In his letter to the Roman Church Paul says in chapter 10 “how will people believe if they don’t hear and how will they hear if we don’t preach and how will we preach if we are not sent ?” Here he is highlighting the importance of sending preachers, and preaching.
But If we look closely at Paul’s letters to his churches Paul never takes credit for the salvations that resulted from his preaching. He attributed their new faith to the Spirit drawing and revealing himself. He also left them alone to be led by the Spirit after a time of discipleship, he didn’t try to rule them himself or through one of his representatives.
He saw himself as a bondslave, he saw his own life as over. As just one worker in a long line of workers. He did not see himself as some brilliant minister saving the heathen with his skilled ministry techniques.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters IS ANYTHING, but only God who gives the growth.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 ESV
Paul never puffed up his his planting over Apollos’ watering. His work was in a long line of tasks in cooperation with God who is giving growth.
Father Metaphor
Paul once referred to himself as a father of the people in the bodies of Christians that he planted. That wasn’t a title he claimed but a description of their relationship. We know this because Jesus taught that we were not to call one another “Father” and Paul lived his life for Jesus Christ.
Also, looking closer at the father metaphor, a father does not create his children. They emerge from him. He and his spouse just cooperate with what the Lord has already created in them and the result is children.
That’s how to be a father in the faith we simply cooperate and yield to what he is building, then we raise the children as best we can for a time, then we leave the children to the Lord.
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.”
1 Corinthians 4:15 ESV
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