Talk is Cheap

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

TALK IS CHEAP

1 Cor 4:18-21

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

NIV

The key to this warning regarding those who are arrogant is the Greek word translated as arrogant. It means to be puffed up, or inflated, as to have an inflated ego. In the sense that it is used here,  it would imply there were believers among them who were puffed up about how spiritual they were, or how much knowledge they had as if they were now the teachers. But Paul makes it clear the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. This Greek word translated as power is the base word we have for dynamite or explosive power, and in the sense of Christianity, it would carry the meaning of miraculous power. This would have to mean that if we talk the talk our life in Christ does not have much power, however, if we walk the talk then we are living in Christ with power. This power needs to be evident in our lives, and it is not about how strong we are, but what kind of miracles are evident in us. These may show up as the gift of the Spirit, for if we laid hands on a sick person and they were healed instantly that would be miraculous. If we spoke words of God, words of His wisdom, would that not be a miracle. There is the gift of miracles which is not defined as to what kind of type of happenings that means. In fact, Paul is going to outline or enumerate all the gifts of the Spirit later in this very letter indicating this life we live as a believer should be evidenced by the power of the Spirit working in our lives. This is far above and beyond our human abilities or efforts, for we are weak, but He is strong. We have no power within us, but the Spirit is full of power. So then whatever works we do and there is no affirmation of the working of the Spirit, it would be simply us doing works without power. Many non-believers are just as capable or even superior to us in many tasks or works. However, if there is no confirmation of spiritual power, the Spirit is missing and thus it is only by human efforts, and those will not stand in the presence of God. When the Spirit is evident, there will be power, dynamite power, and explosive power which belongs only to God. However, He gifts that power to us through the Spirit, so then we should be living in power, for if we only talk the walk, being puffed up, then talk is cheap, but if we walk in the Spirit, in humility, then we walk in power.