The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Corinthians 3:1,
"Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ."
Paul indicts his readers, the members of the church in Corinth. Although these brothers and sisters had embraced Jesus Christ in taith, which translated them from being members of "the world" into the kingdom of heaven, they were still comporting themselves as though that had not happened. Paul finds this as a bizarre consequence and something which had to change. "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?" Verse 16.
Who was responsible for this? Paul speaks of the importance of the work done by what appears to be leaders or teachers in that fellowship. He says, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." Verses 11-15.
On the other hand, Paul lays the responsibility for this unnatural (or, should I say, "un-supernatural"?) state of affairs squarely at the feet of those who had allowed themselves to remain worldly. It was their very own fault! He says in verses 3-4, "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' are you not mere human beings?" Later in the chapter he goes on to say, "So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God." Verses 21-23.
"Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ."
Paul indicts his readers, the members of the church in Corinth. Although these brothers and sisters had embraced Jesus Christ in taith, which translated them from being members of "the world" into the kingdom of heaven, they were still comporting themselves as though that had not happened. Paul finds this as a bizarre consequence and something which had to change. "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?" Verse 16.
Who was responsible for this? Paul speaks of the importance of the work done by what appears to be leaders or teachers in that fellowship. He says, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." Verses 11-15.
On the other hand, Paul lays the responsibility for this unnatural (or, should I say, "un-supernatural"?) state of affairs squarely at the feet of those who had allowed themselves to remain worldly. It was their very own fault! He says in verses 3-4, "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' are you not mere human beings?" Later in the chapter he goes on to say, "So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God." Verses 21-23.
An observation I have is that we are talking about the people of God, members of Jesus Christ's own church. While some have a distorted understanding of the sovereignty of God, passages like this clearly illustrate that God, in his wisdom and counsel, has determined he will allow us all, has given us all, a free will to exercise, both when confronted with the gospel message and our response to it, as well as how we respond to God's Spirit who dwells within our midst after having become members of his kingdom. We as individuals are culpable for the decisions we make.
Sobering, isn't it?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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