God's building.

Please welcome Pastor Kingsley Emenike!

www.bibledoctrineministries.net

God’s Building

1CO 3:1-17

In chapter 2, Paul divides the human race into two species: natural and spiritual.

The spiritual have the Spirit of God. The natural do not have the Spirit of God.

In chapter 3, Paul makes a further distinction when he addresses fleshly believers.

But they are still spiritual because they have the Spirit of God.

They are still mostly thinking and behaving like the unbeliever does.

Notice the words “could not speak to you as to”.

The spiritual here are those who act like who they are, while the fleshly are still acting like what they were.
 

Those who are still fleshly are still babyish.

Because they were carrying out the deeds of the flesh: jealousy and strife.

GAL 5:16-26

Those who are carrying out the deeds of the flesh are infants in Christ.

Those who are walking by means of the Spirit are mature.

Milk refers to elementary teaching.

HEB 5:11-6:3

Solid food refers to the wisdom that the mature understand, particularly Paul’s mystery teachings.

1CO 2:6-7

An example of these mystery teachings is found in chapter 15.

1CO 15:51-52

But they are still infants in Christ now, still not able to be given solid food.

1CO 3:5-9

Paul and Apollos are insignificant servants!

He assigned Paul the task of planting. He preached the gospel and founded the church at Corinth.

He assigned Apollos the task of watering. He continued to teach the saints at Corinth.

The planter cannot make the seed germinate in the ground. The waterer has no power to make the plant grow.

He tells them that they are God’s field.

Then he introduces a new metaphor: they are also God’s building.

1CO 3:10-15

The foundation is Christ. Paul preached Christ, and Him crucified.

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (PSA 127:1).

But each contractor must take care how they build.

They must build according to Paul’s foundation: Christ.

The contractors are the teachers and leaders in the church.

There are two kinds of materials: those who will stand up to the fire that tests their quality,

and those that get burnt up in the fires of testing.

The gold, silver and precious stones represent the teachings of the word of God - God’s wisdom, taught by the Spirit.

The wood, hay, and straw represent the wisdom of the world - words taught by human wisdom.