Maturity in Faith

WELCOME PRAYER SONG SILENCE

Scripture Reading

1st Corinthians 3.2-9
January 14th 2018
Milk

So we left off with 1st Corinthians 3:1-3 where Paul says

1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
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.
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?

And we covered in some depth the purposes God appears to have for wanting His babes to mature in the faith. Tied to the principle of maturity and therefore overcoming the milk-ish tendencies for strife and division, Paul continues on and rhetorically asks a question. We’ll read through to the end of the chapter but will only get through verse 12 today. So Paul asks:

1st Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

Discussion on Division

Alright let’s go back to verse 4 where Paul, after speaking of the Saints at Corinth being babes, sort of summarizes his words with a living example from their own activities, saying:

1st Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, “I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Few things more natural than to divide ourselves up, pick favorite teachers and leaders and denoms and this appears to be at the heart of what was going on there in Corinth as evidenced by Paul asking (or pointing out to them), “For while one saith, ‘I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?’” Because of this passage a number of Christians believe that Apollos had taken over a good segment of the believers there and created his own following – presumably based on some type of philosophical idea – which Paul was obviously against.

However, even though he uses Apollos here in his example we cannot be sure that he was the culprit and so we will simply say that this is an illustration that Paul is using of his contributions to the faith and Apollos’s. So he continues at verse 5 saying:

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

The word Paul uses to answer his question as to the title or identity of himself or Apollos is “dee-akon-os” which the King James Translates into the terms servants, ministers, and deacons.

Role of Ministers

These terms are synonymous and it seems that Paul’s point is to say (or ask) “Why on earth would anyone establish a group or church or religious sect based on me or on Apollos – who are we? We are simply servants – dee-akon-os – by whom ye believed, EVEN AS THE LORD HAS GIVEN (US) to simply teach.” “We are servants given to you by Christ to teach – and even though you came to believe in and through us, why would you follow us?”

It is interesting that Paul does not appeal to his Apostolic authority here –

As a means to elevate himself He could have said, “Who is Paul? – why I am a chosen Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.” “And who is Apollos? Why he is just a gifted teacher.” But as a means to ensure that he did NOT make disciples unto Himself, Paul was sure to not differentiate between himself and Apollos but to merely point out that they were both JUST servants called by the Lord Jesus to serve others through preaching and teaching.

I think that Paul’s assigning the term diakonos (Servant) to themselves is in direct opposition to the term Master (or Lord) and he has purposely applied it to themselves as a means to ensure that all believers at Corinth clearly understood that there is One Lord and Savior to whom they all followed and gave allegiance.

In other words, in the

Servanthood and Unity in Faith

All are servants, slaves, diakonos, ministers under the one GOD and ONE LORD AND SAVIOR. If everyone is serving the same King, as mature believers readily understand, the tendency toward humble gentle peaceful operations and relationships tend to exist. Step outside of this order and strife and unrest is typically the result.

Of course there are those over the course of secular and religious history who understand the importance of heralding and appointing the masses “a common cause with its associated master” other than God. Germany in World War II had the Vaterland (Fatherland) and Hitler as the earthly figurehead under which the people placed their trust and allegiance. Catholicism has the church and the Pope, Mormonism the Church and the prophet, and Microsoft the corporation and the CEO. Christians have the Lord and his body – so while the set-up is not unique the master is singular.

What is unfortunate is the fact instead of adhering to Paul’s advice here there are always those who want to rise up and insert themselves into the mix as an intermediary – and the masses typically love it because it removes their individual responsibility to think and places it squarely on the back of the “appointed (or apparently “anointed”) leader. Paul was not going in for any of that. In fact, there is an underlying current in most of Paul’s writings that really play to the notion that every individual is responsible to God directly without ANY other person – apostle or not – intervening.

Paul's Stance on Leadership

The apostles were there to guide and direct and establish order but the individual walk of each believer seemed to thrive outside the authority of any Man. This argument he posits here in 1st Corinthians 3 seems to support this approach. So the real role Paul says both he and Apollos played was to introduce (or to be the instrument that introduced the Good News to them) with God being the Masterful source. Since God was the one who conferred this faith, and bestows all blessings, and has set Christ as head of the Church, there was NO justification for the Corinthians to divide themselves into sects, and call themselves by the name of their teachers.

In my opinion it was the apostles integrity that kept the bride from breaking up into sects in that age because the temptation to do so was in all probability relentlessly upon them. I think it is really unfortunate and actually antithetical to God’s purposes that over the course of Christian history people have pushed for division rather than unity by allowing for the ideas and opinions of some to split from others rather than just choosing to all get along.

Embracing Humility and Unity

The more I think about it, the motivations behind division, sectarianism and denominationalism is somehow based on one set of people believing that their views on “how to be Christian” are superior, or more pleasing to God than others. When Christ Jesus is the absolute center and focus and all people understand that their walk is predicated on how they choose to observe Him in their lives, I do not see there being any need for division of any Christian group ever – no matter what the justification. But this would take men (who love to see themselves as having authority to act and speak for God) to instead assume the humble role of servant . . . and nothing more.

Perhaps this is part of the core problem – men and women getting caught up in their own importance (and making dogmatic demands on others) perhaps forgetting the fact that just as there are different parts of the Body there are different perspectives of things, that we are all in the hands of God as He grows and prunes and moves us by His Spirit and therefore the dogma of one person may be an insult to another and vice versa, and that as functioning important parts of the Body we are no more or less important than anyone else. Truly – truly, we are all equal in the faith as God is NOT a respecter of persons and the little toe is just as important to the overall health of the whole body as the face or hands or feet. In other words, an infected little toe can cause a great deal of pain to the body too even to the point of leading to deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God..

This introduces is to the grand importance of death to pride and to a “living thriving humility” before our God, our fellow saints, and to the world.

The Humility of Talent and Growth

I watched a show where Jerry Seinfeld got together with his friend Michael Richards, who played Kramer on the show, and they talked in a coffee shop.

There Richards revealed that he is a world-class chess player and has been for years. But he told the story of being in Los Angeles one night and seeing a homeless man carrying a chess set, and he approached the guy and challenged him to a game. The man said they could play, but if he beat Richards twice, he would never play him again.

Richards said, bring it on, and the two sat down on the sidewalk and played. Richards had the first move and said that within less than a minute, he was beaten. They went again with Richards, again having the advantage, and he said in an even shorter span of time he was checkmated.

Richards tried to play him again, but the man refused, as if to say that there was no challenge for him in doing so. Seinfeld and Richards then talked about the guy who Richards said was a savant. And Seinfeld made the astute observation that he could be the best chess player in the world, but nobody would ever know it. To which Richards agreed. Seinfeld wondered why nobody takes a savant to a professional match and Richards said: “You can’t capture them. They won’t stay in one place.”

Undiscovered Talents

I thought about this in relation to God and performance and abilities here on earth. I’ve always wondered about some undiscovered person being the best of something, the best of anything—the smartest in the world, a basketball player, mathematician, writer, whatever—but never coming forward into the spotlight because of how they were raised, or their circumstances, or fears.

It occurred to me that nobody on earth has the right to really think much of themselves—no matter who we are or what we believe about our accomplishments; it really is all in God’s hands. Our job is to really just do what He allows and moves us to do—and no more. In other words, those who, due to the innate skills they possess from God, and the right set of circumstances that move them to use them ought to remain extremely humble because, in reality, there is probably someone—perhaps someones—who are better than they are, and even if there isn’t, they are where they are largely because of what God has allowed in their lives.

Paul seems to have understood this in this teaching. And in the next verse, he compared the converts in the faith or the church itself to a plant or tree or vine and says:

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

The Miracle of Growth

In agriculture or even horticulture, there are a number of factors that take place to produce the desired effects. Paul established the church or planted it in various places, including Corinth. He was the first preacher there planting the Word of God in the hearts of seekers. But he was humble enough to admit that planting alone would in all probability be in vain if there is no follow-up care, and so here he brings in Apollos, who watered—or did the teaching so that the individual believers (and/or church) would have the hydration needed for growth.

But even if one person plants the seed, and another person waters it, there is no guarantee that the plant (individual/church) will grow. That is the miracle of life, or quickening, which is done by the Spirit which God alone gives according to His Will. We can do everything right in the faith and in other areas of life. We can share the word, and others can water it, but if God does NOT cause those actions to take hold and lend His quickening Spirit to cause growth, there will be no increase of anything.

This cannot be forgotten in the faith—He is the cause of all regeneration, all living things, all growth, and unless He gives life to the things we want to grow—whether it be a flower, a corn seed, or a child in the womb—no approbation and support from God means no life, no quickening, no maturation.

I think we make a grand mistake thinking that we are the ones responsible for successes in this world rather than just part of the process—and not the part that gives life. We certainly DO

Understanding Our Role in God's Plan

Our role is to play our part—just as Paul and Apollos played theirs in the church in the first church—but it is always God who is giving the increase, causing the seed that was sown and watered to take root and spring up. In other words, it would be vain for the farmer to sow his seed unless God should give it life. There is no life in the seed, nor is there any inherent power in the earth or in the water to make it grow. Only God, the giver of all life, can quicken the germ in the seed, and make it live, can quicken the sperm and egg, can quicken growth in any area—any and all.

Unfortunately, we have stepped away from seeing our successes in this manner. And the farmer thinks that it is his doing, her choice of fertilizer, his wisdom of when to plant, that cause the harvest. Or the parents think that “nature” (instead of God) has given sacred life to their children. But the life of all things is from God—all things.

When it comes to creation and life-giving, however, God does invite all of in on the process, doesn’t He? As believers we are told to speak the word, to share the Word, to plant the Word, in the hearts of others. And we are also told to water that Word, to wash ourselves with the washing of it, but we can never EVER forget that all growth and maturation, therefore all fruits, are the product of Him taking the elements we contribute and giving them LIFE!

Partnership with God

And so all the praise and glory always goes to Him with humility present in the face of our participation. I love that line in the Stevie Wonder song called, Isn’t she lovely, where singing about his daughter perfectly describes the partnership we all have with God, saying: “I can’t believe what God has done, through us He’s given life to one, Isn’t she lovely, isn’t she wonderful.”

I would strongly suggest that His quickening, His life giving force, is present in all creative elements of the human experience. All of them—as only God can quicken and give life. How we choose to respond and relate to the life given is another matter. In the humility that we mentioned earlier, Paul now says:

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Recognizing God's Supremacy

In Galatians 6:3 Paul writes “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” In Romans 12:3 he adds: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

In 2nd Corinthians 3:5 we read: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”

Embracing Grace

And then in 1st Corinthians 15:10 we read: “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

If and when we are blessed to see that all things are His, all things come from Him, all successes are from His hands and not our own—that we merely participate in hope and faith that He will give our efforts life—we will be perhaps better situated to live lives free of strife and division.

At this point Paul commences (I am fond of that word as I learned it from my youth watching the Beverly Hillbillies—“Uncle Jed, Granny commenced to eatin my dinner possum!”) At this point Paul begins to speak of those in the body and the labors we contribute through our partnership with God in the faith and says:

8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. When Paul says that those who plant and water are one, the Greek (en Eisen) does not mean “one and the same person” one but that they are united in reference to the “same work or labor,” which goes along with the idea that whatever is happening in the body is happening with all people as we are all engaged in the same goal.

So while we may be engaged

The Unity and Purpose of Christian Work

In different things–like planting and watering are different kinds of work—our goal is the same. And because the work we all do is as necessary as any other, the laborers are one. Now, I want you to think about this principle here. Paul likens his planting and Apollos’s watering to being the same because they are toward the same purpose.

If salvation is the only thing to be concerned with as Christians, then all the other facets of Christian labors would be seen as either inferior or unneeded. But if a “teacher of believers” is as necessary as an evangelist (who plants the words in peoples' hearts) then we know – know – that there is more to this faith than just the salvivic moment. There is growth, and maturity, and fruit bearing, and overcoming the flesh, and learning to suffer as saved believers! Get it!

The Equality of All Laborers Before God

I think Paul can also say that those who work are one because, in the sight of God, who is NOT a respecter of persons, all are vital and used according to His will and purposes. I frequently encounter frustrated souls who wish they could do “more” for God. When the rubber meets the road what they really mean by this is they wish they could do something in the faith that others are doing – to write books, or speak or preach or teach, or serve the poor – whatever – the list is endless. Often these souls miss the fact that they, like Shakespeare said, should “Know their role and play it well.” God knows. He is fully aware, and sees all offerings in the cause as vital and valuable – without any respect to the person.

So after telling us that we are one Paul then adds another line that takes us into another facet of this discussion, saying: And every man shall receive his own reward according to his labor.

Now some say that if we are to look at the context Paul is only talking about Evangelists or teachers in the faith – like he and Apollos. But remember he is writing to the believers at Corinth and so I would suggest that this epistle is to the believers there and the principle of rewards apply to all men. The Greek is HEKASTOS translated every man and it means “each and every” or “all.” And so I would strongly strongly suggest that this means every human soul. Will receive “his own reward,” which best means, “an equivalent in value for services rendered.”

Justification Versus Rewards

In the Scriptures, the word often means “pay, wages, recompense given to day-laborers or to soldiers, etc.” Remember, remember, remember we are not taking about salvation here or our justification before God. That is granted only and solely by grace of God through faith and has nothing to do with labors.

In fact as a brief reminder, if we go to Romans 4:2 we read a fantastic illustration of salvation through the words of Paul who says:

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

What this means is that if a person is working for something they are placing the person that they are working for in their debt! I put in ten hours at Taco Bell then Taco Bell owes me – it is in my debt. I am not rewarded with a paycheck for the labors I performed by Taco Bells grace toward me – I earned the money, damn it, and they had better pay it, right?

So Paul says:

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (Then adds)
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

So justification before God is through His grace by our faith on His Son. And not of labor because labor produces debt! Don’t mix this stuff up. But justification before God is NOT the same in scripture as rewards that God has for those all or each and every man. That is a different category all together. God has promised that He will render to each and every man his OWN reward according to his OWN labors.

And again, I believe that this is bestowed upon the individual.

Co-Laboring with God

These rewards are in heaven or at least in the afterlife.

Finally for today, Paul adds a principle that we have touched on that is VERY important – especially in the face of some empty rhetoric bantered about today:

9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

The phrase literally means that we are God’s co-workers. A similar expression is used in 2nd Corinthians 6:1 where it says that we are, "workers together with him."

The Act of Sharing

So, just as a farmer plants the seed, and then waters it, and relies on God to give His labors “life,” and just as a man and woman act in harmony with God in the production or creation of a child, relying on Him to give life, we too – sharing the Word, teaching the Word with others – rely on Him to quicken the words shared in the heart-ground of another. Like the act of procreation and farming, the act of sharing the Word with others, is an act of faith – with our doing what the Spirit commands and trusting that God will bring our labors to life and that His words shared by us will not return void.

Which they don’t. Ever. Because they are living Words. The difficulty is we don’t understand the germination period of the individuals involved – and so then our participation with God by sharing is followed up by evidencing the required faith, hope and trust on our part toward Him.

Opportunities to Labor with God

In all of this we discover in the human experience some unique, even some utterly wonderful opportunities to labor with God, whether it be in farming, medicine, art, business, procreation, parenting, and then especially in assisting or working with God Himself in the regeneration of souls and/or in their continued sanctification. There is no higher purpose in life in my estimation than to co-labor with God in things.

And because of this there is a certain amount of sacredness that goes along in our joint labor with Him I think that all of it, if done right and well, must be accompanied by characteristics and principles of faith, trust, hope, agape loveSelfless love marked by patience, mercy, and humility—central to living in spiritual liberty., patience, longsuffering and the other fruits of the Spirit.

What I mean by this is “to be the best farmer with God as our partner, or a Godly couple laboring with Him to create or parent children, or an artist, or to engage in business with Him as our partner, or especially in our sharing the Word with others – to do such things in partnership with Him is to approach them with faith and trust and hope, relying on GOD to give everything life – or not. And just as a farmer cannot force a plant to grow, neither can a parent force a child to be a Christian, or an artist force a work of art to come alive, or a missionary force anyone to convert – God’s true partners must rely on Him . . . trust in Him . . . really place their faith in Him and the fact that He will do His part and eventually give LIFE to whatever we are partnered up in.

Metaphors of Co-Laboring

At this point Paul, having said that we are co-laborers with God, refers to two metaphors that add even more dimension to what God accomplishes in making us co-laborers with Him, as Paul says:

9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

The term translated husbandry means “tillage” and it is not found anywhere else in the New Testament. Of course, “building” refers to architecture. Both of these terms are tied to the principle that we are joint-laborers with God.

It’s a sort of strange or awkward thing. On the one hand he tells them that they are God’s co-workers and then he objectifies them as things – a tilled field and a building. In my opinion, I think Paul is telling us that as we co-labor with Him in sharing, the Word God is tilling us as a field and preparing us to bring forth even more fruit while at the same time He is creating of us a building, perhaps a living temple of believers.

All of this imagery fits nicely with our discussion last week on moving and maturing in the work of the Kingdom, becoming co-laborers with God Himself as we are prepared by the Spirit to do His bidding and not our.

Christian Growth

own. And all of it dovetails nicely with former discussions about Christian growth.

Illustration

(I call this illustration the fourth dimension Christian).

Explain

1. We will stop here.

2. WELCOME CALLERS for Q and A. Prayer

3. CASSIDY AND CAMPUS SHOTS