1 Corinthians 3:2b-17

[Jim Watt]

"*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253.874.4265 -- Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*



   * 1 CORINTHIANS 3:2b-17 - F. GOD EVALUATES CHRISTIAN WORKERS*


 *1. 3:2b-9 GOD'S WORKERS: DIVISIONS INEXCUSABLE*

*a. 3:2b-3 CARNAL CHRISTIANS: WALK AS NATURAL MEN*

All', ouDE Eti nun DUnas-the;

*Nay, even now are you yet unable;*

Eti gar sar-kiKOI [4559] es-te:

*3 for you are yet carnal:*

HOpou gar en huMIN Z*E*los [2205] kai Eris [2054],

*for whereas jealousy is among you and strife,*

ouCHI sar-kiKOI es-te, kai kaTA ANthr*o*-pon pe-ri-paTEIte?

*are you not carnal, and walk you not after man's manner?*


 *b. 3:4 CARNAL CHRISTIANS: WALK AFTER HUMAN LEADERS*

HOtan gar LEg*e* tis, E-G*O* men ei-mi PAUlou;

*For when one says, I am of Paul;*

HEte-ros de, E-G*O*, A-polL*O*; ouk ANthr*o*POI es-te?

*and another, I, of Apollos; are you not men​?*


 *c. 3:5a QUESTION*

ti oun es-tin A-polL*O*S? ti de es-tin PAUlos?

*What then is Apollos? and what is Paul?*


 *d. 3:5b ANSWER*

diAko-noi [1249] di' h*o*n e-pisTEUsa-te, kai heKASt*o* h*o*s ho KUri-os Ed*
o*-ken.

*Ministers through whom you believed, and as the Lord gave to each.*


 *e. 3:6 GOD'S RELATIONSHIP TO HIS WORKERS*

eG*O* ePHUteu-sa [5452], Apol-L*O*S ePOti-sen [4222]; all' ho TheOS *E*Uxa-nen
[837].

*I planted, Apollos watered; but :God gave increase.*


 *f. 3:7 GOD SUPERCEDES BOTH PLANTER AND WATERER*

H*O*Ste OUte ho phuTEU*o*n esTIN ti OUte ho poTIz*o*n;

*So then neither is who plants aught nor who waters;*

all' ho auXAn*o*n TheOS.

*but God that gives increase.*


 *g. 3:8 REWARD: ACCORDING TO INDIVIDUAL FAITHFULNESS*

ho phuTEU*o*n de kai ho poTIz*o*n hen ei-sin:

*Now who plants and who waters are one:*

HEkas-tos de ton Idi-on misTHON [3408] L*E*Mpse-tai kaTA ton Idi-on KOpon
[2873].

*but each shall receive his own :reward according to his own :toil.*


 *h. 3:9 REASON: GOD IS PLEASED TO WORK THROUGH AND WITH US*

TheOU gar es-men su-nerGOI [4904]:

*For we are God's fellow-workers:*

TheOU ge*O*Rgi-on [1091], TheOU oi-ko-doM*E* [3619] es-te.

*you are God's husbandry, God's building.*


 *2. 3:10-15 GOD'S BUILDING CODE FOR CHURCH WORKERS*

*a. 3:10a PAUL'S BUILDING-SKILL: HIS ACKNOWLEDGED GIFT*

KaTA t*e*n CHArin tou TheOU t*e*n doTHEI-SAN moi,

*According to the grace of :God :given me,*

h*o*s soPHOS ar-chiTEKt*o*n [753] theMEli-on [2310] Eth*e*-ka [5087];

*as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation;*

ALlos de e-poi-ko-doMEI [2026].

*and another builds thereon.*


 *b. 3:10b OUR RESPONSIBILITY: BUILD IN HARMONY WITH THE MASTERBUILDER*

HEkas-tos de blePEt*o* p*o*s e-poi-ko-doMEI.

*But let each look how he builds thereon. *


 *c. 3:11 JESUS CHRIST: THE ONLY TRUE FOUNDATION*

theMEli-on gar ALlon ouDEIS DUna-tai THEnai paRA ton KEIme-non [2749],

*For other foundation can no one lay than what is laid,*

hos es-tin 'I*e*SOUS ChrisTOS.

*who is Jesus Christ.*


 *d. 3:12-13 FIRE: WILL MAKE PROOF OF ALL OUR WORKS*

ei de tis e-poi-ko-doMEI [2026] ePI ton theMEli-on chruSIon [5557],

*But if any builds on the foundation gold,*

arGUri-on [696], LIthous [3037] tiMIous [5093], XUla [3586], CHORton [5528],
caLAm*e*n [2562];

*silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;*

heKAStou to ERgon pha-neRON [5318] geN*E*se-tai:

*13 the work of each shall be made manifest:*

h*e* gar h*e*MEra d*e*L*O*sei [1213],

*for the day shall declare it,*

HOti en puRI [4442] a-po-kaLUPte-tai [601];

*because it is being revealed in fire;*

kai heKAStou to ERgon hoMOI-ON es-tin to pur auTO do-kiMAsei [1381].

*and the fire itself shall prove the work of each of what sort it is.*


 *e. 3:14 REWARD: CONDITIONAL UPON THE FIRE TEST*

ei ti-nos to ERgon meNEI ho e-poi-koDOm*e*sen,

*If the work of any shall abide which he built thereon,*

misTHON L*E*Mpse-tai.

*he shall receive reward.*


 *f. 3:15 FIRE: CAN DESTROY ALL THE WORKS OF A TRUE BELIEVER*

ei ti-nos to ERgon ka-ta-ka*E*se-tai [2618], z*e*-mi-*o*TH*E*se-tai [2210]:

*If the work of any shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:*

auTOS de s*o*TH*E*se-tai [4982]; HOUt*o*s de h*o*s diA puROS.

*but himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.*


 *3. 3:16-17 JUDGMENT: UPON DESTROYERS OF GOD'S TEMPLE*

*a. 3:16 GOD'S SPIRIT DWELLS IN THE HUMAN SPIRIT*

Ouk OIda-te HOti naOS [3485] TheOU esTE,

*Know you not that you are God's sanctuary,*

kai to PNEUma tou TheOU en huMIN oiKEI [3611]?

*and the Spirit of :God dwells in you?*


 *b. 3:17 GOD'S REQUIREMENT: HOLINESS FOR HIS SANCTUARY*

ei tis ton naON tou TheOU PHTHEIrei [5351], phtheREI TOUton ho TheOS;

*If any corrupts the sanctuary of :God, him shall :God corrupt;*

ho gar naOS tou TheOU HAgiOS es-tin, HOItiNES es-te huMEIS.

*for the sanctuary of God is holy, which you are.*



 *NOTE*: 3:2b-3 (3:2b-9) *"Nay, even now are you yet unable; 3 for you are
yet carnal: for whereas jealousy is among you and strife, are you not
carnal, and walk you not after man's manner?" *It is very important for
leaders especially to understand what the Spirit of God is leading the
apostle Paul to write in this section. Carelessness in understanding will be
shown up at the Judgment Seat (B*E*ma) of Christ for all believers,
following the general resurrection.


 True local churches in each city should be led in unity with one another in
each city church. This was normal in the beginning, though Corinth needed
this letter from Paul to come up to standard. This is God's goal for us
preceding the return of His Son. It is extremely important that leaders over
local churches move in unity apart from strife and jealousy, which are signs
of carnality and walking as natural men.


 3:10a (3:10-15) *"According to the grace of :God :given, as a wise
masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another builds thereon." *Here we
find one of the clear apostolic credentials - founding city churches with
Christ the foundation.


 3:15 (10-15) *"If the work of any shall abide which he built thereon, he
shall receive reward." *Our works must be Spirit-led by a Spirit-possessed
life - else they will be burnt. See Rees Howells, Intercessor" by Norman P.
Grubb for a clear presentation on this. Oswald Chambers, George Muller and
H. A. Baker walked in a parallel manner. Galatians 2:20 shows Paul's insight
on this.


 3:17 (3:16-17) *"If any corrupts the sanctuary of :God, him shall :God
corrupt; for the sanctuary of God is holy, which you are." *This is very
serious. There are those who either ignorantly or deliberately hurt the
organic body of Christ. We see government and political leaders who do this
to cities, states and our nation. However, the majority of them are *not* in
the Kingdom of God. But professing believers who are leaders of the church
have no such excuse. We *shall* be judged by the Plumbline of the Word of
God, by Him whose eyes are a flame of fire! The Book of Revelation in the NT
is little different from the prophetic teaching books of the OT.


 *Better* for leaders to be forewarned today, so that we may walk a careful
walk in the love of the Spirit. This will surely prepare us for that final
day. - JW




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