Title: Three Questions to Remember
Text: 1 Corinthians 4:7
Date: March 6, 2011
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Here are our three questions to remember in 1 Corinthians 4: 7.
1. Who maketh thee to differ from another?
2. What hast thou that thou didst not receive?
3. Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
The antithesis of glorying in the Lord alone is pride. Pride was the sin of Lucifer:
Isaiah 14: 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
The first thing listed in the abominations which the LORD hates is “a proud look”. Pride is a deceiver. It is the heart of all division and strife. There are none so proud as those who are proud of their so-called humility. When the ugly thing begins to bubble up within, these three questions are good to remember. “Who maketh thee to differ from another? 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?”
Proposition: If there is any difference God did it, if you have anything God gave it, and therefore we have no one to glory in but God only.
I. WHO MAKETH THEE TO DIFFER FROM ANOTHER?
In our natural state as we are born into this world, we are no different from anyone else.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God
Even as believers, in our flesh, we are still no different than anyone else, in that we are sinners.
1 John 1:8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us….10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1. Our most noble deeds are still in themselves filthy.
2. Our flesh is dying more everyday like a leaf in the fall
3. Our iniquities take us away
If not for the power of God subduing our iniquities so that sin shall not have dominion over us, we would forsake our God and his mercies in an instant.
Romans 7: 14: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Galatians 5: 17: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Yet, there is a difference between those God has called and others—we will get to that in a moment—but the question is: “Who maketh thee to differ?”
When the children of Israel were in bondage in Egypt. They were really no different from their taskmasters.
· Both were in bondage under the guilt and dominion of sin
· But at least in type, God declares who made the difference.
Exodus 11: 4: And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
God alone makes his children to differ:
1. The sovereign election of God put a difference between God’s true Israel and the rest of mankind.
2 Thessalonians 2:13: But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 13: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
2. The grace of Christ’s redemptive blood makes his people to differ. Just as God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt but left the Egyptians, so Christ redeems his people to God.
Revelation 5:9 "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"
3. The grace of the Holy Spirit’s effectual call makes the child of God to differ.
Titus 3: 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
4. It is the preserving grace of God that keeps us.
1 Peter 1: 5: Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Philippians 2: 13: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
5. There is coming a day when in resurrection glory when God shall declare he has made the difference
Matthew 25: 31: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
So who maketh thee to differ from another? God only.
II. WHAT HAST THOU THAT THOU DIDST NOT RECEIVE?
A. Are you a new creature? We did not do anything, it was freely created within us.
John 6: 63: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
B. Have you repented? Do you believe on Christ? God gave it to you.
Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
C. Have you been justified? Sanctified? Made righteous? Gift! We were justified when Christ redeemed us; but we had no knowledge of our justification until the Holy Spirit called us and gave us faith in Christ. Until then we were vile sinners, lost and undone:
1 Corinthians 6: 11: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
D. Do you bear fruit? This too was given to you.
Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23: Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
E. It matters greatly how you live. Are you zealous for good works? We can’t glory in it, it too is a gift.
Ephesians 2: 10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:11: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
F. All of providence is the gift of God to us brethren.
Romans 8: 28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
G. Do you have eternal life?
Romans 6: 23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I John 5: 11: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
H. You have a gift awaiting you that you have yet to even see.
1 Peter 1: 4:…To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
So what do we have that we did not receive? Nothing.
· Nothing in Nature!
· Nothing in Grace!
· Nothing in Time!
· Nothing in Eternity!
· All is the free gift of God’s grace.
III. THIRD AND LAST QUESTION: NOW, IF THOU DIDST RECEIVE IT, WHY DOST THOU GLORY, AS IF THOU HADST NOT RECEIVED IT?
Having been reminded of all that God has done for us so freely—doesn’t it make us feel like total morons for glorying as if we had not received it? I don’t want to be like the Pharisee who
“…stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” (Lu 18:11 AV)
Let us say with Paul:
1 Co 15:10: But by the grace of God I am what I am:
Psalms 115:1: Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."
It is good to be reminded that we are what we are by the grace of God.
Jeremiah 9:23: Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: (24) But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
AMEN!