What's the main point of 1 Corinthians 4?

What's the main point of 1 Corinthians 4?

Paul addresses how God’s choice to work through weakness applies to the 
Corinthians’ divided church, showing them that just as he and Apollos 
collaborate for the gospel’s advance, they should abandon their loyalty 
to individual leaders and build unity instead.[1] By fixating on the 
merits of human leaders through jealousy and bickering, the Corinthians 
behave like the unsaved, demonstrating they rely on mere human capacity 
rather than the spiritual insight the Spirit provides.[2]

Paul establishes this through three interconnected metaphors. Human 
leaders function as God’s servants, with God alone as the source of all 
growth—the congregation, not the leaders, remains God’s priority.[2] 
Leaders are builders, but Christ is the foundation, and the church 
itself is God’s temple.[2] Work performed in Christlike faith and 
obedience will survive God’s judgment and be rewarded, while work done 
in the power of the flesh or in disobedience will not.[1]

The chapter concludes by dismantling the Corinthians’ boasting in human 
leaders. Arrogance fuels their divisiveness, and they must recognize 
that they belong to God, not to the leader who baptized them—who was 
himself merely fulfilling God’s purposes. They should boast only in 
God.[1] In possessing Jesus Christ, believers have God Himself.[2]


[1] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 
2008), 2194–2195.

[2] Lawrence O. Richards, The Bible Reader’s Companion (Wheaton: Victor 
Books, 1991), 759.



-- 
Good News †

Our debt to God was nailed to the cross where Christ died for our sins 
(Colossians 2:14), and God demonstrated this fact by raising Him from 
the grave (Romans 1:4). Now, God remains perfectly just while forgiving 
those who put their faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26) and sparing them from 
future wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10). It is a free gift for everyone who 
believes (Romans 6:23). Trust in the Lord and call on His name to 
receive salvation (Romans 10:9-13):

How to be saved: christrose.news/salvation