No Mere Men-10--Sec. 3, Part 2 Series

NO MERE MEN-X—1Corinthians 3:1-23

—SECTION 3(:18-23) Their BOAST—

Attention:

When it comes down to it, without tools, Mere Men’s abilities are severely limited, accomplishing only a very small amount of the work they desire.

All mankind realizes that their world is in need of a s(S)avior. Realizing that as Mere Men they cannot accomplish their greatest need…dealing decisively with sin.

Paul reveals the traits of unspiritual men.

Unspiritual men are unable to exist in harmony.

Why are the unspiritual unable to live in harmony?

Because...

As we have discovered previously—No mere men can Overcome...

—SECTION 1(3:1-9)—

Their NATURE:

1. IMMATURITY(:1)

2. DIET(:2-3a)Sustenance

3. ENVY(:3bi)

4. STRIFE(:3bii)

5. DIVISIVENESS(:3biii)

6. BEHAVIORS(:3b)

7. MINISTRY(:4-5)

8. SIGNIFICANCE(:6-7)

9. LABOR(:8-9)

—SECTION 2(3:9-17)—

Their BUILDING:

10. FOUNDATION(:9-11)

11. EDIFICE(:10b)

12. QUALITY(:12-15)

13. PURPOSE(3:16-17)

—SECTION 3(3:18-23)—

Their BOAST:

14. DECEPTION(:18-20)

No mere men can Overcome…

Their BOAST(:18-23)

15. POSSESSIONS(:21-23)

Explanation:(:21-23)

:21—“Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:”

Since the reasonings of the wise are useless, no one should “boast” in a person(cf. 1:11-13; 3:2-4ff.).

No one should “boast” in another because(“For”) “all things” belong to both the individual & the local church. “All things” are currently the possession of both the individual as well as the local church.

“Boasting in men” belies an assumption that some people possess, teach, & preach something above & beyond that of others.

“Boast”—kaucaomai—1) To glory (whether with reason or without); 2) To glory on account of a thing; 3) To glory in a thing. Strong—from some (obsolete)base akin to that of aucew(to boast) & eucomai[to wish; by implication--To pray to God]; To vaunt(in a good or a bad sense).

“Men”—anyrwpov—1) A human being, whether male or female; 2) indefinitely--Someone, a man, one; 3) in the plural--People; 4) joined with other words--Merchantman. Strong—from anhr[a man (properly as an individual male)] & wq(the countenance; from optanomai); Man-faced, i.e. A human being.

“All things”(See :22)—pav—Adj.—1) individually—1a) Each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; 2) collectively—2a) Some of all types. Strong—All, any, every, the whole.

“Yours”(See :22)—umwn—1) Of yours. Strong—genitive case of umeiv; Of(from or concerning) you.

:22—“whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come--all are yours.

“All things” include—Paul, Apollos, Cephas(apostleship/leadership), “the world,” “life”, “death”, the “present”, & the future.

Innumerable things are bound up in our free gift of eternal life. Certain noteworthy ‘things’ belong to us, of which are:

—We have teachers(“Paul or Apollos or Cephas”) but are not bound to them apart from our common relationships with Christ.

—We know & are known by “the world” but we are not mastered by it.

—We die but “life” is not taken or lost.

—We live by/in the future presently.

“World”(See :19)—kosmov—

“Life”—zwh—1) Life—Zwh is existence, having death as its antithesis, biov - the period, means, manner, of existence. Hence the former is more naturally used of animal, the later of men; zoology, biography. NT usage exalts zwh & tends to debase biov. Strong—Life(literally or figuratively).

“Death”—yanatov—Strong—from ynhskw[to die (literally or figuratively)]; (properly--an adjective used as a noun) Death(literally or figuratively).

“Present”—enisthmi—1) To place in or among, to put in; 2) To be upon, impend, threaten; 3) Close at hand; 4) Present. Strong—To place on hand, i.e. reflexively--Impend, participle--Be instant. Used 7X.

“To come”—mellw—1) To be about—1a) To be on the point of doing or suffering something, 1b) To intend, have in mind, think to. Strong—a strengthened form of melw[To be of interest to, i.e. To concern](through the idea of expectation); To attend, i.e. Be about to be, do, or suffer something(of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation).

(CONT...)No mere men can Overcome…

Their BOAST(:18-23)

15. POSSESSIONS(:21-23)

:23—“And you are Christ’s, & Christ is God’s.” ”

Nothing lies outside of Christ’s jurisdiction. “All things” are His possession & are therefore our possession for He has freely given us all things.

Rom. 6:23— “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We in-turn to, commit ourselves to, belong to, & are possessed by “Christ.”

“Christ” in-turn belongs to/is possessed by/ God.

**Again Paul transports & exhorts the Corinthians to gaze upon the outworking of their own immaturity as they are regarders of certain apostles/teachers, (cf. 1:12-13; 3:5-7) above that of their God & Savior.

1Cor. 15:22-28—“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule & all authority & power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.