Epistles of Paul – 1 Corinthians 3 to 4
Let’s continue in our look at the Epistle of the Corinthians today…
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 3-4
- 1Co 3:1 – 4
- And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
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; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
- For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
Do you feel that Paul is speaking to us? Do you feel the word of Paul stirring up of minds to ask ourselves, “Am I still immature in faith? Am I still not able to understand and apply God’s word in our daily lives? Am I still bearing grudges with some people in church?”
- 1Co 3:9
- For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.
Here is something for divine workers to ponder: we often pray that God would work with us whenever we do divine works. It is right and the utmost important to always pray for strength and wisdom to do God’s works, but do we see something amiss when we pray, “God, please guide us and work with us”? Do we realize that God is always working? God had, and has been working since He founded the world until this very day. So remember, we are but fellow workers in His works.
- 1Co 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Always render sovereignty to our Almighty God, for He is our righteous Judge and King of everything. He sees the hearts of all man, therefore His judgments are righteous, and His praises are truthful, refresh, and revive our souls.
- 1Co 4:12 – 13
And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
Are we able to constantly remember the sufferings of Jesus Christ for us? When He was preaching on earth, the nasty words from unbelieving Jews, to the cruel whips that barrowed His entire body, to the crucifixion on the rugged cross, if we were in His shoes, how much can we endure? Jesus endured all these for our salvation’s sake; can we all do likewise as Paul and the apostle did for Christ?