1Cor 3.1-15. Divisions in the Church.
A call for Christian Maturity
We live in a world full of divisions, class, race, politics, morality, leadership etc, so often division spills into the Church. What is needed in the Church today more than ever is Christian maturity. We all need to grow up! This will only come about when Gods Word is not only central in our Churches, but also applied and lived out in our lives.
In chapters one and two Paul spent time discussing two issues which are causing problems within the Church
1. Divisions amongst them as they argue with one another 1.10. 3.4
2. False teachers who claimed to have a superior knowledge to the gospel.1.18- 2.4. The two are really intertwined. Paul Spends time refuting them both.
1.Christian immaturity brings in the world and division 1-4
V1. Paul begins in a very much pastoral role calling them brothers, they are Christians and yet at the same time he is blunt addressing them as worldly and mere infants in Christ. V1-4 we see the reasons for the divisions amongst them.
a They were worldly. V1-3 Paul explains 3x they are worldly.
This word can be rendered fleshly in RSV and carnal in the AV. The Greek word means “Sarkinos” where we get our word sarcophagus literally means body eater because the coffin was carved out of limestone, which would disintegrate the body. They were still under the influence of the corrupt nature, which was eating away at them. And it was inside the Church.
Application
We all battle with the old nature Rom.7.14. But that’s not excuse to continue, for we have victory in Christ Rom.7.25.Nobody here would claim to be perfect? Are we still fighting worldly desires?
How did these worldly desires manifest themselves?
b.They were infants
What characterizes children? V3 jealousy and quarrels amongst them. Children are impressionable, (easily influenced) they look up to others ( Did you ever bring the teacher an apple? A particular teacher V4) and at times they misunderstand. (The role of the messenger v5) they either put him on a pedestal or tried to ridicule him.
They were Bottle-feed. V2 I gave you milk not solid food Spiritual nursery
According to v1 those who are worldly are mere infants still bottle-feeding. They were struggling with the sincere milk of the word of God. They hadn’t fully grasped the amazing wisdom of the gospel the depth of the milk they had received from Paul was lost on them, this same milk is suitable for all. Calvin says “Christ is milk for infants and strong meat for men.”
Every doctrine that is taught to theologian is taught to a child.
We must be communities who are fully nourished. 1Peter1:2 Like new born babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. We must continually crave the spiritual milk and not consider we have some how arrived. Have we fully grasped our salvation?
We must be aware of thinking some how we have arrived, we must always concentrate on the gospel message of the Cross.2v2 I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
c. They were cry babies v3. Jealousy and quarrels
Analyzing Tony Blair and Gordon Brown latley at the Lbour party conference and their conference speeches Is there division in the party? Seeking to out manoeuvre one another.
The world’s wisdom was in the Church. (Classical wisdom/Gods wisdom) The false teachers were calling Paul’s teaching “simple.” 2v1 superior wisdom, This was causing jealousy and quarrels amongst them. They began to pick up their own idolised teachers who they followed exclusively .1.12. 2.4. It’s notable that in the culture of the day, a teacher had to be given exclusive loyalty by the pupil. We must beware of anyone who tells us its Christianity plus!
2.Christian maturity brings glory to God v5-9
They had misunderstood the role of Gods messenger v5.
They began to idolise and follow particular messenger, and began to exalt the man more than God v4. Paul begins to refute and rectify these notions by explaining the role of Gods minister. And here we see Christian maturity in Paul, as he conveys his really position to them, were only servants, through whom you came to believe in God.
I have often been told about a preacher who always went into the pulpit with a towel. And whenever he got ideas of granduer he would always pull out a towel he carried to remind himself of the servant nature of his ministry. As Jesus said no servant is above his master.
a. Christian maturity recognises servant hood in serving
V5 Paul reveals that he like Apollo’s are not competing with one another but are both instruments in Gods hands to be used by him. They are simple servants, waiters and attendants called by God. V5 the Lord assigned the task.
Illustration: We are just the Instruments: It is the surgeon who acts and uses the instrument and saves the life of the patient, the instrument just partakes, it alone cannot save anybody it hasn’t the power. Only the surgeon can save and it the same with God only he saves not us.
Paul is aware that God brings the increase and that God is working through his servant’s v5.
Vance Havner once said, “Our efficiency without Gods sufficiency is only a deficiency.”
V7 Conclusion
Ministers of the Gospel are just instruments, we may be instrumental in a person’s life, but God alone He is the source of truth! Only he can impart grace and bring salvation. Only he is worthy of all the praise and all the glory! Do we ever have the tendency to exalt a speaker rather than God? If were honest all the time....
B.V8.Christian maturity recognises unity in serving
Unity together
Apollo’s and Paul were never in competition they had one purpose in pointing men and women to Christ and building them up in their faith, they were fellow workers v9 they were in this work together, they were not divided but in the same team. God had brought them together.
illustrations. In the Olympics the relay team work together with the first out of the blocks the anchor man the middle man etc.
V8It Notice it was their labours that would be rewarded nothing else!
V8 They have one purpose. Unity in the message
They never preached two separate Gospels but one. They shared the same divine message. They had complete equality and unity. Setting one against the other is inconsistent and a perversion of their relationship to each other as fellow labourers and to the Church as they are pointing people not to themselves but to Christ
c.V9 Christian maturity recognises diversity
Although servants, and in complete unity there is a diversity. Could you imagine if we were all the same. The body is made up of many parts. And we see something of the diversity in v8. One plants, one waters. Paul established and planted this Church but Apollo’s was the one with the ongoing ministry amongst them. We all have different gifts and different services to perform for God and the purpose of it all. Eph. 4.11-13.Read
3.Christian maturity builds correctly 10—17.
Building is a demanding business it involves a lot of planning, preparation and perspiration. Paul here calls himself an expert builder (architekton) He is the one who draws up the plans organises the site and chooses the materials to be used on site. By the grace of God Paul was the architect behind this Church in Corinth. A man who used the correct foundations and materials,
Ills. I have recently oversseen the build of our new extension to our home with the architect, drawing up the plans. He submitted the plans and were accepted. And then at certain stages the building inspector and the architect and even the builders would check it out according to the plans. working togeter
a. We must build upon the correct foundation v10-11.
A building is only as solid as its foundations. If we have incorrect foundations the building will collapse. Jesus Christ is the only solid foundation that any man can build upon.
Eph.2.20 built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief corner stone. So Paul is calling them to be careful how they build because there is no other foundation v11 to be laid. Isa.28.16. Acts.14.11.1Pet.2.6
Paul had laid this foundation 1Cor 2.2 I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Perverting the gospel
Those that came after Paul needed to heed the truth!
I believe there were others who were beginning to lay a different foundation, other than Christ involving a so-called superior wisdom.
Often from within comes the perversion its nothing new today is it not true from those that have been amongst Gods people have often laid a different foundation but what has been the means of these perversion is a man or a woman with a superior wisdom.
Think about the many cults today who started within and yet now lay different foundations.
b. We must build with the correct materials 12-17
It is the architect who selects the materials to be used in the building project, we have the correct materials in the apostles teaching in the word of God. We must never dilute or ignore the Christian foundations. Here we see two types of building materials, those, which are costly, and those, which are cheap, these I believe are referring to Christian doctrines, which are built upon our foundation Jesus Christ. Firstly
The truth
Gold, silver and costly stones all these materials represents materials which were used in building and adorning ancient temples. And represent pure doctrine.
The error
The wood, hay and straw are perishable materials, which were never used in the building of temples but in the construction of houses. These materials are unsuitable for the temple they represent false doctrine, mans philosophy.
c. We must build in the light of his future return V13-15.
Here is a solemn warning to all ministers of the Gospel. Christ will evaluate all our materials we have used. They will be tested by fire and that which is wrong will be burnt up and shown for what it really is, but they themselves will be saved. Only the truth the gold and silver and costly stones will be able to stand on that day.
Are you building on the right foundations, using the right materials>? It will be tested. Its time to grow up!
