1 Corinthians 1:16

Letters to the Faithful - 1 Corinthians 1:16

Berean Standard Bible

Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.

King James Bible

And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

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To all who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, and joined together by one Spirit into one body across every nation, language, and generation, I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, the crucified and risen Christ. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus, whose name we bear and whose glory we seek to reveal in all we do.

I write to you today with reflection and earnestness stirred by a simple mention within the opening words of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth—an aside that, though brief, carries weight for those with ears to hear. In recalling those whom he baptized, Paul states, “I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.”

To the casual reader, this may seem like an incidental comment, a minor logistical note. But beneath it lies a profound glimpse into the heart of apostolic ministry—a reminder to the modern Church about priorities, purpose, and the peril of distraction. Paul, though himself a laborer of the highest order in the vineyard of God, did not anchor his authority or his sense of spiritual worth in the number of people he baptized. His memory failed him on who else he had immersed in water—but never on who Christ is or what the cross has accomplished.

Here we see the humility of the true apostolic spirit. Paul’s mind was not occupied with cataloging his accomplishments but with proclaiming Christ crucified. He was not driven by a desire to be remembered by the names he reached, but by the name in which they were saved. He did not boast in baptisms, though they are sacred. He did not elevate function over foundation. His focus remained fixed on the singular glory of Christ.

This is the heart we must recover. In our time, there is a dangerous temptation to equate spiritual fruit with personal legacy. We can become so absorbed with building ministries, gathering crowds, recording conversions, and tracking influence that we forget the simplicity of our call: to preach Christ, to exalt His cross, to disciple hearts into full obedience—not to our brand, but to the Lord. Paul could not remember every baptism, but he never forgot whom he served. He never confused the act with the purpose, nor the means with the message.

And let us not miss the significance of those he did remember—specifically, the household of Stephanas. This was not a mere individual but a family, a household. A unit brought into the faith together. The Gospel is not just for personal salvation but for generational transformation. Paul remembered them not only because he baptized them but because they became “the firstfruits of Achaia” and devoted themselves to the service of the saints. What began in water was proven in action. What was initiated in baptism was matured in discipleship.

So let us learn from this: our mission is not only to initiate people into the faith but to ground them in the life of Christ. We must not be content to count baptisms without nurturing maturity. Baptism is not a finish line; it is a beginning. It is the sign of death and resurrection—the turning of one’s back on the old life and stepping into obedience. But if we focus on mere ceremony and fail to call people into the cost and joy of discipleship, we have missed the very heart of the Gospel.

Beloved, I urge you: do not measure your life in the number of outward deeds or public markers. Do not seek spiritual memory by accumulating moments. Seek rather to be known by heaven as one who clings to Christ with an undivided heart. Let your labor be marked not by the applause of men or the size of your spiritual résumé, but by the depth of your surrender and the purity of your focus. Paul could forget who he baptized, but he never forgot that his ministry had one purpose: to lift up Christ.

This is what the Church needs today—not leaders who chase recognition, but servants who embrace obscurity if only Christ may be seen. Not ministers who count crowds, but shepherds who weep over souls. Not institutions that remember their achievements, but bodies that remember their Head. If our memory is clear on Christ but vague on our own contribution, we are walking the apostolic road.

So then, let us recommit ourselves to the simplicity of obedience. Let us live to glorify the One who called us. Let us not boast in what we have done, but in what Christ has done in us and through us. Let our eyes be single. Let our love be pure. Let our hearts be wholly given to Him. Whether we plant, water, baptize, or build, we do all as unto Him, knowing it is God who gives the increase.

And let us remember the households—those who come to faith not just as individuals, but as families, as generations marked by the grace of God. Let us contend not only for public impact, but for private revival. Let the Gospel fill our homes, sanctify our children, and shape our marriages. Let the waters of baptism not be a forgotten moment, but the doorway to a life of continual devotion.

Brothers and sisters, let this be our testimony: that we served not to be remembered, but to make Him known. That we did not boast in how many we baptized, but in the One into whose name we baptized them. That we spent our lives not on earthly monuments, but on eternal fruit. That we remained faithful to the cross, unwavering in truth, and overflowing with love.

In all things, may Christ be magnified. May His name endure when ours fades. May His glory be the legacy of our lives.

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O Sovereign and Eternal God, our Father and Redeemer, we come before You with reverence and holy gratitude. You are the God who speaks, who calls, who sends, and who alone receives all glory. You are the One who baptizes not only with water but with fire, who appoints Your servants and builds Your Church by Your own wisdom and not the wisdom of man. We acknowledge Your supremacy in all things and confess that from You, through You, and to You are all things.

Lord, we thank You for the privilege of serving You. We thank You for every soul who has turned from darkness to light, for every household that has been touched by grace, for every act of ministry, every baptism, every moment of sacred commission. But we also confess before You that even in our service, we are but vessels—clay jars holding the treasure of Your gospel. We have nothing we did not receive. We cannot boast in what has been done through us, for all things have been wrought by Your Spirit. Let us not forget this truth.

We remember how Your servant Paul, though used mightily in the planting of churches and the proclamation of the Word, did not keep record of how many he baptized, nor did he anchor his confidence in visible results. He remembered some, but not all. His heart was not to elevate himself or his record, but to point only to You. And we ask, O God, for that same humility to be formed in us.

Cleanse us from every ambition that does not begin in Your will. Deliver us from the subtle desire to be known more for what we have done than for who You are. Forgive us for the times we have treated Your work as a platform for our names, for the times we have measured success by numbers instead of faithfulness, for when we have prized recognition more than righteousness. Help us to walk in the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Lord, teach us again that ministry is not about what we can remember or record, but about what You are building in hearts. Teach us to labor with open hands and unburdened hearts, seeking no applause except the whisper of Your approval. Let our greatest satisfaction be that Christ is preached, that Christ is known, that Christ is glorified. If we forget our works but remember Your grace, we have gained everything. But if we remember our achievements and forget Your presence, we have nothing.

We pray for all those who minister in Your name—pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets, and shepherds. May they find joy not in the statistics of their service but in the nearness of Your Spirit. Let no servant of Yours become a prisoner to results. Let no laborer tie their identity to the works of their hands. Let them instead find rest in being known by You, used by You, and hidden in You.

Lord, teach us to honor the quiet fruit—the families who grow strong in the faith, the souls who walk daily in obedience, the children who remember the name of Jesus not because of a preacher’s sermon, but because of a faithful life lived before them. Remind us that a household transformed is no less glorious than a crowd inspired. Let our eyes not chase after visibility while ignoring the sacredness of what happens in secret.

We also pray that You would guard us from comparison. Let us not measure ourselves against others. Let us not covet another’s assignment or despise our own. May we be content with the portion You have given, whether small or great, known or unknown. Let us serve in obscurity with the same joy as in visibility. Let our contentment be rooted in obedience, not outcome.

We lift up those who feel forgotten in their labors—those who have sown in tears, who have baptized in faith, who have discipled quietly without earthly recognition. Strengthen them. Remind them that You see what men overlook. Encourage them that every seed planted in Your name bears eternal significance. Let them know that their names may not be recorded in books, but they are written on Your heart.

And now, Lord, we present ourselves to You again—not as those seeking reward, but as servants ready to be sent. Baptize us afresh with the humility of Christ, who made Himself of no reputation. Fill us again with the Spirit of truth, that we may labor not for our legacy, but for Your kingdom. Let the marks of true ministry be upon us—not fame, but faithfulness; not boasting, but brokenness; not records, but righteousness.

And when our memory fades and our works are forgotten by men, let our lives still echo with the sound of surrendered worship. Let us be remembered only as those who pointed to Jesus, who lived for the cross, who loved the Church, and who gave ourselves without reserve for the One who gave everything for us.

To You, Lord, belong all the glory. To You alone be honor, now and forever. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, our center, and our crown—Amen.