinth, his eyesight was poor, his body broken due to torture and abuse. He told them he had been whipped five times, beaten three times, stoned and left for dead, and often imprisoned along with a litany of other things he had to endure. (2 Corinthians 11:22-28)

In his first letter, Paul says, “To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.” (1 Corinthians 4:11-13 NKJV)

As far as his speech, he tried being eloquent, but such rhetoric got him nowhere in Athens. And so, he spoke in a plain and blunt manner, not about philosophy or the meaning of life; instead, he wanted them to know, and often taught about one thing and one thing only, and that is, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 NKJV)

But his writings were another matter, they were forceful and to the point, which is where Paul clarified he would come once again to Corinth and put things right, and the way he would know they were on target would be in what they said, did their words contain the power of God, or were they talking about something and saying something they were not?

Listen to what he said right after this. “My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” (In1 Corinthians 2:4)

So, let’s look at our signature verses in 1 Corinthians 4.

“Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” (1 Corinthians 4:18-20 NKJV)

Now, this doesn’t void out God’s Word being taught or preached. Because Paul doesn’t say God’s Word, or The Word, rather, he used the word in the general sense. In other words, there is no power in humanity’s philosophies. Instead, the power is only found in the word of God, because it’s God’s word and not our own.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

What Paul is saying is that God's Word is useful, beneficial, and helpful for our lives in teaching what is true, reproving what isn’t, along with correcting and instructing us on how to get and stay right with God. It is transformational. It transforms us, because God breathed it into existence.

And so, Paul isn’t against the study of God’s Word, or what we call Theology, which means the study of God.

Charles Spurgeon said, “The study of God is the highest science, the loftiest pursuit, and the mightiest discipline.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Doctrine isn’t a bad thing either, because it only means beliefs that are taught, which means we teach doctrine on biblical topics like, redemption, salvation, justification, eschatology (end times), the Trinity, the deity of Christ, grace, faith, etc., and these are all taken out of God’s word.