No Room to Boast

1 Corinthians 1-4

I can't help but to see that as I continue reading and rereading 1 Corinthians, there is the theme of humility screaming from the pages. It seems as if one of his main focuses is to heighten their awareness of their arrogant thinking in order to shine the provision of God upon it, so that they would see that truly, there is no room to boast.

While this theme continues on past chapter four, here are a few things that stood out to me:

• Chapter 1: 
• God gave the Corinthians grace, enriching them with all speech and knowledge; not lacking in any spiritual gifts.
• The cross of Christ is preached with power, not "wisdom."
• Those who seek God through worldly wisdom, when confronted with the gospel, label it folly and declare it weak - yet God has declared it to be true wisdom and power
• The Corinthians, at their calling, were rejects of the world - not considered wise, strong, or noble, yet they were still of the world, trying to hold to their worldly standards.
• But God chose them nonetheless and set them up to be those who possess true wisdom, who is Christ.  
• Therefore in Christ, they may boast, but they have no room to boast in themselves.
• Chapter 2:
• Paul, himself, did not come to them in wisdom and power, but in gospel words and character, so that true wisdom and power would be shown by God.
• Wisdom, therefore, is not a quality that they naturally possess, but it is one given by God, through His Spirit, without whom they would not be able to understand and savor the heart of God.
• Chapter 3:
• Yet, though they thought they were wise, Paul had to give them only milk, since they thought that their power and status rested in their teacher.
• So who are these teachers? Who are Paul and Apollos? They are not divided but one, therefore there is no room to boast in one or the other, for it is God who does all the work, once again.
• Therefore, true wisdom rests in foolishness, that is, in the power of the Word of God, not in their teacher; not in their striving for an honored status.
• Chapter 4:
• How, then, should those teachers be regarded? As servants and stewards of Christ and His mysteries.
• Therefore, why should Paul take to heart their judgment upon him, or his judgment upon himself? Christ is his master.  Paul takes his master's judgment, which will be revealed fully on the last day and is now at work within His Word.
• Since His Word judges, they should not be puffed up, for everything they have, they received - not earned. 

As I read though 1 Corinthians, my own pride continually gets brought to the surface and exposed for its filth.

• "I know how to speak theology"
• "I know Greek and am learning Hebrew"
• "I have read many books"
• "I am apart of a great church family"
• "I am so wise, so smart"

So often, we value the blessing over the One who blesses.  What separates us from those who are blind is that Christ continually reveals to us the folly of our arrogance and pride and leads us to true humility by showing Himself to us. So...

"I know how to speak theology" - Christ has provided the ability and fostered the desire to go to college and seminary and continues to provide the ability and desire so that, amidst my weariness of school and miniature rebellions against the amount of work, I continue.

"I know Greek and am learning Hebrew" - I would never have voluntarily entered into these classes, had not Christ first showed me that I am not my own, but I've been bought by His blood and subjected to His will.  I would've dropped out of these courses had not Christ reminded me of these things continually. Even while I am struggling to keep up in Hebrew, Christ enables me.

"I have read many books" - I hated reading until Christ changed my heart.  He also has provided the finances that I can have my own books.  I cannot boast in me.

"I am apart of a great church family" - A connection only Christ could make, for left to myself, I would be more prone to not making and sustaining relationships, desiring more of my agenda and less of the agenda of my brothers and sisters.

"I am so wise, so smart" - I was taken from the foolishness of the world, from their rendition of wisdom, and placed in Christ, to where the wisdom that I do have is not my own, but my wisdom is Christ.  

Therefore there is no room for boasting. But to God alone be all the praise!