384. Mastery

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence [mastery—Norw.] of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

“I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Cor. 2:1-5.

Jesus says, “If anyone desires to follow Me, I will make him a fisher of men.” All labor in the kingdom of God involves winning people for God. This is why Paul came to the Corinthians and proclaimed the gospel with fear and much trembling; he wanted their faith in God to be based on the power of God rather than in the wisdom of men. When he proclaimed the gospel in this way, he was capable of begetting children in Christ.

Therefore Paul could say, “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” 1 Cor. 4:15. Instructors proclaim God’s Word as “masters,” without weakness, fear, or much trembling. When they speak, their gifts and abilities take center stage, and consequently their ministry lacks God’s power, which is able to beget spiritual children. Those listening are left with the impression that a person should first and foremost seek excellence and mastery in speaking and teaching. Instructors like these were once listeners themselves and had received God’s Word, which was proclaimed to them with fear and much trembling. But now they have grown up, and they know the form of doctrine inside out. Many of them have a strong human spirit and a strong human will. They have power over the congregation and exercise authority. However, fear and trembling and weakness are absent, and so this “mastery” is what people are left with. Even if there are ten thousand of these instructors, none of them are fathers.

The fruit of the instructors’ work in Corinth was that the Corinthians got puffed up. They became wise in Christ, strong and dignified, whereas the apostles were fools for Christ’s sake, weak and dishonored.

The very word “master” conveys a sense of stagnation in the spirit. A person who is a master begins to see himself as one who stands a head taller than the others in the church. He has so much to speak about and teach which the others do not yet understand. He considers himself to be someone who knows a lot, and yet he has never known anything as he ought to know it. He treats the spiritual babes harshly, without fear and trembling. In contrast, fathers can never be masters because they have a deep acknowledgment that Jesus Christ is their Master and that their service for Him ought to be conducted in fear and trembling. God rewards such people richly in that they are able to beget spiritual children. Then, having this noble attitude, they can teach these children to follow them as they follow Christ.

What can we learn from this? We see that at some point in their Christian lives, these ten thousand instructors have fallen away from God. In their hidden life they have been unfaithful. Such a condition is difficult to cure later in life.

Therefore be humble and wide awake right from the first time you receive God’s salvation and begin walking on the way, so that you follow Him who can truly say, “Learn of Me, for I am humble [Norw.] and lowly in heart.” He alone is the great Master; truly He has the sole right to the name “Master.”