I Corinthians 4, True Leadership

Paul has been attacking the divisions within the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 4:1-5
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.  I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

Good advice: don't judge; leave that to God.  Judging others is generally not in our realm of responsibility.  Even one's conscience is not a good judge.

Meanwhile, Paul wishes for the Corinthians to respect and value (but not worship) their leaders like Apollos, Peter and, yes, Paul.

1 Corinthians 4:6-9
Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings--and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.

Those apostles (such as Paul, Apollos, Peter) have endured much for the Gospel.  The people in the church in Corinth have received many gifts; they have many strengths and talents.  They need to include humility among their characteristics!

1 Corinthians 4:10-13
We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

It is humility and service that are the hallmarks of leadership.  The Gospel of Christ inverts the social pecking order and Paul reminds the Corinthians of this.  In describing the servanthood of the apostles, he is asking the Corinthians to follow that model.

1 Corinthians 4:14-17
I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.

Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Paul now is explicit in his insistence that the believers in Corinth imitate his service and stresses this by assigning Timothy to travel there and help monitor church development and growth.

1 Corinthians 4:18-21
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

Paul wants Timothy's visit to be one of love and support, but he oscillates between frustration and optimism.  He asks the Corinthians to make a decision.  

The difficulties the Corinthians face will be explored in the next chapter.  Paul will elaborate on when it is appropriate to condemn another's behavior.