Walk The Christian Walk
"Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:18-19
It has been said that the local church is God’s family for helping newborn Christians develop. Paul had planted the church in Corinth and was their spiritual father. This did not give him special authority over their faith. It did, however, create a special relationship that God used to help them develop. Here Paul uses that relationship to warn them to repent before he would have to come and rebuke them (1 Corinthians 4:14). He is talking about discipline and confronting them face-to-face. They probably thought Paul would not confront them. It was his plan, however, to do so. How he came was entirely up to them. If they repented, he would go gently. If they persisted in sin, he would discipline (1 Corinthians 4:21). An appropriate approach of any shepherd.
To be associated with great men of the faith, the Christian's life will resemble one of suffering and not always popularity. This is the actual evidence in the life of a servant of Christ (Matthew 10:22). But, the people in Corinth were becoming “puffed up.” They were in sin and attempting to associate with those they thought were the best preachers of the day. They were choosing pastors who appealed to their “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3).
Paul was not going to listen to their talk. There were many good talkers, but talk is cheap if not backed up with action. You cannot have a high talk and low walk because there is no power in empty words. There is always power in the Word of God. And Paul was not going to worry about the unvalued words of men. He would stand only on the powerful words of the Lord. It is the power of God’s Word that will be evident in the life of a true servant because they abide in Christ (John 8:31-32).
Our character is not measured by the words we speak but by our obedience to the words God speaks. God changes us through His Word because we need to be changed. We are all a work in progress, but there has to be progress. As Christians, we should reflect God’s kingdom, which does not consist of words but power. We should live a victorious life through Jesus Christ, which is reflected by overcoming sin. May we be found walking the Christian walk.
“It is not an easy thing to be a minister of Jesus Christ. As a steward, you must be faithful to your Master no matter what men may say to you or do to you. You will be treated as refuse by the people of the world. Your own spiritual children may break your heart and have to be disciplined."
- Warren Wiersbe