1 CORINTHIANS LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in I Corinthians 3:1 "And I, brethren,
could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even]
as unto babes in Christ."

     We see a reprimand from Paul to these Corinthians. He is saying,
you have not grown in the Lord since you first began. You are still
like a baby who has to be told everything to do. These people still
had one foot in the world while proclaiming Christianity. Paul says
the only message that he could bring them was the simple salvation
message, because they were not ready to receive any weightier message.
These people have not made their spirit rule over their flesh. They
are still operating in the fleshly realm.

     I Corinthians 3:2 "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat:
for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye
able."

     It seems as though they were criticizing the simple message that
Paul has brought. He is saying, someone has to hold your hand in
Christian matters. You have not fed your spirit with the Word that
would have made you stronger. You still want someone else to do all
the studying for you. You are like a little baby that needs to be fed
milk and not meat. It seems that Paul is a little aggravated with them
for not growing in the Lord.

     I Corinthians 3:3 "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is]
among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and
walk as men?"

     We see in this that they are still operating in the flesh. They
are acting the same way they did before they got saved. Men in the
verse above, means worldly men.  Notice that envy, strife, and
divisions are worldly. They should have no place in the church.

     I Corinthians 3:4 "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and
another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal?"

     Paul says, that just the fact that they are saying they are of
Paul and of Apollos shows him that they do not truly understand
Christianity.

     I Corinthians 3:5 "Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but
ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?"

     The problem, here, is their object of worship. They have their
eyes on the people through whom they heard the gospel, rather than on
the message that minister brought. The word that minister is
translated from, in many places, is translated deacon. The ministers
should not be the object of worship. They are just a voice bringing
the gospel message. Paul and Apollos are both servants of the Most
High God themselves.
     I Corinthians 3:6 "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave
the increase."

     We see from this that it is not the one who brings the original
message, or even the person who comes along and furthers the message,
but God who quickens the message to their heart.  The destination is
the kingdom. It really matters not too much who helped you get there.

     I Corinthians 3:7 "So then neither is he that planteth any thing,
neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

     We see in this that the message carrier is not the important
one. God is to be worshipped and He alone. He is the One who sent the
messenger. When you get a telegram, the one who brings the message is
not important. The message that he brings is the important thing.

     I Corinthians 3:8 "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are
one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own
labour."

     God rewards the messenger that He sent, if the servant is
obedient to take the message that God sent. God has rewards set up for
all of His obedient servants. Your work may go unnoticed here on the
earth, but if you do the exact job God sent you to do, there will be
great rewards in heaven stored up for you, by God.

     I Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are
God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building."

     Christians are the hands on this earth that carry out the tasks
for God. The word husbandry, here, indicates that God has left us as
overseers of His own. We are to water them, dig around them, even trim
them from time to time. God wants the Christian ministers to care for
His crop of believers here on the earth. We know that we are building
blocks in God's house. Jesus is the chief Cornerstone, and we are
stones fitted together to build God's house. I Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

     I Corinthians 3:10 "According to the grace of God which is given
unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and
another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon."

     As we said above, the building is the spiritual house, which is
also the priesthood. The High Priest is our Lord Jesus Christ and all
believers in Christ are the priests. Jesus is the cornerstone of this
building. In Paul's building the foundation, he is saying that he was
the one who started this church in Corinth. He wants the followers who
minister in this church to bring the same message that he had started.
This is why he said "take heed how he buildeth". This is the very same
thing said above about one planting the seed, another waters it, and
God gets the increase.

     I Corinthians 3:11 "For other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

     This building is to be built upon Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul
went on to say, in another place, that if anyone brought another
message, let him be accursed.

     I Corinthians 3:12 "Now if any man build upon this foundation
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;"

     The first items mentioned, gold and silver just become more pure
when the fire is applied to them. This would be a lasting building
built with these. Wood, hay, and stubble would burn up if any heat was
applied. Gold, silver, and precious stones would symbolize the true
church which could not be destroyed by the efforts of man. The wood,
hay, and stubble would symbolize a shallow form of Christianity which
would fail under persecution.

     I Corinthians 3:13 "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for
the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and
the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."

     The day, spoken of here, is speaking of that day when we stand
before the Lord Jesus Christ. False doctrines are around for awhile,
and soon are revealed for what they are and fade away under
persecution. Work that the Lord Jesus Christ has started will never
fade away. On judgement day, when you stand before the Lord, you will
hear Him say, well done thy good and faithful servant. If you are
being persecuted for the work you are doing for God, then you know for
sure, it is a good work.

     I Corinthians 3:14 "If any man's work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward."

     Most people who have done mighty tasks for the Lord never are
rewarded on this earth. Some of the early founders of Christianity
gave their lives for what they believed in. Most of the Old Testament
prophets were killed for doing the task God had set before them. We
are told by historians that Isaiah was sawed in two. We know that
James, the brother of John, was killed. We know that Stephen was
stoned to death for speaking boldly of God. We must continue in the
face of death, if we are to be counted among the faithful.

     I Corinthians 3:15 "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall
suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

     The key to this is that this man did a work for God. This man
thought that he was doing a good work for God. Even though the work
could not stand the heat of trials, God saved the man, because of the
effort he had put forth to do the work. The workman is saved here,
even though the work is burned. God looked on the heart of this man.
The man wanted to do something to please God, and God saved him for
his effort.

     I Corinthians 3:16 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

     We are actually the house that the Lord Jesus lives in upon this
earth, if we are Christians. Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  I Corinthians 6:19
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
[which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

     I Corinthians 3:17 "If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye
are."

     Anything that is done to the body of the believer is actually
done to the Lord, as well. This should quiet some people who are
constantly criticizing other Christians. You are attacking God, when
you attack God's servant.

     I Corinthians 3:18 "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among
you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he
may be wise."

     This, I believe, is speaking of being won over by the foolishness
of preaching. The wisest thing a person can do is become as a foolish
man and come to God.

     I Corinthians 3:19 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own
craftiness."

     A person must humble himself to receive God. Those who think
themselves to be wise, do not know that they need a Saviour.

     I Corinthians 3:20 "And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of
the wise, that they are vain."

     The wisdom of man is foolishness to God. The wisest man in the
world is the one who seeks God and humbly receives Him as his Saviour.

     I Corinthians 3:21 "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all
things are yours;"

     We should not elevate man up to a position that he does not
belong in. Just because someone is wealthy or has great influence, is
no reason to elevate him up higher than anyone else. We are all
exactly what God has allowed us to be.

     I Corinthians 3:22 "Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all
are yours;"

     Paul is telling them, here, not to choose one of these men out
and elevate him up. God has promised all believers the same
inheritance.

     I Corinthians 3:23 "And ye are Christ's; and Christ [is] God's."

     Paul is saying in this, just because he led you to the Lord is no
reason to feel obligated to him. Regardless of who led you to the
Lord, You belong to Christ. This is showing the chain of command. We
belong to Christ, and Christ is God the Father's. The Father, Son and
Holy Ghost are all in total agreement.


                                Notes









































                       1 Corinthians 4 Questions

1.  What does Paul call the Christians in verse 1?
2.  What reprimand was there for them by Paul?
3.  Why could Paul not bring them any message, except the simple
    salvation message?
4.  What does verse 2 say that Paul had fed them?
5.  Why had he not fed them otherwise?
6.  What three things in verse 3 made him believe they were still
    carnal?
7.  What showed Paul that they did not truly understand Christianity?
8.  Who are Paul and Apollos really?
9.  Paul planted, Apollos watered, and _____ gave the increase.
10. Every man shall receive his reward according to what?
11. What are the Christians called in verse 9?
12. Quote 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5.
13. What does Paul call himself in verse 10?
14. Who is the great High Priest?
15. Who are the priests?
16. What is the foundation that is laid in verse 11?
17. Name the 6 things that might be used to build with?
18. Which of these materials will stand up under fire?
19. What will try every man's work?
20. What will happen to the man whose work is burned up?
21. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 16.
22. What will happen to the man who defiles the temple of God?
23. What is the temple of God?
24. The wisdom of this world is ______________ with God.
25. Who is the wisest man?
26. Let no man glory in ____.
27. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 23.