1 Corinthians chapter 3

1 Corinthians Chapter 3.

Three men: The natural man. The Carnal man. The spiritual man.

           

Chapter 3:1-4.  Their immaturity and carnality was manifest in their party - rivalry.  And in this passage the A.V. has "carnal" four times, representing:-

           

1/ `Sarkinos', "made in the flesh." 3:1.  It points to their infancy, weakness, inexperience and immaturity.  During his sojourn among them, Paul had fed them with milk, for they were babes.  He adopted his teaching to their infancy, giving only the elementary truths and demands of the Christian life.  Babes need milk, and with such Paul had fed them.

           

2/ `Sarkikos' (twice). 3:3.  This word means belonging to or having the characteristics of the flesh.  It emphasized their worldliness.  They were still dominated by their lower nature.  Their party spirit was a vicious form of worldliness. The apostle realized that when they were `sarkinos' (ois) they must be fed with milk, but his reproach was that they still had no capacity for higher teaching, for they were `sarkikos' (ois), and their bickering were a proof of this.

           

It is plain that the word spiritual in this passage means something more than spiritual manifestation in the way of gifts of utterances.  It is rather a quality of a different kind and an advance on another level.  The spiritual man has a true discernment of moral, social and religious values.

           

3/ `Anthropoi este'.  ("Are men").  3:4.   The carnal of the A.V. is removed in modern revisions.  The N.E.B. has, "are you not all too human."  See also R.S.V.  The men of the world are engaged in constant rivalry and strife, but Christians must not be so engaged.

           

Mutual love, the expression of brotherliness, a tender regard to those for whom Christ died, was a great lack among the Corinthians.  They were proud of their knowledge and eloquence, but were deficient in humility and love.  It was this that made them fall short of becoming spiritual men.

           

The Work of the Christian Preacher.   3: 5-17.  

Paul and Apollos are fellow-labourers in:-

God's tilled field.                       3: 5-9   

God's building.             3:10-15.

The Temple of God.      3:16-17.                       

Let no man glory in men.           3:18-23.

           

The Christian Ministry.

           

1/  The Supremacy of God.   All things belong to God and originate in Him.  Both Paul and Apollos were but ministers to promote faith, not in themselves, but in God.  All their activity was fruitless apart from God's benediction; for growth and unity in the Church are His gift.  These verses underline the nothingness of the servant, and that God is everything and supreme.

           

2/  Unity the aim.   Every servant had a different role to fulfill, but one common aim, for they were workers together in God's service and to whom they belonged.  Though tasks differed, there was unity of purpose.  They were one 3:8, "equal," R.S.V.; "as a team," N.E.B.  No servant should be put above another, for their work is of equal importance for the result.  Paul and Apollos were a united team belonging to God working in His tilled field.

           

3/  Individual Accountability.   Paul stresses individual responsibility.  The workers share in the labour of the field and their work is of equal importance for the harvest, but each shall receive his own reward, which shall be given to him for his own labour.  This concept of accountability to God emphasizes their servant character and their complete subordination to God.  However, their personal accountability to God is also their true dignity and status.  The important point is that each shall receive a reward for his own work.

The Unity of the Church and Individual Accountability.

           

Introduction:   This is worked out in reference to the building of the Church.  The work of various ministers in the Church is likened to men erecting a building.

           

1/  The Foundation.  Paul laid this through his preaching at Corinth, and had showed himself a wise (not "worldly wise") masterbuilder.  He could claim to have skilfully done this, not boasting about it, but acknowledging that he was assisted by the grace of God.

           

The laying of the foundation was the work of evangelism and the commencement of the Church.  The structure and unity of the Church is built upon the broad and firm basis of Jesus Christ and His saving work.  The bickerings at Corinth overlooked the significance of Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation for the Church building.  "Let names and sects and parties fall, and Jesus Christ be Lord of all.

           

2/  The Erection.  The Labourers - various men contributed to its erection but each must heed to how he built.  "Jerry-building" would not do.  The Church does not increase through party rivalry, neither is its unity that of mere religious and social club.  The Materials - of the building fall into two distinctive categories.  One group represents costly material and having ability to resist fire.  The other group are bulky, not of much value and quickly consumed by fire.  The choice of materials indicate the kind of work done.  Paul is thinking of the Church in terms of work, the work of the builders.  The materials express the sort, the kind and manner of work done.

           

3/  The Inspection.  The work of the building will be tested and proved.  For the Individual, each man's work will be tested.  The parable of the building illustrates the truth of personal accountability.  The means by which it is tested is the fire of God's Holiness, and it will be the discriminating power. (Heb.12:29).

           

4/  Reward.  The careful builder receives a reward.  We are not told the nature of this recompense.  The heavenly reward is sometimes expressed by the symbolism of a crown (1.Cor.9:25; 1.Thess.2:19; 2.Tim.4:8; James 1:12; 1.Pet.5:4; Rev.2:10, 3:11).

           

The careless builder does not discern that which becomes God's house and so shall suffer loss.  However, he shall be saved though deprived of reward.  The illustration emphatically teaches that salvation is not by work.  The main lesson is that only the best and costliest is worthy of God's house.  Worldly wisdom, intellectual pride, minister - worship, following party leaders, striving for personal power are worthless materials for God's building, and shall be rapidly consumed by the fire.

           

The Temple of God.   Paul has used with some freedom the figure of a building with reference to the Church, especially, to underline the responsibility of the builders.  He now reminds them that the Church is a special kind of building.  The Corinthian Church was a temple of God.  In the pagan world around the temple or house was the dwelling place of a god.  However, the background to Paul's thought was the Temple of God at Jerusalem.

           

Its Composition - The Temple of God is composed of people.  It comprises the believing community.  "Ye are."  It includes not only the mature believer, but the babes in Christ.

           

Its Constitution - The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is its constitution.  Its unity is not based on human organization, but the presence of the Holy Spirit constitutes its existence.  He dwells in each believer (6:19) and in the Christian community.

           

Its Consecration - The Temple of God is Holy.  The presence of the Holy Spirit imparts this holiness.  Because it is a consecrated building, and it is dangerous to injure it.  Paul has written of constructors, some careful, some careless, but in verse 17 he has in mind a destructor.

           

Its Catholicity - Paul addressed the local Church at Corinth as the Temple of God, but this gives no ground for describing local churches as so many separate temples of God.  There is but one Temple of God, whether we think of the Church universally, locally or of the individual believer's body.

           

Practical Conclusions.   3:18-4:13.

           

Paul recapitulates.  The vanity of human wisdom.  Men do not find their way to God by their own wisdom.  At the root of the Corinthian bickerings lay an infatuation for the wisdom of this world.  Let no man glory in men 3:18-23.  To put one teacher above another, for seeming wisdom or intellectual character of his teaching, is a conceit that fosters party rivalry.

           

Our Relationships :

           

1/  Vain relationships.  It is vain to boast in individuals, for God shall bring human glorying to no account.  For although party leaders may have intrigue and craftiness, they cannot escape the hand of God.

           

2/  Cosmic Relationships.  "All things that are yours."  Paul with a large sweep lifts their minds above partisanship.  If such things are theirs, why be the slaves of a party, leader, for not only the apostles but all things belong to them.

           

3/  Saving Relationship.  Christ has saved them and they belong to Him, and they owed their allegiance to Him alone.  It was into Christ's Name they had been baptized.

           

4/  The Ultimate Relationship.  Christ is God's.  This gives eternal validity to our allegiance to Christ.  It is through Christ that God has made known His saving power.  He is the Way to God, and we can come by no other way.