1 Corinthians 3:21-22

Status
Not open for further replies.

ChananBachiyr

Puritan Board Freshman
"Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;"

Maybe someone could elaborate on this a little? Is this speaking of Christian liberty?
Could this be appropriately cross referenced with Romans 8:32?

How can we distinguish between this idea and a worldly idea of entitlement?

Thanks!
 
I think this references back to earlier verses in the chapter? -- ie, 5-9, where both Paul and Apollos are servants of the church: all these things in vv. 21-22 serve the people of Christ (so they are not to be boasted in as if they rather conferred glory)? I love the suggested cross reference with Romans 8:32.
 
Matthew Henry on these verses:

"Ministers are not to be set up in competition with one another. All faithful ministers are serving one Lord and pursuing one purpose. They were appointed of Christ, for the common benefit of the church: "Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, are all yours. One is not to be set up against another, but all are to be valued and used for your own spiritual benefit.’’ Upon this occasion also he gives in an inventory of the church’s possessions, the spiritual riches of a true believer: "All is yours —ministers of all ranks, ordinary and extraordinary. Nay the world itself is yours.’’ Not that saints are proprietors of the world, but it stands for their sake, they have as much of it as Infinite Wisdom sees to be fit for them, and they have all they have with the divine blessing. "Life is yours, that you may have season and opportunity to prepare for the life of heaven; and death is yours, that you may go to the possession of it. It is the kind messenger that will fetch you to your Father’s house. Things present are yours, for your support on the road; things to come are yours, to enrich and regale you for ever at your journey’s end.’’ Note, If we belong to Christ, and are true to him, all good belongs to us, and is sure to us. All is ours, time and eternity, earth and heaven, life and death. We shall want no good thing, Ps. 84:11, But it must be remembered, at the same time, that we are Christ’s, the subjects of his kingdom, his property. He is Lord over us, and we must own his dominion, and cheerfully submit to his command and yield themselves to his pleasure, if we would have all things minister to our advantage. All things are ours, upon no other ground than our being Christ’s. Out of him we are without just title or claim to any thing that is good. Note, Those that would be safe for time, and happy to eternity, must be Christ’s. And Christ is God’s. He is the Christ of God, anointed of God, and commissioned by him, to bear the office of a Mediator, and to act therein for the purposes of his glory. Note, All things are the believer’s, that Christ might have honour in his great undertaking, and God in all might have the glory. God in Christ reconciling a sinful world to himself, and shedding abroad the riches of his grace on a reconciled world, is the sum and substance of the gospel."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top