Judging is a natural human response. There are things we have to judge. We are called to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). We are required to “examine everything and hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). But too often, we judge on superficial matters, matters of opinion, or what we prefer or like, etc. The text we are going to look at is focused more on judging based on matters of opinion than matters of faith.
Point #1 in this text from verse 1: “Let a man regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” In this context, “mysteries of God” is a synonym for the gospel of Christ – the salvation of man through Jesus Christ to the glory of God.
The idea of “stewardship” includes four components:
1) An owner;
2) A steward;
3) Something to be guarded or managed;
4) A day of accounting or reckoning.
When it comes to spiritual matters, God is the owner; you and I are the stewards; what is to be guarded or managed is the gospel message and our response to it in attitude, words, and actions. And, of course, as we studied this morning, there will be a day of reckoning, a day of accounting. We will give an account to God whether we have used our stewardship wisely. Or, faithfully, notice verse 2…
Point #2 in this text is from verse 2: Stewards must be found faithful. NASV translates the word as “trustworthy.” The word is used 67 times and is related to the word “faith.” It is also translated as “believer,” and would denote one who is a Christian for if one is faithful to the word of God, then he or she will become a Christian. God wants to be able to trust us…
Point #3 in this text, from verse 3: We do not judge each other. Isn’t that great news? We will not stand before anyone else, any Christian (or non-Christian for that matter) on the day of judgment. That’s good news from the perspective that some people are harder on us than is fair. It’s bad news from the perspective that most people would be easier on us than God will be. Nobody expects to go to hell. Everyone thinks they are going to heaven and everybody thinks most everyone else is going to heaven. Only a few people, like Adolph Hitler, deserve hell. That’s the mentality of most people.
In this text, I suspect that Paul is drawing a contrast between himself (see 2:1, 3-4) and Apollos (Acts 18:25). The problem in our text is not between Paul and Apollos, but between Corinthian Christians who were “lining themselves up” behind either Paul or Apollos. They were suffering from “preacher-itis.” But when it comes to his Christian service, Paul says it is insignificant to be “examined” by the Corinthian Christians. In fact, it would be insignificant for him to be “examined” by any human court. Paul writes that he isn’t even his own judge!
Point #4 in this text (4:4): The Lord Jesus is the one who examines. Paul writes that he doesn’t know of anything significant against himself. Paul is open to critiquing himself (2:1, 3-4; 15:9). But in whatever way the Corinthians were wanting to critique Paul, he says he doesn’t know anything against himself. But that doesn’t mean he is “acquitted.”
Jesus Christ is our only judge. He is the one who will decide our eternal fate. That’s why it is important for us to study His word and be consistent with His word. That will be what our “final exam” is over: John 12:48.
Point #5 in this text (4:5): “Therefore” shows that Paul is drawing a conclusion. Don’t judge people – especially fellow-Christians – before the time. Jesus Christ is coming and He will bring to light the things hidden in darkness. That is something that none of us can do. Jesus is coming and He will disclose the motives of men’s hearts. That is something that none of us can do. When Jesus comes again, those who have been faithful to Jesus Christ, who have been faithful to His word, they will receive their praise from God. Now, to paraphrase my mom, “Nobody died and left me (or you) in charge.”
We are stewards of the gospel and our response to it. We must be faithful in that stewardship. We cannot judge each other; Jesus is the one who judges. So let’s not judge one another.
Paul Holland
