Living By God’s Power

Meditations in First Corinthians 

May 4, 2022

Living By God’s Power

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

1 Corinthians 4:20

Read: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Two things caught my attention in today’s passage. First, Paul truly believed his appointment as an Apostle included his having authority over his churches. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Paul believed this truth also applied to his leadership of the churches. I was only in my last pastoral appointment a few months before I had to ask one of the lay leaders to relinquish their position until they got their life in order. Over the next eleven years, I had to make other similar calls, which is part of the pastoral office, at least as Paul models it for us. Regrettably, I do not see many pastors accepting this part of their pastoral responsibilities.

Secondly, I noticed how Paul used the word power. In this context, he is not talking about the exercise of power, or force to achieve goals. He is referring to God’s power to change our lives. On Monday, we looked at Philippians 2:13, “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” This is the power Paul is referring to in verse 20 quoted above.

My Takeaway: This power of God leads us to vulnerable, self-sacrificial love, as modeled by Jesus, rather than sheer force.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.