1 Corinthians 3
3
Foundations for Living
1However, brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to spiritual people, but [only] as to #3:1 Lit fleshly.worldly people [dominated by human nature], mere infants [in the new life] in Christ! 2I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Even now you are still not ready. 3You are still #3:3 Lit fleshly.worldly [controlled by ordinary impulses, the sinful capacity]. For as long as there is jealousy and strife and discord among you, are you not #3:3 Lit fleshly.unspiritual, and are you not walking like ordinary men [unchanged by faith]? 4For when one of you says, “I am [a disciple] of Paul,” and another, “I am [a disciple] of Apollos,” are you not [proving yourselves unchanged, just] ordinary people?
5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Just servants through whom you believed [in Christ], even as the Lord appointed to each his task. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was causing the growth. 7So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but [only] God who causes the growth. 8He who plants and he who waters are one [in importance and esteem, working toward the same purpose]; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building. [Is 61:3]
10According to the [remarkable] grace of God which was given to me [to prepare me for my task], like a skillful master builder I laid a foundation, and now another is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it, 11for no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each one’s work will be clearly shown [for what it is]; for the day [of judgment] will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person’s work. [2 Cor 5:10] 14If any person’s work which he has built [on this foundation, that is, any outcome of his effort] remains [and survives this test], he will receive a reward. 15But if any person’s work is burned up [by the test], he will suffer the loss [of his reward]; yet he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has barely escaped] through fire. [Job 23:10]
16 # 3:16 Paul repeats “Do you not know” nine more times, each time followed by an important truth (cf 5:6; 6:2, 3, 9, 15, 16, 19; 9:13, 24). Do you not know and understand that you [the church] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells [permanently] in you [collectively and individually]? 17If anyone destroys the temple of God [corrupting it with false doctrine], God will destroy the destroyer; for the temple of God is holy (sacred), and that is what you are.
18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [discarding his worldly pretensions and acknowledging his lack of wisdom], so that he may become [truly] wise. [Is 5:21] 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness (absurdity, stupidity) before God; for it is written [in Scripture], “[He is] The one who catches the wise and clever in their craftiness;” [Job 5:13] 20and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the [humanly] wise, that they are useless.” [Ps 94:11] 21So let no one boast in men [about their wisdom, or of having this or that one as a leader]. For all things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter) or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things are yours, 23and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
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1 Corinthians 3
3
Teachers Are Only God’s Servants
1Brothers and sisters, when I was there, I could not talk to you the way I talk to people who are led by the Spirit. I had to talk to you like ordinary people of the world. You were like babies in Christ. 2And the teaching I gave you was like milk, not solid food. I did this because you were not ready for solid food. And even now you are not ready. 3You are still not following the Spirit. You are jealous of each other, and you are always arguing with each other. This shows that you are still following your own selfish desires. You are acting like ordinary people of the world. 4One of you says, “I follow Paul,” and someone else says, “I follow Apollos.” When you say things like that, you are acting like people of the world.
5Is Apollos so important? Is Paul so important? We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work God gave us to do. 6I planted the seed and Apollos watered it. But God is the one who made the seed grow. 7So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God is important, because he is the one who makes things grow. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have the same purpose. And each one will be rewarded for his own work. 9We are workers together for God, and you are like a farm that belongs to God.
And you are a house that belongs to God. 10Like an expert builder I built the foundation of that house. I used the gift that God gave me to do this. Other people are building on that foundation. But everyone should be careful how they build. 11The foundation that has already been built is Jesus Christ, and no one can build any other foundation. 12People can build on that foundation using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw. 13But the work that each person does will be clearly seen, because the Day will make it plain. That Day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone’s work. 14If the building they put on the foundation still stands, they will get their reward. 15But if their building is burned up, they will suffer loss. They will be saved, but it will be like someone escaping from a fire.
16You should know that you yourselves are God’s temple.#3:16 temple God’s house—the place where God’s people worship him. Here, it means that believers are the spiritual temple where God lives. God’s Spirit lives in you. 17If you destroy God’s temple, God will destroy you, because God’s temple is holy. You yourselves are God’s temple.
18Don’t fool yourselves. Whoever thinks they are wise in this world should become a fool. That’s the only way they can be wise. 19I say this because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He catches those who think they are wise in their own clever traps.”#Quote from Job 5:13. 20The Scriptures also say, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise. He knows that their thoughts are worth nothing.”#Quote from Ps. 94:11. 21So there is not a person on earth that any of you should be boasting about. Everything is yours: 22Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, and the future—all these are yours. 23And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
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