1 Corinthians: Not in VainSýnishorn

'Don’t be such a baby!’ 

It’s an insult that’s been used a million times. After all, if you want to get someone’s attention, pointing out that they’re acting like children is usually pretty effective! 

In today’s passage the apostle Paul is so concerned about the Corinthians’ spiritual health that he calls them ‘mere infants in Christ’ (v. 1). And it gets worse. This is not just about slow development. They’ve actually developed in the complete opposite direction; Paul describes them as ‘worldly’ (vv. 1, 3), as opposed to living ‘by the Spirit’ (v. 1). 

What’s the evidence for this verdict? The apostle again refers to their bickering over who had the most impressive leaders (v. 4), as first highlighted in 1:10–17. Ironically, the very thing that gave them reason for pride is actually the very thing that showed Paul how immature they were. 

In response he begins to correct the Corinthians and remind them how they should really be viewing their Christian leaders – and it’s a bit of a wake-up call. In stark contrast to the Corinthians’ mindset, Paul identifies both himself and Apollos as ‘servants’ (v. 5), or, more literally, slaves. First and foremost Christian leaders are slaves, assigned by God to different tasks. That’s one way to show up how foolish it is to boast in Christian leaders! 

Using the imagery of an arable farm, we’re then reminded that any spiritual growth – whether in evangelism (‘one who plants’) or discipleship (‘one who waters’) is due only to ‘God, who makes things grow’ (v. 7). 

This is all the more remarkable when we consider how Paul could have described himself. After all, he was an apostle who had actually encountered the risen Lord Jesus. And yet he is content to be known as a slave of Jesus, working in God’s service (v. 9). The church does not belong to the minister, nor is the small group owned by its leaders, nor do the members possess the church. We are God’s – and only he brings the growth.

Reflection

When we see gospel growth, who do we tend to praise? And what might this reveal about what we’ve forgotten?