Now these things, brothers and sisters, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos on your account, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. (v. 6)

The downfall of a church often begins with endless discussions about matters that God has not revealed in His Word. Likely influenced by Greek philosophy and the traditions of Judaism, the believers in Corinth began to follow the wisdom of men rather than the truth of God. Many within the church became confident in their own understanding, assuming they possessed the discernment to judge who was right and who was wrong. The abundance of teachers only fueled these divisions, turning edification into debate.

The early church was indeed a turbulent period, lacking the established confessional doctrines that later provided guidance and order. Yet even then, the true saints were able to discern the truth—not by human reasoning, but by the Holy Spirit, who leads the faithful into all truth.

For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. (vv. 15-17)

Many theologians and ministers today gain recognition and influence. They speak eloquently about God, write books, and appear in conferences and seminars. Yet not all of them truly know God. If they did, their hearts would be broken, and they would mourn in sackcloth over the spiritual decay that has overtaken churches throughout the world. The pulpits no longer proclaim the absolute grace of God. Instead, they teach distorted ideas about faith, salvation, and the law.

Much of this confusion arises from doctrines born of human reasoning, such as Covenant Theology and the so-called Active Obedience of Christ. These constructs insist that Adam was placed under a period of probation—a notion never found in Scripture. Some Reformers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, though zealous for truth, went beyond what God has revealed. Their hypotheses were built upon the Word of God, yet they drew conclusions that Scripture itself does not teach.

From the beginning, obedience was never the central issue. Adam’s disobedience merely revealed what he was—a creature without the divine knowledge that gives life. He was appointed as a steward of creation, endowed with wisdom, yet not with the wisdom of God. He did not truly understand his Creator. Would obedience alone have granted him eternal life? Certainly not. Such a theory is contrary to the testimony of Scripture. The mystery of Adam’s fall and Christ’s redemptive work is clearly explained in Romans 5: through one man came death, and through another came life. Obedience, therefore, is the fruit of rebirth in Christ, not the means to attain it. True obedience flows from being one with God—expressed not only in actions, but in a heart and mind transformed by the knowledge of His will.

In this present age, God is testing the words of men. Those who depend on law and deeds will be exposed as false, for faith comes only from the knowledge that God Himself imparts. To some, He has graciously opened their eyes to behold who He is—through Jesus Christ, the living Word, who has revealed the hidden mystery of God.

Those who uphold the doctrine of the Active Obedience of Christ often place undue emphasis on the law. Nearly all Reformed churches follow this teaching, yet they fail to uphold righteousness within their own communities. They profess to honour the law, but they do not keep it. This is a sign of a church in decline—just as Paul described in 1 Corinthians 5, where moral corruption was tolerated among believers.

Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in power. What do you desire? That I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? (vv. 18-21)