1 Corinthians 4:14-21

1 CORINTHIANS Correction With Confidence Because The Faithfulness Of God Toward  His Saints!        1 Corinthians 4:14–21 (ESV) — 14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?     THE GOALS OF A LOVING FATHER IN CHRIST (v14-17)   ADMONISHMENT (V14)  Ephesians 6:4 (ESV) — 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.   Discipline and Instruction from the word: 1 Corinthians 10:11 2 Timothy 3:16–17   Discipline and Instruction  of the Lord: Hebrews 12:3-12   EXAMPLE (V16)    1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV) — 1 Be Imitators Of Me, As I Am Of Christ.                       REPLICATION (V17)  2 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV) — 1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.             THE COMMITMENTS OF A LOVING FATHER IN CHRIST (v18)   DETERMINED & DEPENDENT  (V18-19A)    PURPOSED &PRESENT (V19B-20)   CONSIDERATE & COMMITTED (V21)             Hebrews 12:3–13 (ESV) — 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 THEREFORE lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.