1 Corinthians 4:7

1 Corinthians 4:7 says, For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?  Paul was reminding them that the only reason they had different gifts was because God had given those gifts to them.  There was no reason for pride in whatever gift or gifts they had.  There is still no reason for such thoughts today.  We all have different gifts because all are needed to work together for spreading the gospel and edifying the believers in Christ.  We should never put a preacher or minister on a pedestal. They are only fulfilling their calling.  Verse eight adds, Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.  Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians that they were rich in the blessings of God, even if Paul wasn't there. If a pastor or minister today has to be away from church one Sunday, God has richly blessed that church with enough spiritually gifted people to continue worshipping.  We must remember that God through the Holy Spirit is with each of His followers.  Even if a very popular pastor leaves for another church, God is still in the midst of His people, and we should never feel despair.  Verse nine continues, For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.  I believe that in this verse Paul was referring to the terrible way many early Christians were put to death.  They were put in the arena, or colosseum with lions or other wild beasts.  Even if they managed to defeat one, that did not earn their freedom.  Paul said the apostles, instead of being set forth to be honored, were set forth for death.  We are never called to be glorified, but to die to self and to live for Christ.  If we are made fun of today for our belief in Christ, it is nothing compared to what some of the early Christians endured, even the apostles.  Verse ten declares, We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.  I believe Paul was declaring followers of Christ to be fools in the view of the world, but also declaring that in the eyes of God they were wise.  In God's view, those who were His followers were wise, strong and honorable when they remained true to Him.  God's judgment is the only one that matters.  Verse eleven adds, Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;  When someone says that being a Christian is the easy way out of the suffering of this world, we need to point them to what Paul said here.  Paul was not serving Christ for riches but was serving Him even when all the security of the world had been removed.  Paul knew that he was forever secure in his relationship to Christ.  We have that same assurance today.  Verse twelve continues, And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:  Paul said even in their great need, working with their own hands while being reviled, that the followers of Christ continued to bless those who reviled them. We today need to pray for the lost in the world and work through the leadership of God to reach everyone, even those who revile, or hate us.  Paul said when they were persecuted that they bore it.  We can never allow persecution to defeat us.  We are called to take up our cross daily, which I believe means to die to self- will.  No matter how much we suffer for Christ's sake, we can never suffer as He did.  Christ lifted the burden of sin from the whole world, even if many choose to continue to live under the burden of sin. Verse thirteen concludes, Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.  Even when the world was defaming them, those who were followers of Christ were pleading for them to come to a saving knowledge of Christ.