1 Corinthians 3:1-11

1 Corinthians 3:1 ESV

But     I,                                        brothers,

could not address    you     as spiritual people,

but as                      people of the flesh,

Flesh = σαρκικός = sarkikos = pertaining to flesh, that is, (by extension) bodily, temporal, or (by implication) animal, unregenerate: - carnal, fleshly.

as                            infants in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:2 ESV

I          fed      you with milk,           not solid food,

for                            you                were              not ready for it.

And even now         you                are                not yet ready,

1 Corinthians 3:3 ESV

for                            you                are                still      of the flesh.

For     while                                  there is          jealousy

and                                                                    strife   among you,

are                you     not                                     of the flesh

and                                    behaving only in a human way?

1 Corinthians 3:4 ESV

For     when             one     says,             “I follow Paul,”

and                          another,                   “I follow Apollos,”

are you not being merely human?

1 Corinthians 3:5 ESV

What then                is        Apollos?

What                        is        Paul?

Servants

through whom you believed,

as the Lord              assigned to each.

1 Corinthians 3:6 ESV

I                    planted,

Apollos          watered,

but      God              gave             the growth.

Even though Paul or Apollos are mere servants, they are servants working on behalf of the Kingdom of God.  God produces the results but they are actively working. They have not merely declared they are Christians and then folded their arms and set back.  That is what the Laodicean Christians did.

Revelation 3:15 ESV
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!

Too many today believe that once they have made a profession of faith they are to set back and wait for their final destiny to arrive. Such is not the case.  Their attitude reflects a false understanding of faith submission to the Lordship of Jesus.

 

1 Corinthians 3:7 ESV

So neither     he who          plants

nor                he who          waters           is anything,

but only         God who      gives            the growth.

 1 Corinthians 3:8 ESV

He who         plants

and               he who          waters           are                one,

 and               each              will receive

his wages                according to his labor.

1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

For                we                 are                God's            fellow workers.

You               are                God's            field,

God's            building.

1 Corinthians 3:10 ESV

According to the grace of God      given             to me,

like a skilled master builder

I laid a           foundation,

and                                                                    someone else Is      building upon it.

Let each one           take care how

he builds                  upon it.

1 Corinthians 3:11 ESV

For     no one          can lay          a foundation

other than that which is laid,

which is Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul came with a simple message to all he met:

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

As he has pointed out, it doesn’t make sense in normal terms but when it is grasped by faith then God’s wisdom is visible and it makes perfect sense. The only thing difficult about it to a believer is why?  It is astounding that God loved us so much the he willingly gave his life for ours despite our utter wickedness.

The wonder of what God has done for us should inform every area of our lives.  It should be felt in all our relationships for what God has done for us, he has done for all others as well.  His valuation of others is the same as it is for us.