1 Corinthians 4:16 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Corinthians 4:16

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This is an enormously important verse. ‘Followers’ translates the Greek for ‘mimics’, close imitators. This is a command which the apostle Paul repeats elsewhere, even in this epistle, in the 11th chapter, and then in other places and in different words. Do we realise what it means? It does not mean that the apostle Paul was sinless, that he was perfect; he tells us in Romans 7 about his struggle with sin. But in the way in which he organised churches, and the rules he gave the churches for their conduct; in the way in which he conducted himself before them, he was inspired and held by God to be an infallible example for the church of all ages. What the apostle said, what he prescribed, what he laid down, and what he did, is an absolute pattern for the church, throughout the ages. Some people don't seem to realise that. This is one of the most important doctrines of Scripture. In the King James Version, the apostle Paul calls himself an ensample. It is not a word we use in English today. Sometimes the modern translations translate that as ‘example’ but that is wrong, because an example is an illustration of a general principle, a picture, an approximation. It is not pinpoint accurate. A die is a tool for making precise replicas. It is a pattern from which a tool is cast. It is an absolute pinpoint pattern, and that is the word that the apostle uses. He is like a die, a detailed pattern to be followed, not just an example.

Application

In church history the difference has not always been understood. At the time of the Reformation the doctrines of salvation were recovered, and Luther and Calvin and many others preached the true doctrines, and there was revival and Reformation. But the Reformation did not accomplish everything. In the early stages the Reformers by and large just adapted the method of church government and the shape of the church that existed previously in the Church of Rome. When it came to the doctrines, the Reformers said ‘Everything is wrong. Do not believe in justification by works, or through the ministry of the priesthood, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Go directly to him.’ But they left in place, a great many of the components of the church. It is as though they found a great cathedral, very ornate, heavy stained-glass windows and so on, and they took away the side pulpit and put it in the middle and cast out the altar, and they put the word of God in its place. Now the word of God is preached. Tremendous! But they left the building with all its ornate structure and symbolism; they didn't touch that. As the Reformation went on more was changed, but not enough. So then you had the Independence and the Baptists and others who completed the Reformation. They said, ‘The building has got to come down. Everything has got to be done in accordance with the pattern which is given in the Scripture.’ That is why the Lutheran Church, which started so well, crumbled doctrinally so quickly. The Church of England leaned very much on the Lutheran Church. The Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England spells it out quite clearly that the rites and ceremonies of the church are for the leadership of the church to decide. Are they? Surely it is for the Scripture to decide! A complete reformation would say everything is under the authority of Scripture: how we worship, how we govern, how we evangelise, and there is a precedent in the New Testament for us. The Presbyterians didn't entirely miss it, but they partially missed it. They said, in effect, ‘The governments of the church and its procedures and its methods must be different from Rome, and they must conform to Scripture. But in many respects they are to be determined by what is suitable for the times.’ So they adapted and they still, in a sense, centralised churches with presbyteries and a synod, a kind of pyramid structure, whereas the apostle's instructions were for independent congregations, all answerable to the guidance of the Lord. In fact in this passage Paul almost says that the pattern church is the answer to all our problems. If we brought everything to the touchstone of Scripture our problems would be solved.

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1 Corinthians 4:16 Commentary and Bible Study