“The Trust of Faithfulness”

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-8

For the past 5 weeks, we’ve been taking a look at Paul’s warnings to the church in Corinth, and today will be our last look at how outside influences can creep into the church and steal the faithful heart away. Corinth was a Greek city, with all of the diverse attitudes and false gods and more distractions than you could count. The church had started to take on many of those worldly attributes, and it was beginning to tarnish their righteousness and wear away at their faith. We’ve seen many of them; the thought that they had to be welcoming of whatever false teachings that others might bring with them, the struggle, and even embarrassment for some, over the Christian view of the cross and the blood that Christ shed for the world, the emphasis and glory that was being given to worldly wisdom and power, the animosity and pride that was rising up over who was the better teacher, who had more faith, who was the better Christian, the church’s leaning toward other faith structures, and away from the foundation of faith that Jesus Christ had laid. Today, we look at the issue that allows all of these lies to grow and thrive in the Church – it is a lack of trust and faithfulness in Jesus.

Read 1 Corinthians 4:1-4

The first thing that Paul tells us is that we have been given a responsibility, and that we must step up and claim it. The problem, though, is that he doesn’t actually spell out what that responsibility is. He calls it a “trust”, which in this context and according to Webster’s Dictionary, is “an interest held by one person for the benefit of another”. I believe that Paul is telling us that we have been charged with preserving the faith – not only for ourselves, but for those who have yet to come and claim Christ for themselves.
Those who teach must teach faithfully. Those who pastor must lead faithfully. Those who witness must offer their experience of Christ faithfully. And why is it so important that we are faithful? James 3:1 says “you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” False teaching is worse than simply sinning, because it not only impacts our own faith, but it leads others away from Christ. And just in case you think that because you don’t lead a Bible Study or Sunday school class that you are off the hook on this one, you aren’t! Whether teaching, pastoring, preaching, witnessing, or even sharing the Gospel in normal conversation, you are teaching! So this call is on all of us.
This is our trust – given to us for the benefit of others, and Paul reminds us that we must always be faithful whenever we present Christ to others.

The second thing that Paul offers in this passage is that we can’t be concerned with what others may think of us. The judgment of humanity, the judgment of the world, the judgment of human courts can never mean anything to us when the judgment involves our Christian walk, and then, it is Christ who is going to be our final judge.
Now, that doesn’t mean that as brothers and sisters, we aren’t allowed to call into question the teachings of someone else. But outright condemnation is not the way to do it. If we are in disagreement with another, we are to offer our proof through scripture, and then discuss it with our friend. If a teaching is false, we have the obligation, the trust, to offer correction. But even at that, we don’t judge the person – we are to be discerning of only the teaching.

Read 1 Corinthians 4:5

“Judge nothing until the appointed time.” And when is that? When Christ returns to sit on His Judgment seat. Our judgment is flawed, but His is perfect. Our timing is based on our watch, but His is based in eternity. Our wisdom is limited, but His is infinite. Let the Lord judge, and may we be satisfied with our own discernment, as imperfect as it may be.

Read 1 Corinthians 4:6-8

Vs. 6 - “Do not go beyond what is written”. That sounds like pretty good advice! If we all stick to the one Word, how can we go wrong? Remember that one of the problems in Corinth was dissention. And what causes us to disagree with each other? Divergent ideas and thoughts! What causes disagreement in the 21st century church? The same thing. Corinth was seeing the worldly view of life creeping into the church and taking root. The world doesn’t like to see thought that violates its concept of truth – not in the 1st century and not today. “They”, whoever they may be, will interject their own brand of what is right and what is wrong, and we are expected to accept it. That is what “going beyond what is written” is all about.
Some of you may remember the TV show Dragnet. One of the lines from that show has survived until today, and it seems that it may even have its basis in our reading for today. One of Joe Friday’s most memorable lines is “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts”! Who says that there is no redeeming value in television? And I think that Paul would be very pleased to know that his words are being emulated today, because that is basically what he is telling us – stick to the facts of scripture, and you’ll never go wrong.
Some of the facts:
John 3:17 – “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 8:12 - “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 14:6 - “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And the “written word” goes on and on, and all of it to give us a great hope for salvation in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Trust Him, and Him alone.

In some Arab countries, there is a saying that if you trust someone, you should give that person your breath. In other words, there is no space between people who trust; no light shines between those who share personal space.

We need to do our best to live as in the words of Charles Albert Tindley,

“Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure,
Jesus is mine; there’s nothing between.

[Refrain]
Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear: Let nothing between.”

--Charles Albert Tindley, “Nothing Between”, The United Methodist Hymnal (Nashville: UM Publishing House, 1989), #373, & Living Hymns (Encore Publications, Inc. 1975), #292

Let’s reread this refrain, and this time together as one Body, and as we do, I want each of us to take these words to heart. The church in Corinth was moving away from this concept of allowing nothing to come between them and Jesus, and it was only the letters that Paul wrote to them that brought them back to the truth of Christ.

[Read the refrain]

Let nothing between! Not the world view, not the social gospel, not our friends and family, not our own wisdom and not our ignorance, not our sin, and not our righteousness. Let nothing come between our soul and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be the heart and soul of faithful trust to those who have yet to know the glory and grace of Christ.