“I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me” (1Co 4:14-16).
As believers, we should live in such a way that we, too, can encourage others to imitate us. Paul was dealing with a divisive church. The church should have known better, but they were spiritually naive.
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1Co 3:1-3).
There was a cacophony of voices competing for attention. “I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, countless tutors in Christ.” So, Paul appeals to these confused believers as their spiritual father. Paul only means by this designation that God used him to share the Gospel with them, through which they were born again. However, he had real affection for the believers at Corinth. So, he appeals to them, not to shame them, but to mature them in Christ.
Your testimony is powerful. It can be used by God to open doors for the Gospel to be preached, or it can close doors. Let us live as good Christian examples. I hope you can say to others, “Imitate me.”
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