SNT 0241 Stewards of the Mystery: 1 Corinthians 3:21-23
Stewards of the Mystery: September 3, 1967
1 Corinthians 3:21-23
Explains what it is to be stewards.
SNT – 241
Format: audio
Publication Date: 09-03-1967
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
1Co 3:21-23; 4:1; 15:51, 52; Rom 11:25; 2Th 2:7, 1Ti 3:9, 16; Eph 4:11-14
Rom 13:1-4; 1Co 4:2, 3; (Eph 4:11-14); Psa 138:2; Rev 1:10
1Co 4:4-8; 1:29, 30; Rom 4:25; 5:1; 8:30-39
1Co 4:8-21
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DRAFT
snt-0241_stewards-of-the-mystery_1-Cor-3-21_4-21(vpw)
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: mysteries, Word, God, Christ, church, ministers, man, ministries, stewards, greatness, lord, Paul, Corinthians, called, power
The Book of Corinthians as you people so well know who said under our teaching ministries, you know that the book of Corinthians was addressed to the church to correct the practical error that had crept into the church because of the failure of adherence to the great revelation given in the book of Romans. Here in the fourth chapter of Corinthians, First Corinthians where I want to teach tonight, I have to go back to the third chapter, and the last few verses to pick up the essence and the impact of this fourth chapter. So if you have your Bibles, look at chapter three, verse 21. Therefore, let no man glow rate in men, the word glory is to boast, let no man boast in men. You and I are surrounded today where everybody is boasting about men, or they know this man or they know that man, or they belong to this type of group in the top echelon of business or in society. The Word of God here in Corinthians, and you'll see later on why it is stated this late. Let no man glory in men, for all things are yours. If All things are yours, then you will not need to glory and men you've got someplace else that you can go ring. whether Paul or a palace or see PFASs, or the world or life or death, or things present are things to come, all are yours, and ye are what Christ and Christ is God's while bless your little wonderful heart. If you are Christ, if you are Christ's, and Christ is in you, and Christ says, God, man, what are you and I lacking? Nothing, nothing. And we do not need to rely upon men. We do not need to rely upon the postings of men. All we need to do is to come back to God and rely upon the greatness of God's revelation to his people in the church. Tonight we're going to see some of the greatness of that revelation in the fourth particular chapter of Corinthians. little while ago, I was thinking with Mr. Bolen as he led our group here in prayer he sent me or at least on my desk this week appeared a work that he had written, I'll give it back to you after the teaching, and I have gone over it. It's a wonderful thing. He wrote it in response to the questions that people had been asking him, what is the way ministry? What does it stand for? What does it teach, and perhaps you are as much responsible for my message tonight and my inspiration as anything this week, because when I read this, I thought of the greatness of this written here in First Corinthians, chapter four, let a man so account of us, as of the Ministries of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, a man saw account of us as ministers of Christ, those of us who teach those of us who are responsible for the ministries that God has set into the church, we who are responsible for these ministries, we have to be stewards of the mysteries of God. A man is not a minister, for the Lord Jesus Christ, except God calls him right, he must be called of God, then he becomes a minister of or for Christ.
03:49
I do not minister the word because it's going to be well pleasing to the world or to society. Because we do not glory in men, we do not boast in men, we do not boast that we have so many million in our fellowship, we do not boast that we have so many great businessmen, so many bankers, so many professional man, so many men that are governors rollers, we don't need the most as ministers of Christ. We're ministers for Christ. And we are stewards of the mysteries of God. We're stewards. You know what a steward is, his wind who carries out the job of the man who hired him, the man who called him if you have a steward, a servant in your home, that steward is responsible to carry out any efficient stewardship. Now as a minister for Christ, the word that God says, we are to be stewards of the mysteries of God, the mysteries of God. We are accountable to God. And we might we are the stewards to caretakers. And if I do not take good care of those mysteries, or if I do not even know that they're there, if I don't understand them, I could never be a good steward, for Christ, of the mysteries understand. We are as ministers for Christ to be stewards of the mysteries. The word mysteries is divine secrets. The Greek word is the word mr. own. The word mr. own means that which is kept secret. Once it is revealed, it's no longer a secret. But when God had not yet revealed it, it was still a mystery. There are a number of so called mysteries in the Bible. These were mysteries all through the centuries, until God revealed them through Christ Jesus later to the apostle Paul, take a look at the 15th Chapter of First Corinthians. I'll just read a few with you here, just to show you that the word what the word mystery and how it relates itself, to the church, in the 15th Chapter of First Corinthians, in verse 51. Behold, I show you a watt, mystery, as long as he had not shown it, then it was still a watt, a deep, dark secret of mystery, it was not made known. But once he shows it, once the evidence is once he declares it, it is no longer a mystery. Now he's going to tell us what this mystery was. I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be what changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound in the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. This is part of this mystery. If you read down further, the mystery explains itself. This is talking about the Lord's return, the first part of His Second Coming, how the dead in Christ shall rise first, and those which are alive at that time shall be changed. Peter said to you earlier this evening that we had talked this morning, about working, like if Christ had not come, would not come for 2000 years yet believing you might come this very moment. If a person believed you might come this very moment, you know what the human nature would do? You'd all quit work, and you'd we'd go on the house tops and care and white phrase arrival. No Man, No, it's the day or hour of His return. So we work with every fiber of our being with every part in our souls to make the greatness of God's word living in real life as if he isn't coming for 1000 years, knowing, however, that he could come this very moment. These. This is one of the mysteries among others in the Word of God in Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11. In verse 25, it says, For I would not brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the time the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, there is another one of the mysteries which was revealed. Now remember, we are stewards as ministers, we are stewards of the mysteries of God, we are the stewards to caretakers. And if I'm going to be a caretaker, the mystery of God, I better know that mystery and I better write native, I don't know better teach it accurately, or I'm not a good steward, not a good steward.
08:42
Over in second, Thessalonians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonian Second Thessalonians chapter two verse seven, talks about the mystery of iniquity doth already work. Only here now let us well let until he be taken out of the way. Here he's talking about another mystery of that iniquity, the mystery of that iniquity, that evil one that's at work, and then if you follow it through it, tell you exactly how he operates. This is why it says we're not ignorant of Satan's devices. Over in First Timothy chapter three, just a page over so to the back further. Verse nine, holding the mystery, the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, pure conscience with a sound mind holding the mystery of the faith of the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is ours in Christ holding this what is involved in it, holding all of this with a sound mind. If we have an imperfect knowledge of God's word, it refers to it as an unknown sound mind. It's a sound mind because of the accuracy and the greatness of God's wonderful word in verse 16, of this same chapter of First Timothy chapter three, verse 16. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh, justified in spirit, scene of angels, preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glue. These are some just listings of a few of the mysteries. The greatest mystery is, of course, the mystery of the church that he mentioned in these, one of these things, places, the mystery of the Church, which was kept hidden secret in God until it was made manifest under the apostle Paul, of what the church really is, that it's Christ in you, the hope of glory, and that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and have the same body. We are ministers as First Corinthians For sales for Christ. And Stuart's, we're stewards, caretakers of the mysteries of God. Now, suppose I wrongly divide the Bride of Christ in the gospels, from the body of Christ in the church epistles. And if I would say that the pride of the Gospels is identical with the body, of believers of the church epistles, I am not a good steward of the mysteries of God. We are to be stewards of the mysteries, we who are called are to be this, and there are only five ministries in the church in Ephesians, Chapter Four in verse 11, a very familiar passage, so those of you who have been in the foundational classes in verse 11, of Ephesians, four it says, And he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, the born again believers, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying the building of the Body of Christ. Until verse 13, we all come into unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God, onto a perfect man, under the major the stature of the fullness of grace, that we be no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the side of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to DC, there are the five ministries. Now we as ministers, for Christ, have to have one or more of these ministries else, we have never been called the God. And when a man is called a God, he will have one of those ministries of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher, one or more. Now, these are the ministers for Christ. And these ministers for Christ, they are the stewards. They are the stewards, the caretakers, they are the ones who are responsible for the right dividing of the word and teaching it to God's people properly. We are the ones who are held accountable to God for how we handle the word. We who are in the way biblical Research Ministry, recognize that we perhaps do not know all the word or that even at times we wrongly divided.
13:42
But if we wrongly divided it's not because we're being deceitful. It is just because we do not know any better and haven't learned sufficient. Because there's one thing about God's word here at the way we're concerned about. We never handled the Word of God deceitfully, as Paul said, they did not deliberately make up our mind, we have to teach it this way. So we keep all of you believing a certain way because we are propounding a certain doctrine. That wouldn't be a good steward of the mysteries that belong to the church. It is our responsibility as men of God as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, art teachers, to take the body of believers and to teach to them the greatness and God's Word by being good stewards of that wonderful word. This is why enrollments. Flip back to Romans for a moment page or two back in chapter 13 This chapter has always been taken out of its context and use for government officials has nothing to do with government. Facial is has everything to do with the governing of the church, by the ministers for Christ, who have the ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers are pastors. They are the ones who are responsible to God and to God's faithful. Let every soul, every person, be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power, but of God. Those five ministries are all from God. And these are the higher powers. He's talking about the people in the church. The powers that be are ordained of God. The powers that be not government powers, but powers in the church are among the body of believers, the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, they are ordained. They're called of God. call of God ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisted the power, resisted the men of God who are keeping the mysteries and rightly dividing them. They resist the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. And the word damnation is a word judgment. Kadima in the text, for rulers, verse three, rulers, those who are responsible to the church, the men of God, these rulers of the church are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power, do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same verse For very plainly, for he is the Minister, the Minister of odd to God, for the for good. He's a minister of God to the for good, a minister of God. Now back to Corinthians talking about the same ministers, ministers of Christ. Remember in verse 23, it said, Your Christ in Christ is hope, God's and we are ministers for Christ. We are ministers for Christ, to manifest the greatness of the true God and His power. These are the rulers. These are the ones that God has set in authority in the church, the apostle Paul was one of those. And the apostle Paul, writing by revelation, set the greatness of this fourth chapter of Corinthians For us, that we might be able to walk with the greatness of the power of God. Verse two says of chapter four. Moreover, further than it is required in Stuart's that a man be found lot faithful. That's the requirement, not only to be the steward, the keeper of the mysteries, rightly dividing, but then he remains what? Faithful, what good is it? What good is it for me to rightly divide the Word tonight and tomorrow beyond faithful on the Word of God? What good is it for a person to get warmed up for the Lord Jesus Christ, and a year later, he's coloring a cucumber. What good is he? It takes men that stand on the Word, and they stay standing. The thing that required in a steward is not only to rightly divide the word but to stay faithful faith. This becomes a tremendous reality. If you ever want to read Second Corinthians someplace where it just preceding the authority in the flesh chapter, that's Second Corinthians 11 or 1212, I think it is 12 Seven. Going back to the the 11th chapter, Paul tells about how many times he was beaten five times, three times they beat him besides that with whips that had pieces of bone or metal at the end of the thongs 39 lashes each time. He was shipwrecked, all of these other things he listed. He was faithful. It be found in a steward. The thing that must be found is faithfulness. Once you and I have that word of God, the great important thing is that we stay faithful that we stay put. That's why the ministries were given of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors are teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the building up of the body of the edifying until we all come in the year do you have the faith that we'd be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine? One day, you're in favor of the lay ministry in the Word and the next day, we're out left field that's not being faithful.
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The ministry of the word has to predominate and you have to stay put on God's word not be blown about with every wind of doctrine. Ladies and gentlemen, it's like Tim Somerville prayed or somebody He said it tonight. He thanked God that God had said he's worried about his name. Boy, every time I hear that, it's just like an electric current goes through my whole being. That's what he says in Psalm 138, verse two that he said he's worried about his name. What a wonderful word that is. Now we are stewards as ministers, we are stewards of that word. How can you expect the lay people to walk on the Word of God? If the steward doesn't, right? They divide the word. How can you expect the lay people that sit inside the churches or any other place to walk with that abundant life, if the stewards of those mysteries are never faithful and rightly divided, we've got to not only write the DiVita, but we got to be faithful stewards. This message tonight, I'm sure from the greatness of this word, should touch the depth of all of us, men, that are here in the auditorium with ministries, that people that will be receiving these tapes around the country, hearing this teaching, and I do have ministries in the body. Bless God, you don't walk by yourself in the greatness of God's word, you are with a fellowship of believers, the church is the IS is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It's the whole body of believers, Christ is the head, we are members in particular, and we ministers of Christ must rightly divide the Word and we must remain faithful to the teaching of the greatness of that word, no matter what the cost. If the people laugh at us, if they make fun of us, if they call us names, if they're cruel to us, that cannot deter a minister for Christ, we've got to stay put, if nobody believes they cause the greatness of that word has to live only as men who have ministry stand on that, and do not sell out. This is why I said it's required. And that word required is a real good word. Required. It's required that in a start, that that man be found faithful, verse three. But with me, it's a very small thing that I should be judged to view. The word judged throughout this whole next section is the word examined. Put in question by you. Paul says, you see the church in Corinth was having a little opportunity. Because as you'll see later on, the man of God with the Ministry for Christ was rightly dividing the word he had distinct. As a faithful steward. He was carrying it out. But there was a lot of reaction to this man's ministry. And so this man said to the people in Corinth, it's a very small thing. The words the word small thing in the literal text reads, it's the least with me, it's the least that I should be examined of you are of man's judgment. Yay. He says, I do not even judge myself. Boy, what are tremendous true?
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What if you'll remember, low while ago we began tonight by saying Let no man glory or boast in other men. Now he's coming through it. With me, it's at least thing that I should be examined of you are of any man's judgment, for I don't even judge myself. So a wonderful truth, a wonderful truth. This here of man's judgment is remarkable. Some of you in the center references of your Bible will have the word de da ly, for the word judgment, man's judgment. This is right. The word is day. Or of man's day, who's doing the judging today, man is in the age of the curtain which you and I live man does the judging. He makes the decision. This is man's day. This is why the Bible refers to this period of time from the day of Pentecost, until the return of Christ as man's day, man does the judging. He is supposed to do it according to the accuracy of God's word. But if he doesn't know the accuracy of God's word, he'll do it according to his best senses ability. And that's usually not very good. But this is what we've been doing man's judgment man's day. They have been taking this this way. This is man's day. There will come a time when the Lord's going to do the judging. Not man and Paul sales. It's a small thing for me that I should be examined to you. Or that I should be examined in this day by man ESCO what they think, wow, I want to tell you says I don't even judge myself. I don't even examine myself. We'll see later on why didn't examine himself because of what he had in Christ Jesus, for you should already know this for your Christ and Christ is what God's and if you belong to him, he belongs to God, then you belong to God, then what do you want to judge yourself for? What do you want to exam? What do you want people examine you for regarding this mysteries of stewardship, the greatness of God's wonderful matchless word. I want just to teach tonight also for your edification again, Revelation Chapter One. How we could have ever thought that Revelation Chapter One was Sunday, takes a genius to get so screwed up in the Word of God, I tell you, nobody, nobody with a half an ounce of brains that would read the Word of God and let it set and understand it a little bit as it's written, could ever see anything else, but that it's the Lord's Day. And this is why I think it's in chapter one. Maybe it's someplace else. No, I mean, Peter, I better get back in Revelation where I told you to go. Chapter One, I think it's about verse 10, if I remember correctly, that tried, verse 10, of chapter one of the book of Revelation. I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day. That has nothing to do with Sunday. Nothing whatsoever. Because for those of us who are born again, believers, every day is a holy day to us. We belong to the Lord on Monday as well as on Sunday. And perhaps we belong on Saturday to how's that? There is an all song I hadn't thought of for years, I've got to say centuries, but not quite that long. But boy, it's a it's something about a worshipping on a being or Christian on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, what anybody remember the title of that song?
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What's sad? Is that it? Well, that just right, because every day is holy and us we're not a respecter of days, the word of God says, or of Holy, Holy Days, or of the Sabbath Tsar of new moons, because we are believers, every day. Every day is the Lord, wonderful presence with us. And every day for us, is his day for us to live. Because this is man's period of judgment man's day, and in this day, we live that way. But there is a day coming, which is going to be what, the Lord's day, nothing to do with Sunday or Saturday, but it has everything to do with every day again. And that's the Lord. The word day is the same word that's translated judgment over and Corinthians that's all I'm trying to tell you. It's the day when the Lord is going to do what the judging who does the judging today, man does, but there is a day coming when He the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back. The Bible says he's coming as King of kings and Lord of lords. And in that day, who's going to do the judging he is the Lord's going to do the judging. And that's why it's called the Lord's day, in the book of Revelation. This day, man does the judging and it's called man's day. That's the difference. We're back in Corinthians four, I know verse four. I know nothing by myself. Yet, am I not hereby justified, but he that judges me, is the Lord, for I know nothing by myself. Literally, it should read, I am conscious of nothing against me. For I know nothing by myself. I am not conscious of anything against me. He wasn't conscious of anything against him. You know, what beats us in life is our consciousness. We're conscious of what we've done wrong, or we're conscious of our failures, or we're conscious of our defeats our frustrations, our fears, our worries, our anxiety, it is this consciousness, wherein we examine ourselves, we judge ourselves. And Paul said here in wonderful way to God, I judged not my own self, I'd never judged myself, I never examined myself. As a matter of fact, I am conscious of nothing, which is against me. All I know what people say, well, that's hearty and proud. Whatever it is, it's God's word. If it is then Paul was haughty and proud. And I like to move in the company of Paul. He believed big. He walked big. He had great revelation. And I'd rather move in the in his company than moving all the unbelief of the intellectual stupidity in the world. I'll bet on this one. This is the greatness of God's Word. The Scripture says, we passed from death into life, or bless God, then why don't we act like it? Why do we allow people to examine us? All said, it's the least, that any man should examine you. Far. No Man, No man who knows what he is in Christ, both of other men. far we are Christ, Christ is God's. All that God is is in Christ is in you. And because this is true in your life, as a believer, you do not allow people to examine or judge you in this man's day. Nobody even judge or examine yourself. Why? Because as far as God is concerned, you are not to even have a consciousness of anything which is against you. You know why? Because I want God did in Christ Jesus. Let me read it to you write the book, but it's in here first Corinthians chapter one, verse 30. We better read 29 That no flesh should glow rate boast in his watt presence. I'm in chapter one, verse 30. But of him, of him, if you're out someone you have seen in your right of him of God, are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God, who of God is made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. And what? Redemption? Go back a few pages to Romans chapter four. I told you Corinthians was written to correct the practical aired crept into the church because of the failure of adherence to the greatness of the Revelation, the book of Romans, read a little of that revelation. Romans, chapter four, verse 25. Who was delivered talking about Jesus Christ, who was delivered for our what offenses? Our sins were we transgressed, he was delivered for our offenses. He was raised again, for our justification, the literal text reads, He was raised again, when we were justified, that wonderful, well praise the Lord. How can you condemn yourself or be condemned by anyone? If you're a born again, believer walking on that word of God, rightly dividing it? Why do you let men examine you? Don't even examine yourself because you are what the Word of God says you are. You have what the Word of God says you have, you'll be what the Word of God says you'll be. Look at chapter five. Therefore, therefore, you always ask yourself, Why four, because of what God did in Christ Jesus, who when Jesus was delivered for our offenses, and raised again, when we were justified, therefore, being justified by faith, not by my faith, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. We have peace, we've have peace. It says we have it right. Well, if we got it, we got it. Even when you're all a flutter on the inside, and you're shaking like a leaf in the October breeze, on the inside, the Word says, You've got one piece. Boy, what a message to the church today. What a message to the world if the Christians only knew what they have in Christ. Right. We have peace with God, we've got peace with God. We're not at loggerheads. God is an angry at us. He is needing us over the head with a ball back. We're at ot with him peace because of what Jesus Christ wrought for us. Boy on a message to the church. What a message to the heart of a man or a woman who really wants to tap the resources. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ in that wonderful Look at Romans eight. Boy, I'm right here now in this word, where you just open the word for hours to people and show them what Christ did for them what they have what they are. If you want to beat yourself down after tonight, God had mercy on your soul, he'll have to because I won't. Man when that greatness of that word limps. And that power that words made known, what do you want to go around for letting people examine you and judge and put the halter on you and the bridle and then the bit and The chain under the chin and pull you down down now don't you go down with him stand on the word Romans eight verse 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom He called them he also what? justified and whom He justified them he also glorified blast God, you know, I learned something last Sunday night or this week sometime was Thursday night. My friend Kai caught me. She does these things to me occasionally. So to other people. She said, What are you looking for? And I said, I'm looking up for the Lord's return. She said, I'm not I'm looking down. I said, Where did you get that? She said from Peter Wade. I said, Why did my Peter do that Stein? Well, he taught us that we were seated in the heavenlies. With Christ Jesus. Everybody's always looking up right? The word says we're already seated in the heavenlies. You can't look up any higher. You're looking down. You're watching the stupidity of people full of fear, worry, anxieties and frustrations, eaten their little pellets that keep them from jumping too much and others were asleep. That was quite a revelation of my soul. And I've taught that scripture time and time again but I've never gelled with me till chi pulled it on it's not a matter of us look up we're looking down we're seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Not a wonderful man wow you can catch them this week on that you're gonna have a good time. Well, homie, glorify justified them you also want to glorify God bless God, if He called us be sure to call us because we're born again at God's Spirit. Right? Then as far as God is concerned, we're already want glorified. Well, how can any man judge us or examine us or put us under the old yoke? If God has already glorified us?
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What shall we then say to these things? Verse 31, if God before us, who can be what? against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. How shall he not with him? also freely give us what? All things who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? There you have it Romans just like in Corinthians. It is God who justified us. Who is he can that can damage? There is Christ who did what died? Yay rather that is risen again. Who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh what? intercession for that's good, isn't it? Boy, that's a lot better than man's judgment. This is why we need not boast in the way ministry about man, you and I need to boast in the Lord. We need to share the greatness that our God's a big wonderful God and that He is not only able but he is willing to perform that which is Word says that wonderful. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Yes, who shall? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril, or even the cert? As it's written for their sacred killed all of that we may be accounted as sheep in the slaughter by the world? Yes, sir. They may account us like sheep for the slaughter. But the word says no sorry, sir, as far as God is concerned, and we in our walk, nature, in all these things, even in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. far I am persuaded. Verse 38. Persuaded means beyond a shadow of a doubt, I know that I know that I know that I know. far I am persuaded, that neither death nor life nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Man what an enthusiasm that puts in the soul of a boy or a girl a young man or young woman or an adult once they know what they have and what they are in Christ Jesus is now wonderful, Dr. Corinthians haha for I know nothing by myself, I am conscious of nothing by myself, yet Am I not hereby justified? I even though I do not examine myself, it is not that I am thereby justified. It is not I who justified myself It is Christ Jesus who did what justified me. But he who examines me, He who takes me and judges me, he who does the judging as the Lord and the Alright, as already said, he's not going to judge. He has already said that he that when you're born again, I've gotten spiritual past from death under a lot, life and shall never more come into contact. But the judgment that the church is to receive is the word of God says is the judgment of the rewards where the rewards are handed out where these are shared with God's wonderful people. Therefore, Judge nothing, before the lot, time judge nothing, don't examinate who what time, the time of his wad reject when he comes back in the Lord's day, when he does that guy, don't judge anything now, because in Christ, you've already been what judged. Don't let any man's judgment judge Oh, boy, who both until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden thing of darkness, and will make manifest the consoles of the hearts. And then shall every man have praise of whom God according to his works, what he's done for the Lord, how he has worked, the word of God, and so forth. And these things, brethren, I have been a figure transferred to myself and to a palace for your sakes that you might learn in us not to think above that which is written that neither one of you be puffed up for one against another. And this is exactly what had happened in the church. They were puffed up. They got hottie they got proud, a little old group out there said, Well, we know more than that group over there. We can do better than they're doing. They got the old theory divide rule in operation are some
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very seven, four, who make it the two different from another? And what has thou that thou did not receive? Now if thou just receive it, why does stop glory as if thou has not received it? In other words, what he's saying, if you had got it from the man of God, who rightly divided that word, what are you going in? Like as if you never got it from me?
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What's the matter with you? Paul says, Oh, you just wait till he gets to him. He's really headed for it. It's a wonderful boy. It's a great message to the church today.
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Now you're full. They weren't full at all. They were empty as all get out. They've been living on cornstalks. Church, they had walked away from the greatness of the revelation. You know this from First Corinthians chapter 12, those of you in the foundation of classes, how far they were off the beaten track in the operation, the manifestations that the law group got puffed up over there, and they said, Well, we've got it. Paul says to them by the word of God, hmm. Is that right? Now you're full. I was going to give you the figure of speech, and I can't think of it not to figure his speech. It just means the opposite. It's it's that they weren't full at all. They were empty. There were still God's children, but they're out left field home patches of onions or doing something when they shut him in there eating the greatness of God's wonderful fruit than the rightness of His Word. Now you're full, now you're rich, you have now reigned as kings without us. And I would God you're dead rain. That we also might then rain with you. Because if, if you're really dead rain, then the greatness of the word that lives within you, because of the storage of the mysteries that we have been responsible for would live within you. Or I think that God has set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death. Appointed to death literally is in the Scriptures devoted to death. For we are made a spectacle onto the world. To angels to man. The word spectacle we talked about this a little bit this morning, does not mean in a derogatory sense. I forget what this word spectacle is, but we got all the brains sitting back there in Greek and so forth. It's theater. The word spectacle comes from the Greek word I don't remember the word but the word is literally theater. But the word is the the actor on the stage on the theater, in the theater on the stage, and the audience were called this word, whatever it is, forgot the word. But very simply spectacle. Never called spectacles In the old days, we used to call people that weren't weren't glasses. Why do we call those glasses? And thought of that we did. They could see better. Well, these men that are stewards of the mysteries are spectacles on I'm to the world, to angels and demand. And here comes the irony in verse 10. It's another figure of speech and irony. We are fools for Christ's sake. We're fools for Christ's sake. You are so smart, wise in Christ. We are weak and you're so strong. You are honorable. We are despised. See the irony of this thing? It's wonderful isn't even under this present our we both hunger and thirst. Well, why do you think he hungered and thirsted for the greatness of God's word, but because of the greatness of God's Word. He had to sometimes go without eating, he sometimes had to go without drinking. Not because he couldn't have food and he couldn't have had his tea. But it's because of the greatness of the word. Sometimes when you're working with men and women, when we who are responsible in these ministries, physical food is all secondary. The greatness of the word has to take preeminence, because we have to be faithful stewards understand and are naked. Naked, does it mean naked in the sense you think naked, like when you take a bath, it's less clothing, little clothing on the night when the men took Jesus remember that caught on to somebodies clothes or something. And it's he ran away and left it in their hands nice that says he ran away naked. That simply means this great, big wonderful outer garment was gone. And the Bible speaks of people being naked when that's gone. And are naked and are buffeted. buffeted. You know what a buffing wheel is polished off, and have no certain dwelling place. No certain dwelling place did not mean that he had no place where he could lay his head did not mean that he had no place where he could go and sleep. It simply meant that he had no certain dwelling place where night after night, he could go to this house, it was his home, he could stay there. Because men of God have to be able to go anywhere, anytime, anyplace according to God's order. For we have Ministries as apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors, and we can have no certain boiling place. Heater said tonight, VP is just here tonight, next Sunday, he's gone again. That's what this thing's talking about to. That's exactly sure. When I come home, I live over here at this house. But that doesn't mean that tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, if the Lord sent orders down the wait, go there. I'd have to do what I'd have to go.
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This is the greatness of the word. laborer working with our own hands, verse 12. Being reviled, we bless. When we men who have ministries in the body are persecuted, we take it.
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When we are defamed, we entreat when we are made as the filth of the world the filth of the world or the sweepings the word filth is sweepings sweep the rug and sweep the floor the all the dirt everything. That's this word. And we men who have ministries, we may be by people we looked upon and sometimes they handle us just like we're sweepings and the off scouring. You know what all scouring is ever been a farmer you know what it is? Of scouring of all things under this day. Look what he wrote. He said I write not these things to shame you. But as my beloved sons, I warn you for though you have 10,000 instructors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers for in Christ Jesus. I have hot, big got you through the gospel oil Paul. I always get blessed when I read this because of how the Protestants always raise Cain with the Roman Catholics because they call the priest father. You know, Father below Cohen father, so and so, though the Roman Catholics always speak up their priest as father. Oh, they're not too far wrong on that word usage, because you know what the word father means that you've got some odd children. If I taught you the Word of God, and if I let you into the new birth, if I filled you got you're filled with the power of the Holy Spirit because you believe God's word, you are my children. You belong to me, I fathered you, spiritually. That's the meaning of the word father. That's it, you and the Roman Catholics had this because they said the priest is the spiritual head of the whole flock. That's why they called the priest, Father and still carrying over today, same thing, but they got a foot to stand on. That you and I better get back to the word and get our foot here on the word. You can have 10,000 instructors, teachers, men, like Apollo said, everybody else said, keep building the word. But Paul says, I was the one who led you to the Lord. I was the one who taught you the word I was the one who led you into the knowledge of it to begin with you are my child. They'd gotten puffed up remember, they'd gone off looking for the postings a man to see whether they could get governor so and so and vice president so and so. You can have 10,000 instructors, but the man who led you to the knowledge of God's Word, the man who led you into the new birth, the man who taught you the right dividing of the word is still your father Paul says, I have gotten you through the gospel. Wherefore, verse 16, I beseech you, I implore you, I beg of you be followers of me. Why should they be followers of Paul because Paul was such a good man. No, he said a while ago he didn't even examine himself. And he said For I know nothing by myself remember that? Yet I Mia there for Judge nothing. He it wasn't because Paul was so good, but because of the greatness of the word that lived with him, because we don't glory and men. You don't follow the way ministry because of who I am. You follow it because of the word that dwells in my life and in my soul. That's why you know what they one group said, I am a Paul remember and other group said I am over policy and other group said I'ma see facts back, no matter what the church all said, You are the children of that one who has further ado, Anna, Paul said, I am your father, because I taught you the word, I led you into the new birth into the gospel. And therefore he said, I beseech you be followers of me, not of him as a person, but because he was one of these ministers of Christ, who was responsible for the steward ship of the mysteries of God. And because he rightly divided that word and was a faithful steward. He said to the people, now you follow me. Follow me. Follow that word. Running off here at every little old church meeting, every low revival and see what new stuff you can learn. Whether it's gonna be a policy, you stay put,
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wonderful, or this cause the cause of this. Now he says, I have sent out to you, Timothy, who is my beloved Son, why was Timothy His beloved Son, for the same reason he had led him to the Lord, he had rightly divided the word to me taught him the greatness of the power of the Holy Spirit, the operation the manifestations, and faithful in the Lord, Who shall bring you in remembrance of my ways, which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now, some are puffed up among you to say, well, he's not common. Sure, he taught us to worry, let us in. But we've been out here robbing, that he's not come. He says he's coming back in to talk to us and ministered to us and as he's not common. He says, verse 19, I'll come to you shortly. Real pronto. If the Lord Well, why didn't he go back to the church in Corinth? Because he I know what goes sign Don't you understand? He had helped these people he led it was their responsibility to stay put. But because Paul wasn't coming back every week to hold their hand, you know, eat their chicken because he wasn't coming around to pat him on the back and say, Brother, you're doing a good job down here. They got sort of puffed up and they said, well we can do without the apostle Paul, we can do without the greatness of the word that lives within that we can run our own show down here, let him go, he's not coming anyways. He said, I'll come just as soon as the Lord gives me the go sign. And when I come, I want to know, not the speech of them that are puffed up. I want to see the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. Anybody can talk. It's not in the top, ma'am. It's in the power. Why have we got have we got the ability? Do we manifest that power? So he says to them in verse 21. What will you what your will? Shall I come to you with a rod or in love and the spirit of meekness? Men of God, holding the mysteries of God faithfully can only deal with God's people according to the greatness of His revelation. But men, men of God who are not faithful ministers will knuckle under, they'll join a group over here that's puffed up or at a group over there that's puffed up. Not the Apostle Paul. Not those of us who are real ministers of the Lord, we serve the Lord.