Chasing Holiness in Corinth

The Corinthians were the real deal. Jesus told Paul to keep on preaching in the city because He had many people in Corinth (Acts. 18:9—10). So Paul stayed there for 18 months and personally established the church in that city. So when Paul wrote to them from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8) he knew what he was talking about when he wrote: “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Corinthians 1:4–7) .  They were extraordinarily gifted.

Yet to be successful in ministry giftedness is not enough. Just a few pages later in 1 Cor. 3:1 we see what Paul says to this same gathering of incredibly gifted people: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:1). For the Corinthians and us to be effective in ministry, at home, at church, within your circle of control or influence, we need to bind giftedness to a pursuit of holiness, which is a pursuit of a life lived in submission to the Spirit of Christ in us.

How are we to pursue holiness? Here are four things I have learn from this letter to the gifted Corinthians:

1.   Seek Humility. Everything we have from God is a gift, particularly the salvation we all shared. If there was a way to win God’s favor through human wisdom or knowledge then the world would be a better place than it is. Instead God has chosen us for salvation, by the blood of Jesus, and through the Spirit who enabled us to believe. So what do we have to boast about? We are all self-admitted sinners who could not fix ourselves but have been saved by God’s grace. So Paul says “no man may boast before God.” (1:29). Our gifts are just that, gifts. Not something we earned. Not something we can boast about or flaunt. I remind yourself of that at the start of every day. Go to God in prayer confessing your dependence upon Him and surrender your will to instead do His will.

2.   Learn About Jesus. To be a Christian is to be a follower of Christ. Paul told the Corinthians that he “… determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The word translated “determined” is a Greek word which means to make a decision. The tense of the verb (aorist for you Greek freaks) indicates that this was not a decision that was made over and over but rather a decision made at a particular point in time that he followed through on, like a resolution but one you keep. What he decided was to focus his mind on two things Jesus, and Jesus’ crucifixion. I would summarize this as the person and work of Jesus. I follow Paul’s example by spending some time every day with my mind focused on learning more about the person and work of Jesus. Won’t you join me and start filling up a bullet journal about what you learn.

3.   Combine Your Gifts to Build Up God’s People. You may not realize it now but you will soon see that God has put each one of us in our family and our church because He is working out a plan in us and through us. His plan is to combine our gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences with others in order to strengthen everyone at home and at church. Paul recognized this when, speaking of Himself and Apollos, he wrote “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:6). He also recognized that the Corinthians were missing this point when he said “for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3). In other words, Christian grownups, and I am not talking about age but maturity, learn how to work together to build up others. This is not to say that there won’t be times when we grate on each other. So I have learned to do a few things to pursue this.  First I try to be intentional in looking for ways to combine my gifts with other people for the good of others. Second, and this is a tough one for me, I try to be quick to admit when I am wrong.  Last, with love and humility approach those who have offended you and figure out how you can work together to glorify God and build up his people.

4.   Be Devoted to Your Leaders. In chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians Paul has to defend his authority as an apostle of Jesus. How humiliating it must have been for Paul, who had founded the church and spent 18 months teaching and preaching in Corinth to be questioned by those he had poured his life into. How did he defend His claim? By spending most of the chapter talking about what he had sacrificed and done without for their sakes. The mark of a leader is not what they have, or do, but what they have done without for the sake of others. I try to be on the lookout for those who have made sacrifices for me.  My wife and my pastor come to mind immediately, but there are countless others.  How about you? Who has made a sacrifice for you?  Be devoted to them!

In his book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome Kent and Barbara Hughes identified one of the ways that God defines success in ministry is to be pursuing holiness. So lets all resolve to bind our giftedness to a pursuit of holiness. As many, many spiritually gifted people have discovered the lack of a private pursuit of holiness will inevitably become a public failure in ministry. So let’s agree to be  faithful and daily in our pursuit of humility, knowledge of Jesus, cooperation, and devotion.