Video teaching coming soon
There is no online teaching for this study yet, but the written notes and any available study resources are still below.
These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
I Corinthians 3:1-23
Review…
- The city of Corinth…
- Corinth was a beautiful, very prosperous, and influential city in the Roman Empire…
- But Corinth was also infamous for its idolatry and sexual promiscuity…
- This is the place where Paul began a church – but it became a church with lots of problems!
- Paul devoted his entire letter to the church to address these problems…
- I Corinthians 1:1-9 – The greeting to the chruch…
- I Corinthians 1:10-17 – The 1st problem – Division in the church – following men...
- Paul spends the next 4 chapters dealing with this problem – I Corinthians 1:10-4:21
- When there is division in the church – it keeps us from being effective for Jesus…
- The solution to division – focus on Jesus Christ – the one thing we all have in common!
- The first cause of the division – following men – I am of Paul / Apollos / Peter / Jesus…
- I Corinthians 1:18-31 – The 2nd problem – Division in the church – the wisdom of men...
- 1st – the Wisdom of God’s message – the cross – is foolishness to the world!
- 2nd – the Wisdom of God’s messengers – the foolish people of the world!
- I Corinthians 2:1-16 – The simplicity of God’s Message...
- Paul determined to just preach Christ crucified to the church – the simple Gospel…
- So that the faith of the believers would be based in God’s Word – not men’s words…
- Those who received the message of the Gospel – were made perfect and understood…
- The ‘mystery’ of God’s love – Jesus crucified from the foundations of the world
- The riches God has planned for those who love Him (eyes has not seen…)
- Revealed by the Spirit of God within us – who knows the mind of God..
- Unlike those who do not believe – cannot know the truths of God – no Holy Spirit!
- The 3rd problem – Division in the church – spirtual immaturity... vs. 1-8
- Spiritual vs. carnal... vs. 1-4
- The 3rd reason for division in the church – the immaturity of the believers…
- Paul rebuked the church – I could not speak to you as ‘Spiritual’ instead as ‘Carnal’…
- Spiritual – mature in the faith – able to handle the ‘meat’ – deeper truths of God’s Word…
- Understanding life is about far more than momentary needs and pleasure…
- Recognizing the consequences – both temporary and eternal – for actions…
- Desiring to please and serve the Lord in both actions and thought…
- Carnal – immature in the faith – only able to swallow the ‘milk’ – simple teachings…
- Those who know Jesus – but live for their flesh – their basic desires…
- Live to eat / sleep / enjoy the pleasures of this passing life…
- Still bound to their sin – they live only to please themselves…
- I fed you with milk – not with meat…
- At first – Paul could only feed the believers with ‘milk’ – which is to be expected…
- The believers in Corinth had not grown in their walk with the Lord…
- But right up to the writing of Paul’s letter – they still could only receive ‘milk’!
- They had never grown in their faith – they had never matured in the Lord…
- When we first come to know the Lord – we are not going to understand much…
- There is a LOT about Jesus and God’s Word we do not comprehend…
- We are going to make a lot of mistakes – and struggle to overcome our sin…
- But we should not stay that way – as we get into God’s Word – we should grow…
- It is cute to bottle feed a young infant – no surprise when they mess their diapers
- But when a 20-year-old adult is still on the ‘bottle’ – still wearing diapers…
- It is a tragedy – something has gone terribly wrong…
- When a believer whose been saved for 20 years – is carnal – still living for this world
- It is a tragedy – they never grew in the Lord – they never matured in their faith…
- When those who should be teaching others – still need to be taught simple truth…
- * Hebrews 5:12 – “You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food.”
- As believers in Jesus we should – by spending time in God’s Word…
- Be growing out of ‘milk’ – the simple truths – salvation by faith / eternal judgment…
- Growing in the Lord to a place where we can begin to teach others about Jesus!
- The proof of their childishness…
- The believers in Corinth should have been zealous – for Jesus…
- Instead they zealously debated with each other over their ‘divisions’…
- Their ‘denominational’ attitude – I am of Paul / I am of Apollos…
- Showed their immaturity – showed they were still babes in Christ…
- Paul does not hold back here – those who divide over denominations – are immature
- People who argue over being Catholic / Baptist / Adventist…
- Reveal they are either not saved – or have never grown in the Lord…
- Because they are acting no differently than before they knew Jesus!
- People in the world love to divide – they have their groups / barkada…
- In the world it is all about who is your family / town / county…
- Men have fight and kill each other just because they are rival sports teams…
- But it should not be the same in the church – we are to be united by love!
- John 13:35 – “All will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- When we divide the church over denomination – we show we are like the world!
- Planting and watering... vs. 5-7
- It’s not about the messenger…
- Who is Paul – who is Apollos – just servants of God – who told you about Jesus…
- If you got a letter in the mail with 1000 pesos from a good friend…
- You don’t thank the messenger – you go and thank the friend who gave the money…
- In the same way it does not matter who told you about Jesus – the Gospel…
- It does not matter what church you got saved in – the point is you received Jesus!
- One plants – another waters – God gives the increase!
- One man might sow a seed – another adds the water – but only God can make it grow!
- So it is not about the one who plants or waters – the credit goes to God!
- The one who plants and the one who waters work together so the plant will grow
- Paul planted the seed of the Gospel – and Apollos watered those seeds…
- But it was God who ultimately caused the people to grow in the Lord!
- Churches – pastors – do not get the credit for people growing in Jesus…
- You might have gotten saved (planted) listening to a pastor – in one church…
- Then you grew in God’s Word (watered) in a different church…
- That does not make one church better than the other – both were used!
- And ultimately it was God who used both to plant and water you in the Lord!
- So don’t look to the church – don’t give credit to men – give credit to Jesus!
- A warning to pastors... vs. 8-15
- The reward for the labor... vs. 8-10
- So if all the credit goes to God – what do the Pastor’s get…
- In farming – both the planter and one who waters receive a reward for their labor…
- If either one failed to do their part – then the crop would fail…
- The reward they receive is the fruit that comes from their combined labor…
- Their reward for serving God…
- 1st – The church in Corinth was God’s field – Paul was sent to ‘farm’ in…
- The reward Paul received was seeing the fruit in the lives of those who believed…
- He planted / Apollos watered – both rejoiced in seeing the people grow – fruit!
- It is a sad thing to me that many pastors today think they are the ‘only farmer’…
- As though there is only one church – their church – that is the ‘right’ church…
- The joy of the pastor should be to watch the people grow and mature…
- No matter where they attend church – we are all one in Christ!
- 2nd – The church (people) was God’s building – Paul was sent to build…
- The reward Paul received was seeing the church of God built in Corinth…
- The reward of the pastor – is seeing people grow and the church of God built…
- My greatest joy is seeing people grow in the Lord – bear fruit for the Lord…
- I am constantly amazed as I get to be a part of God building His church!
- III John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
- The works tested by fire... vs. 10-15
- Paul was the wise master-builder (architect) of the church in Corinth…
- Paul set the foundation of the church – cause he was the first to share the Gospel there…
- Other men came – and added to the work – building on that foundation…
- But he warns – they needed to be careful on how they added to the church…
- Because the only foundation – is Jesus Christ…
- Matthew 16:18 – “On this rock I will build My church…”
- The ‘Rock’ that is the foundation of the church – is Jesus Christ!
- The foundation that Paul set – the only foundation that the church can stand upon!
- There were those who sought to ‘replace’ the foundation…
- They wanted to build the church upon a denomination – name – rather than Jesus!
- When a church uses a man’s name / churches name – more than Jesus names…
- When a denomination become more important than Jesus – wrong foundation…
- If any one builds upon the foundation (Jesus) – their work will be tested…
- It will be tested to see if it is Gold/Silver/or precious stones or Wood/Hay/ Straw…
- It will be tested – by putting the ‘work’ through the fire – on THE Day (Judgment Day)…
- The idea is the works of pastors/leaders who serve and teach in the church – are tested
- Was their work based on Jesus – or on their own name / their own efforts…
- If anyone’s ‘work’ endures – he will receive a reward…
- If the foundation of their work was Jesus – then the work will endure…
- It will be obvious because of the fruit that comes from the work – mature believers!
- You can always spot a church that is founded on Jesus – the people grow in the Lord…
- Faith comes by hearing God’s Word – Romans 10:17 – getting to know Jesus…
- The fruit of the church is gold/silver/precious – because it lasts – John 15:16
- In the same way you always spot a church that is full or wood/hay/ and straw…
- There is no maturity in the believers – 20 years down the road – still babes…
- Still arguing over denominations – still living like they did before they knew Jesus!
- If anyone’s ‘work’ is burned – he will suffer loss – but himself will be saved…
- The pastors work is burned up (sermons, lectures, books, teaching, all dry as dust)
- He will still be saved – but all of his efforts are lost in the fire…
- It is the tragedy of a fruitless life – a minister who built so poorly on the true foundation
- His work goes up in smoke – His sermons were empty words without building power…
- They left no mark in the lives of the hearers – it is the picture of a wasted life!
- Therefore do not cause division... vs. 16-23
- You are the church of G od... vs. 16-17
- Paul turns back to the saints of Corinth – you are the temple of God…
- The Holy Spirit (who is God) dwells within you – within the Church of God…
- The church of God is not a building – it is not a particular denomination…
- There is only one church of God – we are all part of the Body of Christ…
- No matter what name – no matter what traditions – we are all part of God’s church!
- If you destroy the building of God (the church) – God will destroy you…
- Going back to the idea of causing divisions within the church – tearing down the church
- The punishment is equally effective – God will wreck the church-wrecker!
- If we cause division within God’s church – if we focus on denominations – watch out…
- If someone beat up your wife – what would you do to them…
- We are the Bride of Christ – what do you suppose God will do to someone who hurts us
- Do not follow the wisdom of men... vs. 18-23
- If any of you are wise in this world – become a fool for Jesus…
- Cause the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God – the thoughts of the wise – futile!
- Just because others divide – do not follow in their example – don’t follow men’s wisdom!
- Keep in simple – stay firmly planted on the foundation of Jesus!
- Don’t settle for less – don’t rob yourself of the blessings of the riches of the church…
- Not just one church – but the blessing of knowing all of God’s kids…
- Everything is already yours – Paul / Apollos / the whole world!
- Things present – things to come – life and death – are all yours!
- And you are Christ’s – and Christ is God’s!