Divisions In The Church. 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

1 Divisions In The Church 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

2 Divisions In The Church 1 Corinthians 3:1-23, 1. Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as 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 men? 4. For when one says, I follow Paul, and another, I follow Apollos, are you not mere men? 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 made it grow. 7. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9. For we are God s fellow workers; you are God s field, God s building. 10. By the grace God has given me I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13. his 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 man s work. 14. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.

3 15. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 16. Don t you know that you yourselves are God s temple and that God s Spirit lives in you? 17. If anyone destroys God s temple, God will destroy him; for God s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 18. Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a fool so that he 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 ; 20. and again, The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile. 21. So then, no more boasting about men! 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 of Christ, and Christ is of God. Commentary: 1 Corinthians 3:1, Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly mere infants in Christ. I. Because of the problems of the Corinthian church, Paul addressed them as: A. carnal, worldly. B. babes in Christ, immature. II. He still regarded them as brethren in the family of God, the church. A. If mistakes caused us to forfeit our status as brethren there would not be any brethren left.

4 B. However, we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and flee temptations. C. Paul sought to help these erring Corinthian Christians correct their ways. III. Some of the Corinthians could have been influenced by pretentious false teachers who disdained Paul s simple proclamation of the Gospel. A. 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. B. Paul spoke to these Christians simply because, at the time of their conversion, this was the language they were able to understand. 1 Corinthians 3:2, I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed you are still not ready. I. Hebrews 5:11-14, We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. II. Hebrews 6:1, 2, Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

5 III. 1 Peter 2:2, Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, IV. John 16:12, I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. V. At conversion we need the milk of the word. We are to continue to grow until we can understand the meat of the Word. VI. To remain at the milk stage all of our Christian lives is a sign of a major spiritual disability. 1 Corinthians 3:3, You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? I. Proof that the Corinthians were carnal, worldly was their jealousy and strife. A. The lives of these Christians were marred by serious failures. B. Galatians 5:19-21, The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 3:4, 5, For when one says, I follow Paul, and another, I follow Apollos, are you not mere men? 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. I. The divisiveness within the church at Corinth proved they were conducting themselves as unconverted worldly people.

6 A. There is no indication that any of these men encouraged this divisiveness! B. There is no indication that any genuine rivalry existed among them although Paul and Peter did have their occasional differences. II. Paul and Apollos were only ministers, servants who preached according to the abilities God had given them. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. I. Paul was the first to preach the Gospel in Corinth. He planted the Gospel seed. II. Apollos came later and watered the young church with further teaching and instruction. III. Apollos and Paul were not very important. They were simply tools God used to do his work. IV. God who caused the seed to germinate and the church to grow is the all important one. V. Paul and Apollos were one in mutual love and respect for each other, one in purpose, one in service to God and one in their reliance on God. VI. Paul and Apollos and all other servants of God will be rewarded on the basis of their labor in God s Kingdom.

7 1 Corinthians 3:9, For we are God s fellow workers; you are God s field, God s building. I. Paul and Apollos were fellow-workers, a team. II. Husbandry refers to a vineyard. The church is God s vineyard. III. The church is also here called God s building. IV. In the following verses Paul speaks of the church as God s temple. 1 Corinthians 3:10, By the grace God has given me I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. I. The foundation Paul laid at Corinth and on which the church was built was Jesus Christ. A. Paul served as a wise master builder because God s grace had enabled him to serve in this capacity. B. Paul built through the faithful proclamation of the Gospel. C. Others including Apollos in this case build on the foundation. D. All must be most careful how the foundation is laid and how the superstructure is built. 1 Corinthians 3:11, For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. I. The foundation rock on which the church is built is Jesus Christ, not Peter or any other man.

8 II. Matthew 16:13-18, When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do people say the Son of Man is? They replied, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you? he asked. Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. III. The foundation on which the apostles and prophets built was Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:12, If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, I. We who build can use costly, quality materials likened unto gold, silver and costly stones or cheap materials likened to wood, hay and stubble. II. The type of people incorporated into the church is the point. Reference is here made to the faithful and the unfaithful. Corinth had a supply of each kind. A. 1 Peter 2:5, 6, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. B. The fire of hell could not destroy gold, silver, precious stones. C. The fire of hell would devour wood, hay, stubble.

9 D. Some who have once been saved regrettably will be lost in the world to come. 1 Corinthians 3:13, his 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 man s work. I. The day of judgment is the occasion on which the determination will be made as to the faithfulness and the eternal rewards each Christian will receive. A. 1 Peter 4:12, Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. B. Matthew 7:21-23, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! 1 Corinthians 3:14, 15, If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. I. Those who go through the judgment and are pronounced worthy to enter heaven will be a cause of wondrous joy to those who led them to Christ. II. Those who go through the judgment and find themselves unworthy to enter heaven will be a cause of intense grief to those who led them to Christ.

10 III. In any event the eternal destinies of ministers (all of us are ministers) do not hinge on the lives of others, nor on the lives of those we have led to Christ. IV. Even so we will be saved in any event so as through fire, by the skin of our teeth, by the smallest of margins. A. Job 19:20b, I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth. B. If the righteous are scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear? 1 Corinthians 3:16, Don t you know that you yourselves are God s temple and that God s Spirit lives in you? I. The church is the temple of God. A. The Spirit of God dwells in this temple. B. The church (not the church building) is holy. C. Christians must preserve the church s purity. 1 Corinthians 3:17, If anyone destroys God s temple, God will destroy him; for God s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. I. The conduct of some of the Corinthians would harm and destroy the church in that city. II. Those who destroy or harm the church will themselves be destroyed at the judgment day. 1 Corinthians 3:18, Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a fool so that he may become wise.

11 I. This verse: A. condemns intellectual pride, religious bigotry. B. encourages humility. C. teaches that the humble are in a position to be truly wise. D. warns Christians not to deceive themselves. 1 Corinthians 3:19, For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God s sight. As it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness ; I. God does not respect worldly wisdom. A. He who is all wise must look with humor or disdain on egotistical humans who can t hold a flickering candlelight to the brilliance of the Son!! B. Job 5:13 has Eliphaz the Temanite speaking against Job. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. 1 Corinthians 3:20, and again, The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile. I. This verse teaches: A. Human wisdom cannot produce salvation from sin. B. Human wisdom cannot solve the secular, political, economic and social problems facing the world.

12 II. Psalm 94:11, The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile. 1 Corinthians 3:21, So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, I. No one is to glory in men. A. The Corinthian Christians must not glory in Paul, Apollos or Cephas. B. All things belong to Christians through Christ. Nothing else is needed. 1 Corinthians 3:22, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future all are yours, I. Through Christ all good things belong to Christians including: A. Paul, Apollos or Cephas. B. The good things of the world. C. Life or death. D. Things present or things to come. 1 Corinthians 3:23, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. I. Christians are in Christ and Christ is in God. II. By adhering to Christ and resisting human wisdom and division Christians can have all blessings available to believers through Christ in God!

13 Conclusion: I. Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to keep their focus on Jesus... A. not on him, Apollos nor Cephas. B. not on eloquent phrases. C. 1 Corinthians 1:24, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. D. Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. II. Worldly wisdom contrasted with God s wisdom: A. Get ahead at any cost. B. Watch out for number one. C. The end justifies the means. D. Do to others as you would have them do to you. E. You shall not steal. F. You shall not give false testimony. G. Work wholeheartedly. H. Nice guys finish last. I. I have my rights you know.

14 J. You can take only so much. K. Do to others before they do you. L. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. M. Love your neighbor. N. Love yourself. O. Love your enemies. P. You shall not covet. Q. Forgive men when they sin against you. R. Quantity of time is not as important as quality time. S. One parent is as good as two. T. True love is more important than a piece of paper. U. Do not commit adultery. V. Do not store up treasures on earth. W. Do everything without complaining. X. They will not miss one box of paper clips. Y. Thieves will not inherit the kingdom of God. Z. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die.

15 Questions 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 1. From the conclusion of this study, which items listed reflect Worldly Wisdom? 2. From the conclusion of this study, which items listed reflect God s Wisdom? 3. Why did Paul refer to certain members of the Corinthian church as worldly, carnal? 4. Were these carnal, worldly church members still brethren? How can this be and what does this mean for us?

16 5. When and/or under what conditions is it sinful to be spiritual infants? 6. What is the proof given by Paul to show the Corinthians were carnal, worldly? 7. List acts of the sinful nature. 8. What can we do to reduce the divisiveness among today s Christians? 9. What did Paul and Apollos do? Was there any rivalry between them?

17 10. Christian constitute s God s, God s, God s. 11. What is the foundation on which we are to build? Each one should be how he. 12. What is represented by gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay and straw/stubble? 13. Who will be able to pass through the judgment unscathed? 14. If our work, what we have built, does not survive the judgment, what effect will that have on our salvation? 15. What will happen to those who destroy God s temple?

18 What is God s temple? 16. How were the Corinthians in danger of deceiving themselves? 17. How can it be said,... the wisdom of the world is foolishness in God s sight? 18. Human wisdom has not been able to solve the,, and problems of the world. How can it solve the world s spiritual problems?

19 19. Through all things belong to Christians including 20. Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to keep their focus on Jesus. How can we do that better in our lives?