Teachings from 1 Corinthians Chapter 3

We can see three metaphors used to describe believers in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3

1. Believers are like a field cultivated by God (v1-9)

1. There is a need to plant seeds(v6), the workers of God need to scatter seeds by preaching the gospel, and believers must believe in the gospel to cause growth in their spiritual lives.
2. There is a need to water (v6), the workers of God need to water the crops with the word of God, and believers need to accept the word, causing growth in their spiritual lives.
3. However, the church of Corinth did not grow spiritually
   • They were babes in Christ, they only took milk and not solid food.
   • It is perfectly reasonable to a newborn to take only solid food. As Paul said, ” I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able”; it is not normal that now as spiritual people they are not able to receive solid food.
4. The church of Corinth was still carnal and not spiritual (v3-5)
   • There were still envy,strife and divisions among them as they behaved like people of the world and not like Christ
   • They worshipped the workers of God. Some said,” I am of Paul”, some said, “I am of Apollos”, but they are all of Christ and not belonging to any man. If believers belonged to man then they are estranged from Christ.
   • They forgot that God’s workers were only ministers, planting and watering, but not able to cause growth, as only God can cause people to grow.
5. Believers are not to worship the workers of God (v7-8)
   • Every worker’s work yields different fruits but that does not matter as the gifts and abilities for each work is received from God.
   • Each worker has different gifts but are all equal, one should not be esteemed over another, and there should not be different classes amongst the workers.
   • Each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. God’s reward is not according to the results that are yielded from one’s work but according to the amount one labors. There is no need to envy others whose works yield great results, or to be disheartened by one’s results. God knows how much efforts we have put in and they are not in vain.

2. Believers are God’s Building (v10-15)

1. The building must be built on the foundation that is already laid (v10-11)
   • There can be no other foundation other than that which is already laid, that is, Jesus Christ. Paul marvelled that the believers in the church of Galatia turned away so quickly from the gospel, not that there is another gospel, but someone wanted to trouble them and pervert the gospel of Christ.
2. There is a need to build on this foundation with caution (v12)
   • We ought to build on the foundation with gold, silver, and precious stones and not with wood, hay or straw. Gold, silver and precious stones means that it is of spiritual value, majestic and firm, able to withstand the trial of fire; wood, hay and straw means that it is of no spiritual value, lowly and flimsy, not able to withstand the trial of fire.
3. There is a need to withstand the trial of fire (v13-15)
   • In the process of building, it is important not only to see today’s results but it is also important to see if the building can withstand the test of fire, and if it can stand till the Day the Lord comes.

3. The believers are the temple of God (v16-17)

1. The temple of God is where the Spirit of God dwells. As Paul says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor 6:19)
2. God’s temple is holy, so Paul exhorts, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (1 Thess 4:3-4)
3. Do not defile the temple of God. Our bodies are the temple of God, bad habits and indulging in the flesh can defile the body. Hence Paul encourages, ”  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

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