Now comes that chapter that many congregations would not want to hear. Let’s not be like rebellious people, “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10 KJV). Let’s listen to what God’s minister has to preach to the Corinthians. Could it apply to us too?
1 Cor 3:1-4 Carnal Babes
1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
An excellent modern translation is the following: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.” (NASB) Now those are meaty words for any church to swallow. Are we ready for meat, or can we only handle milk, spiritual baby food?
1 Corinthians 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Pastors often have to hold back from delivering meatier sermons because the congregation is not yet spiritually mature enough to receive it. That is a judgment call that must be approached with prayer and wisdom, knowing that to preach only “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:10) is also not right. Paul certainly cannot be accused of that here. What did he have to say?
1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
This church is still “fleshly” (NASB), that is, “not yet spiritual” (CEV). Why? It is because of envying, strife and divisions. Is there this kind of “jealousy and quarreling” (NIV) in our church? What were some of its causes in Corinth?
1 Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Partisanship is frequent in worldly politics, but ought not be found in churches except in separating ourselves from heresy. God’s people ought to be unified in the truth. The word translated as carnal here was culturally a hint of human weakness, meaning “aren't you acting just like people of the world?” (NLT), and more literally, “aren't you fleshly?” (WEB). What can we learn from different leadership personalities?
1 Cor 3:5-17 The Increase
1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
Each of our human leaders can teach us different lessons, but orthodox church leaders are unified in one most important function: “Servants [ministers] through whom you believed” (ESV, NASB). What are some of the different gifts of our leaders?
1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
Church planters and waterers of churches often fall into the trap of thinking that growth is by human effort, even writing many books detailing human efforts that they claim will make a church grow.
The truth is that some churches have become very large preaching “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:10), using fleshly techniques and personality cults. Some churches may be the proverbial mile wide and only an inch deep, with large attendance and an impoverished spiritual diet. Some of the largest churches sadly teach a weak, watered-down gospel.
True spiritual increase in size and maturity comes from heaven. How might Paul summarize many bookshelves filled with worldly-minded church growth techniques?
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
We need to get back to simple Christian humility, that we are not the great gurus of church growth that we pretend to be. Rather, it is God who gives the increase. What does the Bible say about humility?
“The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.” (Proverbs 3:34 NLT) “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4 NKJV)
Does this mean that churches should have ignored Paul and Apollos? “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 KJV) Humility involves working with those over us in the Lord. Are Church leaders with different gifts to be united?
1 Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
In the vegetable garden the planter and waterer are working for the same purpose. Likewise in the church. We need not be disappointed believing that God has no reward for us. If we welcome those who work for God, we receive the same reward as them.
“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” (Matthew 10:41 NKJV) What wonderful thing does this mean?
1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
True ministers work together as laborers with God. When the church welcomes the true ministers of God, we all become laborers together with God. We are God’s tilled field, His building. How do we build?
1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
Those who have gone on before have built our churches. Let us be wise in building upon their work. In today’s church some believe that our foundation is faulty, calling it patriarchalism, the word of men apart from God, or that Jesus was just a good man and not God in the flesh. If we don’t build on the foundation laid, we are building an entirely different structure and not the church of God.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Yes, Jesus Christ IS our foundation. If we are building heresy, apostasy, or false gospels, we are building wood, hay and stubble, which will burn up. What are we building on the foundation?
1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Are some of these too ostentatious for the church of God? Are some too inferior? Do we have a test that our building materials must pass?
1 Corinthians 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
What day is a day of fire? Days of trial are pictured as days of fire, and to a lesser extent, truth is revealed in trials. However, the ultimate revelation of our works will be on the day of judgment, the day of the Lord. Time and trial will reveal what we build, whether it is good or bad. In the end, we will all be judged on that day for how we built upon what Jesus and the Apostles laid down. Are we building what is temporary or eternal?
1 Corinthians 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Biblical orthodoxy which follows the teachings of Jesus, the prophets and apostles are precious metals and true gems. But heresy and worldly apostasy are hay and stubble that will perish in the fire. Which are we building?
1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Can a foolish workman be saved? Perhaps so, because we are not saved by perfect theology but by faith.
Apostasy in the church will eventually come to nothing, burned up. But, gold, silver and precious stones will survive.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
What is the temple being built with precious metals and jewelry? It is us, “ye” is plural. The wood, hay and stubble are an attempt to build the temporary works of this world on the foundation of Christ. The precious materials are building the Temple using the precious materials of heaven on the foundation.
We are not saved by good works, but for good works (Ephesians 2:9-10). This is the harmony of Catholic and Protestant theology on the topic of works. If the Holy Spirit lives in us, our faith is alive with good works.
1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile [destroy] the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
To destroy the church, the people of God, is to destroy where God dwells. How do people destroy the church? Through false doctrine and sin. We are tempted, because every church is so imperfect, but must be careful how we treat each other, because God dwells among us.
1 Cor 3:18-23 Worldly Wisdom
1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
Worldly wisdom calls godly wisdom foolish, but is really empty foolishness. So, Paul speaks ironically here, saying to the worldly wise to become a fool in the world’s eyes and gain the true wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
The world is run by highly intelligent, well educated people who cannot solve humanity's problems. The best wisdom of the world is, in God’s eyes, foolishness.
1 Corinthians 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
The best wisdom of the world is, in God’s eyes, useless. The wisdom of great philosophers, poets, scientists, educators, and statesmen is useless and ineffective compared to the wisdom of heaven.
1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;
Let’s not brag about following great church leaders like Augustine, Chrysostom, Francis, Luther, Wesley or any other. “So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you” (NLT)
1 Corinthians 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;
Sometimes a different translation makes things clearer: “whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you” (NASB). We are all partakers together of the benefits of God’s kingdom. We even own death, because for us, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21 NIV, ESV, NASB, KJV).
1 Corinthians 3:23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
While we learn much from great Christian leaders, rather than unbalanced loyalty to one, mature Christians will begin to broaden their faith, tapping great Christian teachers across the spectrum, especially those whose focus is obeying Jesus.
Next, Paul will encourage us to love some as spiritual fathers, yet in concluding this chapter, he reminds us that all faithful teachers point us to Christ, and Jesus points us to the Father.
