In Christ Jesus I Have Begotten You through the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15)
2023-10-17
I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. (1 Corinthians 4:14-15)
Previously, we learned that God has placed us in Christ. How does He do this? This verse has a little bit of the answer.
Paul had written how much he had suffered in his apostleship. The apostle then calls the Corinthians his “beloved sons.” They may have had all these other teachers in Christ. This is a good thing. If they have multiple men who are in Christ who are able to communicate the word, this is a noble and wonderful thing. But who is a father? A father cares for his sons more than others. He cares for their maturity.
But Paul is even more than that, for in Christ he had “begotten” them through the Gospel. What are the requirements for the Father to place one in Christ? You need someone sharing the Gospel who is in Christ himself. Those in Christ beget more people in Christ. Then, the one who begets spiritually cares for those who are begotten.
Yesterday’s post’s verse discusses a little bit about that, being after these verses.