1 Corinthians 3 - What Are You Building Your Life On? Will It Last in the Day of Judgment?
The Church and Its Leaders
3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
Paul rebukes the believers in Corinth for their spiritual immaturity. He uses the metaphor of "milk", which is meant for babies who are not yet ready for solid food. Then he accuses him of acting "worldly". What does he mean by this? We get a clue when he reveals what was happening in the church. They were arguing and become jealous of their leaders, Paul and Apollos. Worse yet, they were expressing allegiance to one or the other effectively creating "cliques" in the church.
Personality cliques are of the world. They have no place in the church. In the body of Christ we are all equally beholden to each other. We don't pit one leader against another because of our personal preference, or even because of our relationship with that leader. A lot of church dissension happens when people develop an unhealthy attachment to their pastor or leader. It isn't good for the pastor. It isn't good for the church. We don't follow a particular pastor or leader, we follow Christ.
Of course, we may have more of an affinity with one leader over another, but it should never be a cause of division, dissension, or distraction from the church's mission.
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
The bottom line is the Paul and Apollos are mere human beings. Each have their strengths and weaknesses. Each are more gifted in one area of ministry than another. It can often be the case where one pastor is more of a preacher and the other is more of a teacher in the pulpit. They are different spiritual gifts but they both build up the body of Christ. Rather than focusing on the differences of the two, why not celebrate that you have both.
We all have different roles in the body of Christ. Paul uses the metaphor of a seed that is planted. In another passage, the seed usually represents the Word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul planted the seed by preaching the gospel, and Apollos watered it by further explaining what the gospel meant, but it is God through the Holy Spirit that makes it grow.
Notice it is only God who can change a human heart through the gospel preached and taught and the Holy Spirit's work of leading someone to faith. While we have different roles and gifts, we have one purpose to be and make disciples.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their 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 person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
Paul's spiritual gift was that of an "apostle". He planted churches around the world, but then others came to build up the churches with gifts of preaching, teaching, shepherding, etc.. The foundation of any church is Jesus Christ. This is why though churches have names and/or may be part of a denomination, there is only one church. The Church of Jesus Christ.
Paul then talks about the rewards for our labor, as we each seek to build up and grow the church. Paul contrasts two types of materials used to build the church. One church is built gold, silver, and costly stones. The other is built on wood, hay, or straw. In light of the previous verses, we might conclude that those who are building on wood, hay, and stumble are those who acting worldly.
The term "worldly" is similar to the word "flesh", which is our "sinful nature". The bible says the world and its lusts are passing away. And, the devil is the ruler of this world. People of the world are focused on one thing ... self! Gratification of one's desires regardless of the cost. And from time to time all of us get caught up in the flesh, or return to our old nature.
Paul's point is that when someone is building a church in this manner, they are not building anything of eternal value. But if one is walking in the Spirit and using their spiritual gifts to build up the church, they are building something which will last forever. Since we cannot know someone's heart, none of us can judge the values of someone's work for the Lord.
When Jesus returns (Paul calls it the "Day" notice the capital "D") his judgment is characterized by fire. Fire separates what has been built for God with the precious stones from what is built on haw, wood, and straw. One will go up in smoke the other will last. The fire will reveal the true quality of the work. What is done for man or for God!
This doesn't mean this person will not be saved. We are saved by grace through faith not based on our words. But we will be held accountable and judged by what we have done with the gifts we have been given. I.e Prophets will be judged as a prophet, pastors as a pastor, etc.. The fire will test our work and what remains will be our reward.
The bible is clear there will be rewards in heaven based one's faithfulness on earth. This is why we long to hear Jesus' words, "Well done my good and faithful servant come receive your inheritence laid up for you in heaven."
In Revelation 22:12 Jesus says, ""Behold, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to give to each one according to what he has done."
If Jesus were to return today, what kind of reward do you think you would receive?
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
Paul will talk more about this later, but he contrasts the physical temple where God dwelt in the holies of holies, with the spiritual temple in our hearts. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit lives in us. There is one sense in which we each are the temple of God and also in a collective sense as the church, we are the temple of God.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a]; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b] 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[c] or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
As we mentioned yesterday, Paul was also confronting the biggest heresy in the 1st century, which was "gnosticism". It comes from the Greek word "gnosis" which means to know. But in the case of this heresy, people claimed to have a mystical knowledge of God which was secretly revealed to them. It is similar to the modern day "New Age" movement.
The wisdom he is also talking about could also be "worldly wisdom". Corinth was an intellectual center of the world at that time, some of the people boasted of their wisdom. But as we said yesterday, "God laughs at man's wisdom". Anyone claiming to have wisdom of their own, is foolish. All wisdom comes from God, and we have access to God's wisdom through the Holy Spirit.
Back to the original issue of favoring one leader over the other, they were claiming one leader was wiser than the other.
How prone we are to glory in men! We are more excited about being with the influential and famous of this world than about being with God. We value the gifts and honors of men more than the gifts and honors God gives. How we need to hear, let no one glory in men! - Guzik
How do you know the difference between worldly and godly wisdom? God's wisdom is contained in this book you are reading. If anyone claims to be wise and their teaching does not align with what the bible teaches, they are foolish and you should not listen to them.
Yet another reason for you to read, know, understand, and apply the wisdom of God's Word in your life. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. You will be able to confound the wisdom of this world which is like building your house on sinking sand.
You are building your life on something that is bedrock solid!
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