The passage I read was 1 Corinthians 3:1-15
You can find that passage here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+3%3A1-15&version=NIV
The verse that most stood out to me:
7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
As I reflect:
Who are we talking about?
In verse 1 Paul starts off defining those he is addressing as being saved (“brothers and sisters”) but being immature and worldly (at least to some degree not yet convicted of some carnal natures and corrected to be of right heart with God).
What a way to open up the chapter. This passage deals with an often controversial subject simply because it is so very easy to take this out of context. I’ll do my best not to do that here. First off, Paul is talking to the leaders of the church in Corinth that he started while he was there. He laid the foundation of Jesus for the church and since then, there has been some trouble in the way that the Corinthian church leaders have grown. Or rather their lack of growth. In verse 2, I see the way that Paul addresses these Christians who are not yet ready to grow and take hold of deeper teachings. He still provided milk. I too have Christians like this that come into my life from time to time. People who at some point took the message at a very infant level and then chose not to grow into deeper understanding and application of that message. The message remains the same, but the recipient is what is deferent from person to person. I wonder how many years I would have spent at surface level Christianity if my God had not allowed me to become fully broken before Him.
What’s the issue?
In verse 3 – 9, Paul breaks down one of the many issues the Corinthian church leaders are facing in their spiritual walk. They are being prideful and in every way worldly as they argue over who is following the greater leader. The church has in a way separated (among the leaders) into those who say they follow Paul, and those who say they follow Apollos, but Paul is saying that neither of them should be followed as they are co-laborers and God is the one who makes people grow. It’s hard for a worldly person to wrap their mind around that idea because it requires understanding that our salvation and our maturity doesn’t come from our own merit, but rather it comes from God and we are to be pliable into His will for us. Man is raised to think that if anything is done, he must take the credit for having done it. Here the concept is much different and these baby Christians don’t yet understand how the church (the body of Christ) is built on God’s merit through our efforts as co-laborers and not on our efforts as individuals to compare to each other who is a better worker.
Give God the glory; not man.
Paul goes on to give credit where it is due. He says that the work he has done was done by the grace God gave him. And so it is with us. It’s not us who save, it’s God. It’s not us who change a person’s heart, it is God. We are the church that He uses but make no mistake it is God who does the work. We are honored to be used by Him and give him the glory in that use.
The Carnal Christian – yes, it’s possible at least on some level.
As the Lord uses us, it is important to be sure we are serving with right motivation, from Him, and for Him. For if we fall into the game of pride; the sin that destroys the inner man (along with lust), then those efforts will be worthless. As we labor we must use the purest of motivation ( a desire to further the kingdom for God who saved us). You cannot please the Lord without faith. Rely on Him and labor specifically to further His kingdom (not ours) and be sensitive to what His word says and what His Holy Spirit is doing in our lives and you can count on your work lasting and earning a reward. But if you are working only for what others see of you (pride) and if your labor is to build yourself up in the ministry (selfishness) then know that your efforts will be worthless and though you will still make it into Heaven (if indeed you are saved), you will have wasted your life and will have no crown to offer at the feet of God.
If you are the church, the body of Christ, the temple of God, then should you not be built with the greatest of characteristics? The temple wasn’t built with hay, or cardboard, or straw. These things would have been un unworthy dwelling place of the Lord. Likewise, do not build your selves up with cheap tricks to appear greater than you are. One should use marble, and granite, and beautiful strong stones to build up the temple of God. Likewise a follower of Christ should have the characteristics of the Lord’s work in his life; the fruit of the spirit. Zeal for God, not selfish ambition. Glory to God, not arguments over who is better than the other. A desire to co-labor to reach others with the Gospel, not a status as “bestest elder of the church”.
Controversy
Again a very controversial subject though, as many believe you are simply saved or unsaved, white or black, up or down. Make no mistake, this is not talking about being lukewarm. Nor is this a glimpse of proof in purgatory (as the Catholics may have you believe). This is talking about being immature in your walk and incapable of spiritual maturity because of your own choosing. Saved? Yes. Crown? No. Heaven? Yes. Well please Master? I’m thinking “no”. This is a Christian who has chosen to be fleshly in nature revealing little work of the Holy Spirit in their life. Perhaps one of the greatest reasons for the controversy on this passage is because there are ideals communicated throughout the word which project a picture of evidence of salvation being a part of being saved. Paul though, is not saying there is no evidence of salvation here. He is saying that in many (not all) ways, these new believers are refusing to spiritually grow up and stop being worldly. I understand where he is coming from. I have known and even been like these people in my past. I still know some people like this today that have come to Christ for salvation, but after receiving salvation, they have denied growth by the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives. They have chosen their worldly habits and characteristics but simply labeled themselves with Christianity speaking Christianese whilest arguing and trying to prove who’s better than the other. It’s really quite sad. And though I often become angry as these immature brothers and sisters, I take a note from Paul here to continue giving them milk, but to be honest about what type of relationship they are building and how Christ sees right through it. Perhaps one day they will listen and chose to be more “real” with others, themselves, and God.
Who am I? Who are you?
Throughout Corinthians Paul describes three types of men:
The natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14)
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.,
the spiritual man (1 Corinthians 2:15)
The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,
And the carnal man whom we just read about in this passage)
My response to the Lord:
Jehovah, all the glory be yours. You alone have made me who I am and you alone can save the soul. Father, there are so many that are deceived. First and upmost I pray for them. I pray that you would work through the saved to show compassion, understanding, love, forgiveness to the lost and hurting. For the lost that don’t know they are lost, I pray you remove the scales from their eyes that they might recognize their hurt and deep need for you. May you work through your humble followers to reach those lost souls in need. Lord prepare their hearts and save them by your grace. For the saved that are still of worldly mindset; who listen to their flesh and understand not the Holy Spirit, may you speak ever louder not allowing them to stay as they are. Father I pray for growth and conviction in the carnal Christian, that he/she may inherit with great joy a reward on the day they meet Jesus face to face. For those in my own life that may be on approach to just “barely” make it in, Holy Spirit speak through me that you would churn their hearts and reach their spirit to impact them greatly and cause change. Lastly Lord, I pray that you may know how thankful I am that you didn’t leave me in that place. I thank you for answering that prayer so long ago and I hope that others also would pray for you to step strongly into their lives and do what must be done to align it with your will for them. In Jesus’ name I pray.
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