Epistles of Paul 32

Well, good evening, brethren. The Church in Corinth reflects a church which has been called out from a sinful society. And in a sense, it is very much like today. We in our society today are in a downward spiral of moral decay in the society. I was surprised when I heard in the news recently about a biology teacher teaching about chromosomes XX and XY.

And because of that teaching, he ended up being expelled. Obviously, the situation is now going through a court. But it just shows how society has gone to such a moral decay that just teaching plain, simple biology and reality of chromosomes, a person ends up being expelled from school. So it really, everything is upside down.

But Corinth was a church that was in a very, very sinful society. And the analogy today is we are in a similar situation. So because of that, people were coming into the church and they had different ideas, different problems, different challenges, as we will see in future studies on the Book of Corinth. And at the beginning, Paul pleads to the Corinthian brethren to be united, to be in unity, to be in unity, to be speaking the same thing so that there would be no divisions or factions among them. He highlights that only with God's Holy Spirit can we really grasp spiritual truths. So Paul addresses that. And he then discusses that the problem in Corinth was what we would call today pure carnality.

Brethren were having a carnal approach, a carnal way approach. There was a lot of situations of envy, of strife, and therefore of divisions. Our conduct in God's church must be one that we are building the church, we're building with godly works, godly works that stand up various trials, and we are therefore to remain faithful till the end. And that's why Paul reflects about works, godly works, which are of gold, silver, and precious stones. And then he then goes on and moves forward to say that it is easy to deceive ourselves thinking that we are wise in this age.

And then he says that the wisdom of this world is but foolishness to God. We need to have Christ's mind if Christ is in us. So that basically is a summary, a very brief summary, of the first three chapters of Corinth. Today we're going to discuss chapter four. As we said, as I mentioned earlier, Paul is dealing with a church which he was given the responsibility by God to start, to initiate.

And these brethren were very fleshly oriented, fleshly minded. And one of the things they were doing, they were accusing him and giving Paul—let's put it in modern language—giving him a hard time. So let's just read in 1 Corinthians chapter four and verse one. And then he says, Let a man so consider us. So he is now saying that even though they're giving him a hard time, he says they should consider the ministry, or in this case, the apostles, as servants of Christ and stewards of the ministries of God.

Now, the word servants in this specific instance, in chapter four, verse one, is the Greek word 5257, which are the people, or which were the people that were rowing in the galleys of the boats, right at the bottom, the bottom row, which meant that those were slaves, which hardly saw the sun of light, the light of sun—let's put it this way—and they were really the bottom of the slaves. And so we as ministers are servants of Christ.

In other words, we are slaves. We are to be servants of Christ, but on the other side, we are to be stewards. A steward is one that is entrusted and responsible for the the entire household of God.

So we, towards we as ministers of God, towards you as brethren, we are servants. We are to serve you, but at the same time, we are entrusted and responsible for God's mysteries. So God's mysteries does not mean that we have a liberty to create mysteries and say that this is a mystery of God. This is what happened with, for instance, in a world when people created a so-called mystery called Trinity, and they say, well, it's a mystery of God.

No, we're not to create our own mysteries. These are God's mysteries. It's what God gives us as previously not revealed, but now is being revealed. And so he is saying that God's ministers are not to be seen as lords, as dictators, because we are servants, but the brethren are to give you to them as sent by God for God's word, sake. So the brethren are to receive these treasures that God gives us through his ministry, as sent by God, to explain, expound a bit more about God's way of life.

Let's just look at an example of stewards, where he talks about stewards in the Bible. One example is in Luke 12. Luke 12, and we're going to read verse 42, starting in verse 42. Luke 12, verse 42, he says, And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward? We are to be faithful and wise stewards, whom his master will make ruler of his household, to give them the portion of food in the in due season.

So we are to give God's household, God's people, God's children, the children of God, and of whom we also children, but he's given us that responsibility as stewards to give food in due season, which is, spiritually speaking, messages and instructions that come from God. And then in verse 43, he says, Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. And so we as stewards have to be doing the job that God has given us to do, regardless of good and bad times, we gotta keep doing it.

And then in verse 45, But if that servant says in his heart, My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants. So if we start acting beyond what God wants us to act, because God wants us to be servants, in other words, under rowers serving the church, if we are now maltreating the brethren, we gotta be very careful. And obviously, the principle is applicable to us all. And so we gotta be committed all the time and not think that, oh, well, this has been like this all the time.

And it's just another wave. This is not another wave, brethren. The world is in a moral decay, in a spiral down, and we at the time is very, very short. I keep saying that, and I hope we all take it seriously, because time is very short. There's another scripture about stewards that I want to look at as well. And that's in 1 Peter, chapter 4.

1 Peter, chapter 4. And they will read starting, you know, well, let's start from verse 7. It says, but the end of all things is at hand. Therefore be serious and watchful, in not your prayers. So as I was mentioned, time is short, the end of all things at hand. And it says, above all things, have fervent love, outgoing concern for one another.

For love, outgoing concern, covers a multitude of sins. So be hospitable to one another without grumbling. In verse 10, as each one has received a gift, as each one has received a gift, we all have received certain gifts, certain talents, certain skills from God. And it says, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. So as we receive gifts, let us minister, serve.

And that goes back to what we're reading in Corinthians, that we are to be servants like under rowers, and serve as good stewards of the manifold graces of God. In other words, the gifts that God has given us, the talents, as good stewards we are to serve with those talents. And then it says, if anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies.

That in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. So we are to serve with our gifts as good servants to edify the body of Christ. So let's continue in 1 Corinthians, but chapter 4, verse 2 now. Moreover, it is regarded in stewards that one be found faithful. It is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

We need to be faithful stewards. Ministers as servants and stewards need to be faithful because we are dealing with God's people and helping people in a way to salvation. So we've got to be very careful how we do what we do because we need to be faithful with God's Word. A good example of being faithful to everything that was given to him as a responsibility is in Genesis, chapter 39, when we read the story about Joseph.

So let's look at Genesis, chapter 39. Genesis 39. Joseph was a very faithful man and he are in verse 1 of Genesis 39. Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard and Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. And the Lord was of Joseph and he was a successful man and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, with Joseph, and that the Lord made all that he, Joseph, did to prosper in his end.

So Joseph found favor in his sight and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house and all that he had put under his authority. So Joseph was an overseer of everything in his house and all that he had, he put under his authority. So it was from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had that the Lord blessed the Egyptians' house for Joseph's sake.

And the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. So yeah, we have Joseph as a steward and he had responsibility over the fields, over these finances, over the education of the children, everything. And we, likewise, as ministers, we need to be faithful. Now we all, in one way or another, we have gifts.

So not just the ministers, we all as members in the Church are being trained to be kings and priests in the world tomorrow. So we all are being trained in one form or another to lead either in our professions today or with certain tasks that we are assigned in the Church. Or we will be leading and teaching in all tomorrow.

So all this is a training round. And so it's for all of us as stewards of whatever responsibility to be given. Maybe we're deacon and we have certain responsibilities. We need to be faithful to those responsibilities. Even if we don't have a title of deacon, we could be serving and we could be given certain responsibilities or tasks to do. We need to be faithful in those. And obviously we know that. But then we continue here in verse 3. And it says, but with me, it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by human court.

You see, I have done, I have done, it says, I have done nothing wrong. I have done nothing wrong. I'm not aware that I've done anything wrong, says. But I need to be judged, that I should be judged by you or by human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. So I'm not even judging myself. But my responsibility, going back to verse 1, is to be a steward of the mysteries of God. Now, what are the mysteries of God?

It is important for us to understand that very briefly. A mystery is something that God is showing us through divine revelation. Something which was previously hidden. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 4. It says, well, let's read verse 3. How that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I've briefly written already, by which when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

Which in other ages, verse 5, was not made known to the sons of man, as it has now been revealed through God's Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. And so why? So that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the Gospel. So the mystery, this divine revelation of the kingdom of God, which started being preached by Christ, Christ came to preach the kingdom of God.

And the apostles and we are continuing the preaching of that kingdom. There is an enormous mystery in this understanding. The mystery of the whole plan of salvation, because that is a mystery to the world and to us that we it's been revealed to us and we're starting to explain to a few people. This is the mystery that has been revealed.

And so this mystery is about the very kingdom of God, which, as he explains here in verse 6 of Ephesians 3, is not just limited to physical Israelites. It's the whole world. It's to Israelites and Gentiles, that we are going to be partakers of the promise in Christ through this good news, this wonderful revelation of this mystery.

And so God's plan of salvation, which is revealed to us through God's holy days, and we have a blessing in the church to practice God's holy days.

And practicing God's holy days helps us to understand their meaning. You know, I've come across people as I travel in other countries that they claim, well, well, we believe in God's holy days, but they don't really practice them. And because they don't really practice them, they don't understand them.

They really don't understand them. And the beauty of God's plan revealed through his holy days and understood when we practice God's holy days, we really understand God's plan. And part of that plan, which starts obviously with Christ's suffering, and us making a commitment and receiving God's Holy Spirit to be sanctified, to be regenerated and sanctified, the sanctification of the Spirit, for us to remain faithful as we grow and overcome till the end, till Christ comes. And then the expulsion of Satan from being the God of this world, Christ's ruling on the world, bringing us the millennia. And then the wonderful, wonderful truth of the eighth day, or the last great day, where we understand that all that humanity that did not understand and it was never called, will have their first opportunity that they never had. That is such a blessing. That is such a blessing to understand this plan of God. And obviously it looks even that last great day even looks beyond that for eternity. So it is a wonderful, wonderful plan that God's given us.

But what we find in this world, we have Satan's Holy, called holidays. Not holy days, but holidays. Satan's holidays blinding the world, the society of this wonderful plan. And not only that, all the lies and false teachings and false doctrines which blinds the world of the truth. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 4, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 4.

It's talking about the minds of people who are perishing, which minds or whose minds the God of this age, which has Satan, has blinded. Satan has blinded people's minds who do not believe lest the light of the gospel, of the good news of Christ's glory, who is the image of God, should shine on them, should shine on us, so that the good news of the kingdom of God, of what Christ is, and he's going to be the king, and he's going to bring us this wonderful world tomorrow, which is basically this all wonderful plan of salvation that God has, which is depicted by his holidays. That light, that understanding, is being blinded by Satan, the God of this age. So Satan blinds. Now God allows Satan and uses Satan as an instrument. You know, since the days of Adam and Eve, when Adam and Eve rejected the fruit of the tree of life and rather chose the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in other words, they decided for themselves what is right and wrong, instead of trusting and believing in God what is right and wrong, because God tells us what's right and wrong through his principles and his laws and his commandments, so that we may have eternal life, but when we decide for ourselves what is right and wrong and we start picking and choosing, in other words, a little bit of good and a bit of evil mixed, that just brings suffering, pain, and ultimately death. So Satan blinds us like he blinded Adam and Eve. Satan blinds us for what reason? To destroy us. Satan blinds us to destroy us. Now, God allows us to be blind. Let's also understand that. Why? To save us. It's different. You see, Satan blinds us to destroy us.

God allows it to save us. How is that? Well, look at Romans 11. Romans 11. And starting in verse 7, it says, What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but elect has obtained, and the rest were blinded. God allowed Israel. The Israelites to be blinded, just as it's written. God has given them a spirit of stupid eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear to this very day. Israel, to this very day, is still blinded. And David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block, and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they do not see and bow down and bow down their backaways.

Verse 11. I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Did God allow this blindness on Israel that they would be destroyed? Certainly not. But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. And verse 12. Now, if their fall is riches for the world and their failure reaches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? You see, their fullness, they will understand one day. And that is the meaning of that eighth day, that lost great day, which I mentioned a little while ago. Now, jump a little bit further down in verse 25 of Romans 11. Verse 25. For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery. You see, yeah, it's the mystery, the mystery of God. Lest you should be wise in your own opinion that blindness, in part, has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.

Comes in as part of the leaders to be in the world tomorrow, as part of those first fruits that will be part of those that will reign as the top echelon of God's government at Christ's coming. And then he says, verse 26, and so all Israel will be saved. After that, after that first resurrection, then all Israel will be saved during the millennium. And in the second resurrection, they will be given the chance, those that have died, the chance that they never had. And he says, the deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

Jacob being Israel. And for this is my covenant with them, when I take away the sin.

And then read a little bit further down in verse 32. For God has committed them all to disobedience, in other words, to this blindness and being disobedient through blindness. Why? That he might have mercy on all. You see, God allows us to be blind, allows mankind to be blind, to save mankind, to show mercy. Satan wants to blind people to destroy them.

And God, at the appropriate time, he will reveal this mystery, the truth.

And verse 33, he says, Oh, the depths of the reaches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.

So God, as we continue now in 1 Corinthians chapter 4, God is made as ministers, as stewards of these mysteries. But these mysteries are for the good of the people ultimately, and when he will reveal them as he reveals it. And so a steward, a minister, needs to be faithful in these matters so that these principles come across clearly and the people understand. And then he says, Paul, as I was reading in verse 3, he says, There's nothing people can accuse me, or even in a court of law, they can't accuse me. And in fact, I don't even judge myself, because his intent has been right and he's right.

And also, there's nothing that could accuse him, and he's not justifying himself, because we are ultimately justified by Jesus Christ. And then he reads in verse 4, For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not judged by this, but he who judges me is the world. It's Christ that judges us. He looks at our intents of our hearts, at how we say or what we do, and we will be ultimately judged by Jesus Christ when he comes. Verse 5, Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes. In other words, God knows our hearts. He will ultimately judge us when he comes, when Christ comes. And he says, who, when he comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the castles of the hearts, then each one's praise will come from God. In other words, we will then be rewarded from God, not based on visible works, but based on character, on true motives, on what's in our minds, what's in our hearts, what's our intents, what are we like inside? And only God knows that. Only God knows that.

So, they were judging Paul for what he said, and then as it says in Romans chapter 2 verse 1, when you judge others, you are inexcusable because you do the same thing. You see, so they were judging Paul because of statements that he was doing about that we justified by faith, not by deeds of the law of works, of the ceremonial law, or by circumcision, because he was saying, hey, we are going to be judged by how are we circumcised in the heart. That's what he was emphasizing, yeah, and then continue now in verse 6. Now, these things brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself an epollos for your sake, because they were saying, well, some of you are appalled, some of you are appalled, and he is saying, well, some have planted, some have watered. So, yeah, indeed. So, I accept those responsibilities being transferred to me as one of us is a planter, one of us is a waterer, you know, that's fine. That you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. So, we're all servants, we're all doing a job, we all should not be comparing ourselves one against another, but they were puffed up. It was they were arrogant. They had different attitudes that made them feel arrogant and granted. We all have different talents, we all have different gifts and abilities, and God does give us different gifts, different talents, different spiritual gifts, overall, to edify the church as a whole.

For instance, some people may have gifts or talents of singing well, others may have a gift or a talent, or being able to explain things in a clear way, others may have different talents. They're all gifts from God. Some may be able to understand other languages and be able to translate and communicate that effectively in other languages to serve the church. So, it's all from God.

And so, God is sharing with us his different talents and skills, which he has, and he's giving some to one person and some to another. And that's what he says here in verse 7, for who makes you differ from another? It's God. God makes you different from another because God's given you certain talents and God's given me other talents, and it all comes from God. And what do you have that you did not receive? Yeah, we have certain talents, we have certain gifts, we have certain abilities, we all received it from God. Now, if you did indeed receive it, yeah, because indeed we have, so we have received it, then why do you boast as if you do not receive it? You see, why are you being puffed up? Because it's only a gift from God, and so you have certain talents, it's a gift from God. And then he kind of gets a bit sarcastic, yeah, in verse 8, by saying, you are already full, you are already rich. In other words, you are spiritually full, you are spiritually rich, aren't you? Well, at least they thought so, in their opinion.

And that reminds us of the situation of the loudest seance. You are increased with goods and rich, and then God says, I counsel you to buy from me gold tried in the fire. And that's what God is looking at. God is looking at godly, righteous character. Character that is like a golden character, godly character, righteous. That's what God wants. So he says, you have reigned as kings without us. In other words, you are boasting about the talents you have that God's given you, and you, because of that, you are becoming more important than others, you're getting a big head. And indeed, Paul says, I could wish you did reign. In other words, I wish that we're already in the kingdom, that you were serving others in the different capacities that God has in mind for you, that God has planned for you, and that you would be serving as true servers, as we mentioned earlier on, as being those that there are the servants at the bottom of the boat, of the galley, the undergird servers, the ones that roll right at the bottom. And therefore, he says here in verse 8, you have reigned as kings without us. It was in your attitude. And indeed, I wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you. It was a really look for word to the kingdom of God, where we're going to serve under Christ. And we're all saints. We're going to serve under Christ, we're going to reign in the kingdom of God. And so your wish is that the kingdom of God would already be there. So that's what he's saying. And then in verse 9, for I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, lost as men condemned to death. The apostles have been, and we know they were displayed as a spectacle, as a theater. Think about those Roman theaters or those Roman situations in which they had people being thrown to beasts, to wild beasts, to be torn apart by wild beasts, for entertainment of the spectators, barbarianism. And that was like a gazing stock to amuse the populace, the people, a spectacle.

And so he says, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, lost as men condemned to death.

We are in this world like those condemned to death, thrown into the ring, into those Roman theaters, for gratification of the spectators. So we apostles, in the end, they all, Bar-John, had to die being crucified or having to suffer in one way or another, and had to die for the truth. And then he says, for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

You see, the apostles were looked at by angels, and they learned from what they saw and how the apostles gave themselves of their lives for the truth and for the gospel. Let's look at a few verses about that. The first one I want to look at is in 1 Timothy, chapter 16.

1 Timothy, chapter 3, verse 16.

It says, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.

God was manifested in the flesh, that is Christ. God was manifested in the flesh.

He was justified in the spirit. He didn't do anything wrong. So he was justified.

And this was seen by angels. Angels saw it. That was then preached amongst the Gentiles.

He is believed on in the world and received up in glory. You see, so angels were observing and seeing what Christ did. Now let's look also at Ephesians chapter 3.

Ephesians chapter 3 verse 10.

And it's talking out, well let's read, talking out in starting in verse 9. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable reaches of Christ. And verse 9. And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Christ Jesus. So this mystery had been eaten, but it's now being revealed. Verse 10. To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known, revealed by the church, by the church, by the apostles, by the church, to whom? To angels. In other words, to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

So what's happening to the church is actually a learning lesson to angels and seeing how God is doing things. According to the eternal purpose, which he accomplished in Christ Jesus, our Lord, he knew him with boldness and an excess with confidence through faith in him. So what God is doing, what God is did by God coming down and in the form of Christ, the God being that came and became flesh and by him giving his life and his blood and suffering for us. And then what the apostles are doing and the church is doing and what's happening in the church are lessons also to angels. And look at also at first Peter chapter 1 verse 12. First Peter chapter 1 verse 12.

It says, to them it was ...

Yeah, so let's just read a little bit in the context here. It's saying, of this salvation verse 10, the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating, which is the Spirit of God, there's only one Spirit, the Spirit of God's Spirit, which is also the Spirit of Christ as we read in Romans as well, who was in them, was indicating when he testified before and the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. You see, so those prophets were trying to understand these prophecies a little bit better. And then in verse 12, to them it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us, they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit's sand from heaven, things which angels desire to look into. And so things are now being revealed that were hidden mysteries of God, which even angels are seeing these things developing prophecies being fulfilled. And even angels are respecting and admiring the power and the wisdom of God. So let's continue then in 1 Corinthians chapter 4. We were reading in 1 Corinthians chapter 4.

Verse 9, for I think that God has displayed us, the apostles lost, as men condemned to death, for we have been a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We, verse 10, are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. And so he's being a bit sarcastic. You are distinguished, but we are dishonored. To the present hour, we both hunger and thirst. And we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless. The apostles, you think about Paul, many times he was beaten and thrown out and as if he didn't have a home. And we labor, working with our own hands. I mean, Paul could very clearly say, Paul could very clearly say, life is not fair. Really could say, life is not fair.

Because he was a spectacle, he was, they had to die. So this is being defamed.

I said, being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the outscoring of all things until now. Is that fair?

But, you know, if we suffer with Christ, as we read in Romans 8, we'll be glorified with him as well.

Verse 14, I do not write these things to shame you. Paul is saying, I'm not writing this to embarrass you, to shame you, but as my beloved children, I warn you. I admonish you. As my beloved children, as a loving father, he's not giving himself a title. He's just saying, as a dad, as one that is taking care of you as the church. He's not giving himself a title, but he's saying, as my beloved children, I admonish you. I warn you. I encourage you.

In other words, remember these things. This is important. Verse 15, For though you might have 10,000 instructors in Christ, oh yeah, you've got a lot of people out there claiming Christ is our Savior. You have thousands of people talking about that, yet you don't have many that really care for you as fathers. For in Christ, I have begotten you through the Gospel. Through the Gospel, I have been instrumental in helping you to know the truth, to receive the truth, and to receive God's Holy Spirit, and to be begotten by God's Holy Spirit.

In a sense, I have a little role, not big, a little role in helping you to be children of God. Therefore, I urge you, I urge you, imitate me. I plead with you, imitate this kind, loving spirit, attitude as servants, as those that are under rowers, servants of Christ, but also stewards of the mysteries of God, as we read in verse 1. So I urge you, imitate me. For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful Son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ. He will remind you of these guidelines, these principles, this way of discipline of teaching that I am applying in all the churches, says Paul, and applying to you as well in Corinth. He says, I remind you of my ways, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. So I'm not treating you differently, Corinth. This is my approach of teaching, of caring for other congregations. That's what I'm doing. That's my approach.

Or he says, my way, my approach of doing it. Then he continues. Now, some are buffed up. Some of you are arrogant. As though we're not coming. Some are saying, well, Paul said he was going to come and visit us, but he's lying, he hasn't come, he's not going to come. See, as though I were not coming to you. Verse 19, but I will come to you shortly. If the Lord, if God wills, if God wills, I will know by God's power, by his open doors, I will know not the war of those who are buffed up, but the power. I will know through God's power that yeah, it's the right time and then I'll go. For the kingdom of God is not war, but in power. The kingdom of God is power. There's power behind the gospel of truth, the gospel, the kingdom of God. And what you want?

Shall I come to you with a rod? Or in other words, shall I come to you and the Greek word that is with, is actually the Greek word is in. Shall I come to you in displeasure to exercise the rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? Because he's saying, I've got the authority to do so, but I want to come to you in love and a spirit of gentleness. And so next week we'll then start going into some of the very specific problems that they add in in Corinth. So thank you so much, brethren, for this study. And until next week.