Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Nothing

1 Corinthians 3:7 KJV
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

I come to note the Apostle's, for lack of a better term just now, self depreciation.
In the first chapter he has little regard for whether he has baptized any or not.
That isn't because baptism is unimportant. It certainly is. But whether he has been the one to officiate the ordinance: that is unimportant. In a day when men measure themselves by how many they have baptized, this is truly impressive.

In the second chapter he emphasizes that his preaching was markedly not with wisdom that man teaches.
He did not try to impress them with his rhetorical skills and I am impressed by that. In this day when we gauge preachers for the pulpit skills and have such terms as "pulpiteer" Paul's choice not to be counted among them is noteworthy.

In chapter three Paul says that he has planted and the one who plants is nothing.
He diverts all glory and all honor to God. Many preachers have pointed out that "God's plan is a man." But it has never been God's plan to elevate that man to a position of status: Only to use him as an instrument in the hands of the Lord.

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