Daily Devotions
1 Corinthians
"Am I not an apostle?"
Text: 1 Corinthians 9:1
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
Many problems in the Corinthian Church were brought to the attention of Paul. With great skill and insight, he dealt with the issues that troubled the Church. Paul also had to attend to a problem that involved him personally.
“Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen
Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you.
For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 9:1-2
1. A series of questions
a) These were questions that must have been raised concerning Paul.
b) His apostleship was in question by some of the Corinthian Church members.
2. How does one qualify to be an apostle?
a) One criterion was whether the person had actually seen the Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
i) This was a criterion used by the Apostle Peter (Acts 1:22).
ii) An Apostle must be able to bear witness that he had seen the Risen Saviour!
iii) Paul certainly could testify of having seen the Risen Saviour (Acts 9:1-9).
b) The second criterion was the work that an apostle must be able to speak of.
i) The works of Paul were many and indisputable.
ii) Paul specifically spoke of his work in establishing the church at Corinth (Acts 8).
c) Paul challenged them to consider his work in Corinth.
i) Had he not led many to faith in Christ? (1 Corinthians 4:14-17).
ii) Had he not taught them as a steward of the mysteries of God? (1 Corinthians 4:1)
3. “You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord”
a) Paul was aware of the work of his enemies.
b) They challenged and questioned his apostleship (Galatians 1-2).
c) Nevertheless, he was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.
d) Seal of apostleship
i) A seal was a mark of authenticity and approval.
ii) The “seal” was the work Paul did in Corinth.
iii) He founded the Church.
iv) He laboured there till it became a significant church (1 Corinthians 1:4-9).
2. How does one qualify to be an apostle?
a) One criterion was whether the person had actually seen the Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
i) This was a criterion used by the Apostle Peter (Acts 1:22).
ii) An Apostle must be able to bear witness that he had seen the Risen Saviour!
iii) Paul certainly could testify of having seen the Risen Saviour (Acts 9:1-9).
b) The second criterion was the work that an apostle must be able to speak of.
i) The works of Paul were many and indisputable.
ii) Paul specifically spoke of his work in establishing the church at Corinth (Acts 8).
c) Paul challenged them to consider his work in Corinth.
i) Had he not led many to faith in Christ? (1 Corinthians 4:14-17).
ii) Had he not taught them as a steward of the mysteries of God? (1 Corinthians 4:1)
3. “You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord”
a) Paul was aware of the work of his enemies.
b) They challenged and questioned his apostleship (Galatians 1-2).
c) Nevertheless, he was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.
d) Seal of apostleship
i) A seal was a mark of authenticity and approval.
ii) The “seal” was the work Paul did in Corinth.
iii) He founded the Church.
iv) He laboured there till it became a significant church (1 Corinthians 1:4-9).
The seal of the apostleship of Paul was unquestionable