Ep 272 – 1 Corinthians 4

Today’s episode deals with chapter four of 1 Corinthians, where Paul makes a seemingly boastful claim that the Corinthians should imitate his behavior. That’s why I’ve entitled this episode, “Do As I Say and Do.” Paul isn’t an arrogant ego-maniac with an inflated sense of self-worth. He is a follower of Christ who is honestly attempting to live his life in keeping with the precepts taught by Jesus Himself. He is a Christ-follower, so, he has no problem telling the Corinthians to get in line behind him. As long as he is walking after Christ, they can’t go wrong by following in his footsteps. And shouldn’t that be true of each and every one of us? But the problem is that we too easily find ourselves wandering off into the weeds of life and blazing our own trail, leaving the way of Jesus somewhere in our rearview mirror. Paul wasn’t claiming to BE Christ. He wasn’t inferring that his life was on the same par as that of Christ. But he had no qualms inviting other believers to not only do as he said, but do as he did. His was a life worth emulating. Not perfect, but in the process of being perfected, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our world could stand a few more lives worth imitating. There are far too many vain, self-absorbed, immoral and ungodly examples out there. And while we can’t be Christ for anyone, we can certainly mirror His life and live out His teachings as we submit to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.