1 Corinthians 4:2 has been significant in my life for nearly three decades. It is a verse the Spirit impressed upon my heart, the need to be ‘found faithful.’ Here we will look at it in context along with the broader implications.
1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1–2 (NKJV)
My focus has been on the faithful aspect. However, there is also the issue of what we are to be faithful with. To delve into that we will look at three words, servant, steward and mysteries. The Greek word that we translate as servant refers to an underling or attendant. That is, the servant doesn’t carry authority over the one they serve. They are there to follow directions. The Greek word we translate as steward refers to someone in charge of a household. They have authority over the affairs of the household, as they have been entrusted with this responsibility by the master or owner of the household. A mystery is something mysterious or secret.
Now as ‘servants of Christ’ it is obvious that we are called to serve Him and under Him. For Paul, in this context he referred to himself as serving Jesus by stewarding mysteries, one of which is Jesus household. Just a few verses back we find Paul referencing God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:10 – 17 (NKJV)
Paul saw one aspect of the mystery he was stewarding was that in his apostolic role he had laid the foundation of Christ in the lives of the Corinthian converts. Each one of them, or as we move forward, us, is responsible for what we build on the foundation. We are stewards of our own household, a stewardship entrusted to us by Yahweh. The judgment seat will be an accounting of our stewardship and will determine what remains of our house.
In fact, our house, the one we are building each day by our choices, is our part in His temple. It is our assigned area of responsibility. This is where the idea of mystery comes in. For Paul the mysteries were things hidden in the Father’s heart that had been revealed to him. The same is true for each of us (see 1 Corinthians 2:9-13). We build our house through correct moral choices, through how we interact with and love others and through discerning and walking in our calling as we pursue the spiritual revelation and understanding the Spirit desires to unveil to us. Mysteries He has hidden for us, not from us.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2 (NKJV)
There we have it, each of us called to be a servant of Jesus and a faithful steward of whatever mysteries He has revealed as we have sought His heart.
