A GENUINE SERVANT OF CHRIST
1 Corinthians 4:1-21
Key Verse: 4:15-16
How should believers regard Christian workers (1)? What great privilege does Paul mention (1b; Ro 3:2)? What is the most fundamental quality of a servant of God (2; 2Ti 2:2; Heb 3:1-2)? Why?
What three judgments does Paul mention and which one was he most concerned about (3-4)? Why should we not judge but wait until the Lord comes (5)? How did Paul apply this principle to himself and Apollos? Why (6a)? Why shouldn’t we take pride in one man over against another (6b-7)?
How did Paul rebuke their sin of pride in verse 8? What good examples did he show through his own life (9–14)? Note especially his humility and shepherd’s heart.
Read verse 15. What confidence did Paul have in relation to them? How could he have such confidence? What does it mean to be a spiritual father? Why is this an important attribute of a servant of God?
Read verse 16. What did Paul urge them to do? What especially did he want them to imitate? Why is it important to imitate such a servant of God? Why did he send Timothy to them (17)?
What problem did Paul point out (18)? How did he say he would deal with it (19-21)? How does this reveal his father’s heart for them? Summarize what you learn in this study about how to be a servant of God.