On Being an Apostle

On Being an Apostle

Ever thought of applying for the position of Apostle? After reading what Paul has to say one might have second thoughts. Let’s be diligent in following the Scriptures and not go beyond what God wants to teach us.

Let’s read another portion of the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 4:6 – Brothers, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what the Scriptures say. Then you will stop boasting about one person at the expense of another. 7 – For who makes you superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it?

Verse 8 – You already have all you want! You have already become rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you really were kings so that we could be kings with you! 9 – For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display in last place, like men condemned to death. We have become a spectacle for the world, for angels, and for people to stare at.

Verse 10 – We are fools for the Messiah’s sake, but you are wise in the Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. 11 – We are hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, right up to the present.

Verse 12 – We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure. 13 – When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe.

Verse 14 – I’m not writing this to make you feel ashamed, but to warn you as my dear children. 15 – You may have 10,000 mentors who work for the Messiah, but not many fathers. For in the Messiah Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

Verse 16 – So I urge you to imitate me. 17 – That’s why I sent Timothy to you. He is my dear and dependable son in the Lord and will help you remember how I live for the Messiah Jesus as I teach everywhere in every church.

How did Paul manage with being the “filth of the world, the scum of the universe”? He lived for the Messiah Jesus.

There’s a lot of footage out there today of looters trying their hand at looking rich – just taking what they want without any regard for the people they are taking from. And justifying their actions based on the tragic death of one person. One sin does not justify another – as my parents used to say – “two wrongs don’t make a right!”

Let’s imitate the apostle Paul and live for Jesus. We may end up like Paul and be regarded as the ‘scum of the universe’ in the eyes of the world – but in the eyes of God we are his children and heirs to eternal life with riches laid up in store that no one can take from us. Let’s trust in Jesus, our Messiah, our Savior, our friend.