Ministers Are Servants of Christ, vv. 1-7
A. Three Kinds of Judgment, vv. 3-5
1. Judgment of People
2. Self-judgment
3. Judgment of God
B. A True Measure of Genuine Ministers:
1. Servants of Christ, not servants of the deacons/elders.
2. Stewards of the Mysteries of God, the progressive unfolding of the doctrines of Scripture.
3. Seek the Approval of God, not menpleasers.
C. A False Measure of Genuine Ministers
1. Satisfy the Members
2. Sort Ministers according to their natural abilities.
Ministers Are Spectacles to the World, vv. 8-13
A. Members Judge Themselves and Ministers with a Worldly Standard
1. They courted worldly wisdom.
2. They courted worldly riches.
3. They courted worldly honors.
B. Faithful Ministers Are Judged with a Biblical Standard
1. Hated and opposed by the world
2. Make great sacrifices to advance the Gospel
3. Faithful to the Will and Word of God
Ministers Are Spiritual Fathers, vv. 14-21
A. A Spiritual Father leads sinners to Christ and disciples them.
1. Spiritual fathers are worthy of love.
2. Spiritual fathers are worthy of honor.
3. Spiritual fathers are worthy of attention.
B. The Corinthian Believers were “puffed up,” vv. 6, 18, 5:2.
1. The leaven of sin puffed them up, 1 Corinthians 5:6.
2. “Puffed up” attitude leads to arrogant talk and bragging:
a. “Paul will never come here!”
b. “He writes stern letters to scare us, but he will never come back!”
3. Paul’s response: “Talk is cheap! When I do come, I want to see how much power these people have, and not how much they talk.”
4. A carnal Christian is a bragging Christian with no evidence of God’s Spirit in their life, 1 Corinthians 2:4.
C. The Proper Attitude toward Spiritual Leaders:
1. Christians should pray for them;
2. thank God for them;
3. love and honor them; and
4. obey the Word of God that they teach.