1 Corinthians 2
Review
Review on 1 Corinthians 2
1Corinthians2:1-5–ProclaimingChrist
Crucified
•Paul’smessagewasemphasizedon
preachingChristcrucified
•Gospelwasdemonstratedbythepowerof
theHolySpirit,noteloquence
Review on 1 Corinthians 2
1Corinthians2:6-16–WisdomfromtheSpirit
• Spiritualwisdomisonlyobtainedwhenyou’rebornagain
• Allbelievershaveaccesstothesamespiritualwisdom,
butnotallhaveequalkindsofwisdom
• Naturalmancan’tdiscernspiritualthings
• Ifnaturalmancould,thenJesuswouldn’tbecrucified
• Everybelievercancommunicateandfellowshipwitheach
otherbecausetheyallhavethesameSpirit
1 Corinthians 3
1 Corinthians 3:1 (ESV) Divisions in the Church
1ButI,brothers,couldnotaddressyouasspiritualpeople,
butaspeopleoftheflesh,asinfantsinChrist.
• PaulcallsthebelieversofCorinthcarnalpeoplerather
thanspiritualpeople–they’reinfantsinChrist,being
fedmilkinsteadofsolidfood
• Somehaveissuewiththeconceptof“carnal
Christians”
• Sometimesourfleshtakesprecedentinourlivesat
times
1 Corinthians 3:1 (ESV) Divisions in the Church
• Paulusestheword“sarkikos”todescribethem
(flesh)
• Notsameas“sarkinos”usedin2Corinthians3:3
thattalksaboutthefleshofthebody
(characteristicofbeinghuman):
• AndyoushowthatyouarealetterfromChrist
deliveredbyus,writtennotwithinkbutwiththe
SpiritofthelivingGod,notontabletsofstonebuton
tabletsofhumanhearts(sarkinos).
1 Corinthians 3:1 (ESV) Divisions in the Church
• Paullaidout3categoriesofpeople:
• Naturalman[1Corinthians2:14]–whoispatternedafter
AdamandrejectsthethingsoftheSpirit
• Spiritualman[1Corinthians2:15]–whoknowsthethings
ofGod
• Carnalman[1Corinthians3:1]–whoknowsthethingsof
Godyetstillshowscharacteristicsoftheflesh
• Corinthbelievershadaninflatedviewoftheir
spirituality,thinkingtheywerereadyfordeeperthings
1 Corinthians 3:2-3 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
2Ifedyouwithmilk,notsolidfood,foryouwerenotreadyforit.
Andevennowyouarenotyetready,
3
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?
• Milkandsolidfoodspeaksofdegrees,notkinds…likedifferentlevelsof
understanding…
• Forexample,everydoctrinethatcanbetaughtinseminarycanbetaughtto
children,butjustnotinthesamewords
• Nopartofgospelthatweareauthorizedtokeepbackfrompeople,every
believerineverydegreeofunderstandinghasaccesstothesameteaching
1 Corinthians 3:2-3 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
• BelieversatCorinthweren’treadytoreceivesolid
foodbecausetheywerestillonspiritual“junkfood”
–sameasoureatinghabitstogrowhealthy
• Somecan’ttakeinsolidfoodbecausetheir“taste
buds”aresoaccustomedtothespiritualjunkfood
• Theirjealousyandstrifewerenodifferentthanthat
oftheworld,meaningtheywereactingnodifferent
(beingalighttotheworld)
1 Corinthians 3:4-5 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
4Forwhenonesays,“IfollowPaul,”andanother,“Ifollow
Apollos,”areyounotbeingmerelyhuman?
5
WhatthenisApollos?WhatisPaul?Servantsthroughwhomyou
believed,astheLordassignedtoeach.
• Someofthemwereactinginthefleshbysayingwhomtheybelongto
otherthanJesus,whichcausedjealousyandstrifeamongeachother
• ThisisanindicationtheirrelationshipwithGodwasoff
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
6
Iplanted,Apolloswatered,butGodgavethegrowth.
7
Soneitherhewhoplantsnorhewhowatersisanything,butonlyGodwho
givesthegrowth.
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Hewhoplantsandhewhowatersareone,andeachwillreceivehiswages
accordingtohislabor.
• PauldenouncedhisownpartisansandinsteadputthefocusonHim,not
himselforothers
• OnlyGodcangivethepersonspiritualgrowth,nomatterwho’sdoingthe
plantingandwatering
• Rewardsaregivenasaresultofone’sownlabor,nottheirgifts,talents,or
success
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
• AllChristianshavedifferentjobs,butonlyGodgivesthefruit
• Similartothatofafarmer,hecanonlyplantandwateraseed,buthe
can’tgrowtheseed
• Farmercanprovidetherightenvironmentforgrowthandtrustthat
thegrowthintheseedwilldoitsjob
• Don’tgetfrustratedorbecomeangry/resentfulifyouwanttowater
insteadofplant…orviceversa
• Realfruitfulnessinministryhappenswhenwearepeacefullycontent
withwhatGodhascalledustodo
1 Corinthians 3:9 (ESV) Divisions in the Church
9
ForweareGod'sfellowworkers.YouareGod'sfield,God'sbuilding.
• Everyjobofyoursissignificant
• NoticethatweareHisBuilding.HisField.
• YouarePARTNERINGwithGod…letthatsinkin!ButHefirstsetsitallup!
• Don’tgetjealousoveranotherperson’sjob
• Again,onlyGodcangivegrowth,notanyChristian
• We’reallontheSAMEteam…
• Oldcliché:there’sno“I”inteam
• Onejobisnotimportantthantheother.
• ExampleshereatBDA?
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
10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.
11
Fornoonecanlayafoundationotherthanthatwhichislaid,whichis
JesusChrist.
• Paulstartswithadeclarationofgraceinverse10
• RemindingusthatweareworkersbyHisgrace,notbecauseanyoneisspecial
• OnlyfoundationtobelaidisthatofJesusChrist
• Hisgraceiswhatstartsitall
• Paulknewotherswillbuildonthatfoundationhealreadylaid
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
12
Nowifanyonebuildsonthefoundationwithgold,silver,precious
stones,wood,hay,straw—
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eachone'sworkwillbecomemanifest,fortheDaywilldiscloseit,
becauseitwillberevealedbyfire,andthefirewilltestwhatsortof
workeachonehasdone.
• Eachperson’sworkwillendupasgold,silver,preciousstones,wood,
hay,orstraw
• Eachperson’sworkwillbetestedbyfire,revealingwhatkindofwork
itis
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
• Wood,hay,strawwillallbegone,butgold,silver,andpreciousstones
willremainonthatDayofJudgement(GreatWhiteThroneandthe
JudgementSeatofJesus–2Corinthians5:10)
• It’sthekindofwork,nottheamountthat’scritical
• Fireistopurifytheworkmanship,nottheworker
1 Corinthians 3:14-15 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
14
Iftheworkthatanyonehasbuiltonthefoundationsurvives,hewill
receiveareward.
15
Ifanyone'sworkisburnedup,hewillsufferloss,thoughhehimself
willbesaved,butonlyasthroughfire.
• Ifit’sthewrongkindofwork,it’llvanishforever
• Makesureyourworksurvivesthefire
• Askhimtorevealiftheworkyou’redoingisworthy
• Evenifyourworkisthewrongkind,youstillwillbesaved
1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
16DoyounotknowthatyouareGod'stempleandthatGod'sSpirit
dwellsinyou?
• Ourbodiesaretemples(vessels/dwellingplaces)oftheHolySpirit
• ThisiswhereHelives
• Greekwordisnaos (fortemple)whichmeanssanctuary,theactual
placeofGod’sdwelling,incontrasttohieron,whichisatemplearea
ingeneral
1 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
17
IfanyonedestroysGod'stemple,Godwilldestroyhim.ForGod's
templeisholy,andyouarethattemple.
• ThisisreferringtothosewhotrytoteardownHischurch
• Asanexample,adisagreementonwhat’sbestforthecommunityof
believersisnotasseriousasblockingorrunningwhatGodwantsto
do
1 Corinthians 3:18-20 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
18
Letnoonedeceivehimself.Ifanyoneamongyouthinksthatheis
wiseinthisage,lethimbecomeafoolthathemaybecomewise.
19
ForthewisdomofthisworldisfollywithGod.Foritiswritten,“He
catchesthewiseintheircraftiness,”
20
andagain,“TheLordknowsthethoughtsofthewise,thattheyare
futile.”
• It’sbettertoassumeyou’rewrongthaninsistyou’reright
• Whenyou’reafoolintheworld’seyes,you’rewiseinHiseyes
• YoucanneverbecomewisewithoutbeingafoolforHim
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 (ESV) Divisions in the
Church
21
Soletnooneboastinmen.Forallthingsareyours,
22
whetherPaulorApollosorCephasortheworldorlifeordeathorthe
presentorthefuture—allareyours,
23
andyouareChrist's,andChristisGod’s.
• Wetendtobemoreexcitedtobewithinfluentialandfamouspeoplethan
tobewithGod
• There’snosenseinfightingoverthingsofferedbydifferentpeoplebecause
weallpossessthingsinChristandit’sALLsharedamongthechurchof
believers
• Deathisourservant,notourmaster
• ThewholeuniverseisyoursinChrist
• SinceeverythingisoursinChrist,that’sourTRUElibertyasChristians