Fools for Christ- A Devotion

Taught at Men’s Breakfast April 1, 2017

1 Corinthians 4:1-10

The world generally thinks a Christian is a fool (Mt. 11:18; Mk. 3:21-22; John 8:52; Acts 17:18; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:14).

There is a bigger fool than a fool for Christ—It is a fool without Christ (Ps. 14:1).

What are the “marks” of a fool for Christ?

I. Begins with a CONSPICUOUS CONVERSION.

A. Paul had a definite experience of getting saved. Salvation by grace through faith—NO WORKS (Tit. 3:5).

B. He possessed a unshakable assurance of salvation. The world thinks no one can know for sure where they will go at death.

See things different from the world (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Christian will view things with an eternal perspective (Phil 1:21——For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”)
The Corinthian church very carnal, sectarian, and immature church. As often the case, when someone has a lot of issues, they fail to see their own problems and degrade someone else. This is what the Corinthians were doing.
In our text Paul is sarcastically contrasting the Corinthian’s puffed-up opinion of themselves compared to that of the apostles:
“Ye are full…Ye are rich” —”You act like you’ve arrived and •don’t need anything” (Mt. 5:6; Luke 6:24-26 cf. Rev. 3:17).
“Ye have reigned as kings” — “You value one above another as if you were kings on a throne! It must be nice to reign over others. I’d like to reign with you! But God has made us apostles LAST and a spectacle unto the world” (cf. v. 20; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rom. 8:17).
“Ye are wise” (v. 10)—”We apostles are fools, but you Corinthians are wise… You think you know more than we do or even God.”
“Ye are strong” (v. 10)—”We are weak, but you are strong… You think you are strong because you don’t have to endure the persecution we apostles do” (Rom. 8:36; 2 Cor. 4:11).
“Ye are honorable” (v. 10 cf. Prov. 18:12; John 5:44; 8:54) —”You are honorable in your own sight, but how are you in God’s eyes?”