I can't call you spiritual, Paul tells the church as Corinth. You are still infants, still tied to worldly ways. You quarrel and argue among yourselves and you entertain lawsuits between between each other. You allow sexual immorality to continue in your midst: one man has his father's wife and you are proud when you should be filled with grief.
Furthermore, there were divisions in the church over which apostle they should follow: Apollos, Paul, Cephas or Christ. This is nonsense, Paul tells them.
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. - 1 Cor 3:5-7 NIV
Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." So then, no more boasting about men!- 1 Cor 3:18-21 NIV
These early Christians in Rome had nothing to brag about. They thought they were so wise, so strong, so honored as believers, but they weren't fooling Paul, and they certainly were not fooling God. God knew what they were before they came to Christ: sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexual offenders,thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, none of whom would inherit the kingdom of God. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. - 1 Cor. 6:11 NIV
It was not their own doing that has made them clean. It was through the works of God through Christ Jesus; They didn't have to pretend. They didn't have to boast. They didn't have to rely on the praise of men as proof of their righteousness.
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. - 1 Cor. 4:5 NIV
Any importance we would gain from our own actions is nothing but foolishness. We have nothing to boast about except that we have been chosen, redeemed and forgiven or as Paul said, 'washed, sanctified and justified.'
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