Introduction
CARBON MONOXIDE POSIONING: What's so dangerous about this posioning is
that even though people are seriously ill, they don't realize it--they
think they're OK.
What sometimes happens in the physical realm can also happen spiritually.
Read Rev. 3:17-19. Here's a group of people who are being poisoned by
spiritual carbon monoxide! It's one thing to be in trouble spiritually
and know it. It's another to be in trouble spiritually and think you're
doing well! The Laodecian Christians were spiritually self-deceived, and
Jesus loved them enough to tell them so and call on them to "open
the windows."
All of us are vulnerable to spiritual self-deception. Whole churches,
like this one, can become spiritually self-deceived. But so can individuals.
I have spent varying periods of time in varying degrees of spiritual self-deception.
It has made me long to detect and correct this state.
The Corinthian Christians had also become spiritually self-deceived.
So Paul, because he loves them (vs 14), smacks them awake, using blunt
questions and scathing sarcasm to wake them up. From this passage, we
can distill three key questions which help us to detect spiritual self-deception
and correct it.
How do you view your resources? (vs 7)
Read vs 7. The Corinthian Christians had a lot of spiritual resources.
Paul is probably referring primarily to the fact that they had every spiritual
gift (1:7). They had prophets, teachers, tongues, leaders, etc.--but Paul
knew they were spiritually self-deceived because of the way they viewed
their resources.
As reason for boasting--or for humbling thanking God for his grace?
The Corinthians foolishly attributed these gifts to themselves rather
than to God. The proof they did this is that they "boasted."
They were bragging to themselves or to each other about how gifted they
were. This kind of boasting is a sure sign of self-deception. And boasting
about some things demonstrates lethal self-deception.
For example, most Americans believe that God will accept them when
they die because they are "good." But the Bible says if we
boast about our good works to God, this is proof that we don't really
have his acceptance (Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 3:27,28). In Lk. 18, the Pharisee
who boasted in his works went home unaccepted by God; but the man who
recognized he was undeserving and threw himself on God's mercy went
home "justified."
If we are seeing clearly, we realize that all of our resources--not
just God's acceptance and spiritual gifts--but everything we have (NATURAL
TALENTS; INTELLIGENCE; PHYSICAL ASSETS; PERSONALITY; EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY;
FINANCIAL MEANS; SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE) has been given to us by God. The
proper response which shows we're seeing clearly is to humbly thank
God—and then to do something else . . .
As your own property to be used for yourself—or as a trust from
God to be used for his purposes?
Not only did the Corinthians boast about their spiritual gifts; they
also used them for their own selfish enjoyment. When we get into chapters
12-14, we'll see Paul rebuking them for this. He has to remind them
that God entrusted them with these gifts for a purpose—so that
they could have the privilege to build up his church (12:7; 14:26).
That's the way Paul viewed his tremendous resources (see 1 Cor. 4:1;
9:16,17).
America, including most American Christians, has almost totally lost
sight of this viewpoint. Material resources, natural talents, etc. are
all viewed as mine exclusively, and to be used the way I see fit to
advance my own personal agenda for my happiness. This demonstrates serious
spiritual self-deception.
Our focus should not be "How much more do I have than others?"
but rather "How faithful am I in using God's resources for his
purposes?" Commit yourself to use them as STEWARDS in the cause
of Christ.
What is your assessment of your spiritual progress? (vs 8,16,17)
Are you a "know-it-all" who has arrived—or a "life-long
learner?"
Read vs 8a. Even though they had only been Christians for 2,3 years,
they projected the attitude that they needed nothing more in their spiritual
lives—they had arrived. They didn't need anything Paul had to say.
They were looking down at him from their thrones, asking him when he
was going to attain to their level!
But to be a disciple of Christ by definition means to be a "learner."
We have received the truth from Jesus, and we may have understood some
key portions of it, but we should be life-long learners from him.
We should never confuse our spiritual position with our spiritual
progress. The Bible says that we receive every spiritual blessing
the moment we receive Christ. But we'll spend a lifetime learning
about those blessings and how to appropriate them in our lives.
The Bible says we become perfectly and permanently acceptable to
God the moment we receive Christ, but we never reach complete conformity
to Christ in this life (Phil. 3:12-14). This is why the one who is
making progress spiritually is also the one who keeps seeing ever
more clearly how far he/she has to go.
Do you get offended by and reject spiritual direction—or do you
seek it out and receive it?
Very few Christians would actually say "I have arrived."
But one way we can tell if this is actually our attitude is how we respond
to sound spiritual direction from others. Paul knew they had this attitude
because of their response to his input.
QUALIFY: We shouldn't be spiritually gullible—that's a good
way to get deceived. We must evaluate all spiritual input in light
of the Bible.
Many Christians are this way. They are offended at such input ("How
dare you tell me how to live my life!") instead of prayerfully
considering it in light of scripture.
But when was the last time you got an important spiritual course correction
from another Christian? If you have trouble remembering, what does this
mean? This is why part of Paul's remedy for them is to send Timothy
to learn from (vs 16,17). This is something we should not only respond
to when it comes our way; we should also seek it out.
What do you expect in this life for following Christ? (vs 8b-13)
Do you expect social esteem and prestige—or are you willing to
endure social scorn and rejection?
Do you expect material and physical ease—or are you willing to
endure suffering and hardship?
Paul uses an image that must have really brought the Corinthians up
short. Read vs 9. When a Roman general won a battle, he was permitted
to lead his army through the streets and be honored by the people and
the emperor as victor. This parade was called a Triumph. But at the
end of the parade were the captives who were on their way to the arena,
condemned to die there by being thrown to the wild beasts as they provided
entertainment for the Romans.
The Corinthians expected to be like the Roman general now. They wanted
the perks of victory; they wanted the prestige and honor from their
society. This is something Christians will experience in the next
life, when Jesus returns as the reigning King. But Paul says in this
life, our proper role is that of the gladiators! He details their
differing roles in vs 10-13 (read). He didn't usually get rave reviews;
he got scorn (vs 10,13b). He didn't usually have a soft life; he had
hardships attendant with the ministry (vs 11-12a). He didn't reserve
the right to repay his enemies in kind; he made room for God's future
judgment and tried to respond redemptively (vs 12b-13a). By insisting
on playing the role of the general, they were betraying Christ!
Many Christians today have bought into the lie that we should expect
the blessing of the next life in this life, that the Christian life
should be all gain and no pain; all victories and no losses; all joy
and no sorrow.
In part, this is because our culture tells us that life should
be this way, and Christians have been conformed to this. In our
culture, there is no greater value than comfort and pleasure. There
is no cause worth suffering for. If you can't get what you want
when you want it, it must be somebody else's fault that we can sue
for damages.
Christians have also created theologies to justify this "triumphalism."
The result is a soft, self-indulgent and self-centered Christianity
which boasts great numbers but has very little impact on society.
HEALTH & WEALTH: As "children of the King," we
should enjoy physical health and material prosperity.
POLITICAL TRIUMPHALISM: We should be advancing God's rule by
taking over politically and routing God's enemies. We need to
get the respect of the "movers and shakers" to do this.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE TRIUMPHALISM: We should expect dramatic
spiritual experiences as normative in the Christian life.
But this isn't what God has called us to do in this life. The disciples
wanted to follow Jesus into Jerusalem to be crowned as king, but he
said "Take up your cross and follow me." He didn't come
the first time to conquer and rule the world; he came to suffer and
die for it so lost people could be saved. And the church is supposed
to follow in his footsteps.
It isn't just that we shouldn't expect to be spared the difficulties
of living in a fallen world. It is that we should be willing to
take up additional sufferings which we could avoid, so that the
life of Christ can get out there to other people (2 Cor. 4:8-12).