IMITATE ME

Passage: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Key verse: 20

NIV

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

14 I am writing this not to shame you(A) but to warn you as my dear children.(B) 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father(C) through the gospel.(D) 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.(E) 17 For this reason I have sent to you(F) Timothy,(G) my son(H) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.(I)

18 Some of you have become arrogant,(J) as if I were not coming to you.(K) 19 But I will come to you very soon,(L) if the Lord is willing,(M) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of(N) talk but of power.(O) 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,(P) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

14 I do not write these things (A)to make you ashamed, but to admonish you (B)as my beloved children. 15 For (C)though you have countless[a] guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For (D)I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, (E)be imitators of me. 17 That is why (F)I sent[b] you Timothy, (G)my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,[c] (H)as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are (I)arrogant, (J)as though I were not coming to you. 19 But (K)I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For (L)the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? (M)Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 4:15 Greek you have ten thousand
  2. 1 Corinthians 4:17 Or am sending
  3. 1 Corinthians 4:17 Some manuscripts add Jesus
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The gospel way (14-17)

Paul's way of life agreed with the gospel he taught everywhere. He did not teach the way of the cross, then live an easy, comfortable, worldly life himself. He charges us to imitate his simple, gospel-centered lifestyle. He knew that some of the Corinthian Christians were saying the right things but living worldly lives. So he sent Timothy, a man who was faithful to the Lord, to encourage them to live the way they talked.

2. The kingdom of God is power, not talk (18-21)

There were some in the church who had become spiritually proud. They talked a lot about their spiritual gifts and knowledge, but in their practical lives they had no fruit. Paul planned to visit Corinth soon. He was ready to challenge these so-called leaders to produce fruit in keeping with their big talk. He hoped that they would repent before he arrived.

Prayer: Lord, help me not to give in to the world, but to live a poor and pure life, and live humbly before you.

One Word: Imitate Paul - and Jesus