SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 3
MEMORY VERSE:
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? I anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
ON DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH (vs. 1-23)
PAUL ADDRESSED TO THE CORINTHIAN BROTHERS:
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. You are still worldly because jealousy and quarreling are among you. You are acting like mere men when one says, “I follow Paul, and another, “I follow Apollos”. Apollos and Paul are only servants through whom you came to believe in Christ. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. but each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man[‘s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Don ‘t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him, for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool ” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So then, no more boating about men! All things are yours, whether Paul of Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present of the future – all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
THOUGHTS:
Paul called the Corinthians infants in Christian life because they were spiritually unhealthy and immature. They quarreled like children, allowed divisions in church and focused on worldly desires.
An Infant depends on milk to nourish his body. But as he grows, he needs “solid food” and exercise to make him strong. Our spiritual food is the Word of God. We have to read and practice it to achieve spiritual maturity.
All are doing God’s work and have a place in the Lord’s harvest. We must not compare or compete with each other, for it is the Lord alone who recognizes the work and gives the reward. Jesus Christ is Lord of the harvest.
When we minster, do not substitute man’s wisdom for God’s Word. For it is like building with perishable materials that will burn up at the judgment seat of Christ. Boasting of human wisdom is robbing God of the glory that belongs to Him.
Paul planted the seed of the Good News message in people’s hearts. As a missionary pioneer, he brought the message of salvation. Apollos watered the seed. He helped the believers grow stronger in faith. Paul founded the church in Corinth, and Apollos built on that foundation. But the believers in Corinth had split into two factions: pledging loyalty to different teachers. We should respect our preachers and teachers, but we should not create barriers between people because it is God who makes Christians grow.
Each of us has different gifts and abilities. As we serve God, we should set aside our desires to receive glory for what we do. Do not seek the praise from people. Instead seek approval from God.
Paul said: “No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (v. 11). Whoever builds the church – pastors, elders, deacons, preachers, parents – must build with high-quality materials (right doctrine and right living) that meet God’s standard. Church leaders must have sound preaching and teaching.
A building will stand firm if its foundation is solid. The foundation of our life is Jesus Christ. Everything we are and do must fit into the pattern provided by Him. What kind of foundation are you building in your life? Are you building your life on Christ or on wealth, security, success and fame?
Christ will evaluate each minister’s contribution to the life of the church and judgment day will reveal the sincerity of each person’s work. God will determine whether or not a person has been faithful to Jesus’ instructions. Good work will be rewarded and unfaithful or inferior work will be discounted.
Just as our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the local church is God’s temple. The church must not be spoiled and ruined by divisions and controversies. We have to come and worship God in love and unity.
Paul said that both life and death are ours. Believers are not afraid of death because Christ has conquered all fears and death is the beginning of eternal life with God.