The Corinthian church had much to
brag about. They were a wealthy church. They were a gifted church. They had experienced
the preaching of several significant leaders in their history as a church. They
had influential people in their congregation. They were the church in
the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire. They were something.
Small, rural churches often think
and act as though their real problem is that they do not have the resources of
the big city churches. They don’t have the musical talent of those big churches.
They don’t have the finances of those big churches. They don’t have the people of
those big churches. They can easily fall into a mindset of, “If only…” If only we
had the money those big churches have, then we could . . . If only we had the musical talent those big
churches have, then we could . . . If
only we had . . . But the if only game
is built on a false concept. It assumes that the strength, power, and influence
of a church is dependent on gifts and resources. That is the very thing that 1
Corinthians is arguing against.
The Corinthian church had money,
but they were not to brag about their wealth. The Corinthian church was extremely gifted, but their power was not in their gifting. The Corinthian
church had access to Paul, Peter, Apollos, and other well know teachers, but that
did not guarantee their holiness. They were, in fact, an wealthy, gifted church
filled with immorality and division.
When we play the if only game we
miss the point. Our power, our strength, our impact, and our influence are
dependent not on wealth, giftedness, resources, or important people, but on the
grace of God. Our boast is in the Lord or we have nothing to boast about. We
may not be the biggest church on the block. We may not put on the best show. We
may not have a big name preacher, but we know the Lord. He is our life, our
strength, and our power. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1
Corinthians 1:31).
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