1 Corinthians 4:1 (ESV)
¹ This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

The saints at Corinth were regressing in their Christianity due, in part, to their carnal view of ministers (1 Corinthians 3:1-7). Paul was being very straightforward with these saints so that they might, in his words, “learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another” (1 Corinthians 4:6). The last words that Paul wrote in ver. 6 targeted what their real problem was. They were all claiming superiority over one another based on which minister they were following. That was evidence that they were being dominated by the flesh.

1 Corinthians 3:4 (KJV)
⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Because of their carnal way of thinking, Paul teaches them the correct way of viewing ministers, using himself as an example. In 1 Corinthians 4:1, Paul is telling these saints, “this is how we want to be viewed by you—not as men to be served, but as simple servants of Christ.”

The truth is, we should all want to be viewed as servants of Christ. What makes this passage so powerful is the word that Paul used for servants. The Greek word is hypēretēs and was sometimes used to refer to the slaves who were assigned to the bottom galleys of large ships. These slaves, often taken from the worse criminals, were to spend the rest of their lives rowing, serving as human engines for those ships. Their whole existence was now dedicated to the work of rowing. Rowing, rowing, rowing, that was their new life. But, it was not the rowing that made them hypēretēs, it was the subjection to a superior. They had to row because the shipmaster demanded it.

Paul did not want to be viewed as someone special to be praised and followed by men. He wanted to be viewed as a man with an oar in his hand, spending his days doing his Master’s bidding, no matter how strenuous it might be. Paul was always ready to row. When storms arose in Paul’s life, he kept on rowing. When false brethren hurled unfounded accusations against him, he kept on rowing. When he was thrown into a dungeon at Philippi, he never stopped rowing. He once said, “I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want.” What was Paul’s secret? No matter what, by the power and strength of Jesus Christ, keep on rowing.

Are you ready to row? For us rowing represents everything our Lord commands us to do. We do not argue with Him about it because we know He is the Master, and we are his servants. And, like the slaves in the bottom galley of ships, we realize that this is not a temporary arrangement. We will serve Jesus for the rest of our days. Rowing, rowing, rowing, until He comes back, or we die in His service.

This is how Paul wanted to be viewed because it is the way he viewed himself. He knew what he was in Christ; not a king to be served, but an under-rowing to help keep the ship of Christ going in the right direction. He was always ready to row. What about you?

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.