1 Corinthians 4:5

Since only one Person has enough insight and is authoritative enough to pass final judgment, it is unwise for us to try to do so. Let there be no "pre-judgment seat judgment!" [Note: Johnson, p. 1235.] Of course, we must make judgments from time to time, but we should always do so with the knowledge that our understanding is imperfect. The place God will judge our lives is the judgment seat of Christ. If Paul’s references to his judgment by God in his epistles are any measure of how he regarded that event, he took it very seriously and thought about it often (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:8; et al.).

"Paul lives in expectation of the imminent coming again of Christ." [Note: Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. "erchomai," by Johannes Schneider, 2:674.]

The things hidden in the darkness probably include the unconscious motives of God’s servants. Evidently God will find something in every faithful Christian’s life for which to praise him or her on that day. Paul did not just say each servant would receive what he or she deserves but that each would receive some praise. Of course, the more faithful among us will receive more praise than the less faithful.

"He [Paul] says nothing here about those who will receive not praise but blame [cf. 1 John 2:28]; he is still thinking in terms of the Corinthian situation, in which some have praise for Paul, some for Apollos, some for Cephas." [Note: Barrett, p. 104.]

1 Corinthians 4:1-5 help us view those who minister to us as God’s servants, not our servants. They also help us as servants of God to remember to serve for the future approval of our Lord rather than for the present praise of people. The Corinthian church was not the only one that ever became disillusioned with its minister because he lacked "charismatic" qualities.