Lesson for April 3, 2022

The Book of I Corinthians

Chapter 3:1-8

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters are anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants, and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

When a believer is out of fellowship with God in a state of carnality there can be no spiritual growth. The carnal believer grieves and/or quenches the Holy Spirit depending on the amount of time spent in a carnal state. This was the case with some believers at Corinth (men of flesh). Paul could not teach them additional doctrine because they were out of fellowship with God, not filled with the Holy Spirit and still spiritual infants.

Initially, Paul taught them the basic doctrine of salvation and some basic doctrines for the Christian life, like Rebound and the Filling of the Holy Spirit (I gave you milk to drink, not solid food).However, they had stopped advancing spiritually (infants). Learning Bible doctrine is a process of advancing from basic doctrine to more advanced doctrine, and this was not being done by these believers. Isaiah 28:9-10 says, “Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them who are weaned from milk and drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept; line upon line, a little here a little and there a little.”

Indeed, even now you are not yet able (to have solid food/advanced doctrine), for you are still fleshly (controlled by your sin nature in a state of carnality). The

Greek word for infants is “nepios,” which means a child. It was used for a child not yet going to school. By contrast, the Greek word for a new believer is “brephos,” which refers to a helpless baby still being fed by its mother. These believers had at least advanced into spiritual childhood, but Paul had expected them to continue to advance into spiritual adulthood, but they had not. They were still infants!

For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? Paul reminded these believers of their arrogance of splitting into various factions and their failure to maintain spiritual unity. Factions in the local church are signs of carnality or reversionism. These believers in Corinth were involved in hero worship. The factions were trying to outdo each other by claiming that their hero was the greatest. This way of thinking led to jealousy and strife and resulted in no effectiveness as a church.

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. In answering the questions posed by Paul, we have principles of teamwork, principles of production, and we find the great principle underlying everything: no matter what position you play on the team, you have no right to exhibit spiritual inferiority or spiritual superiority. Paul and Apollos were two believers who illustrated the principle of teamwork and unity among Christians. Paul and Apollos had different personalities and backgrounds, but God used them both. Apollos was an eloquent speaker, and Paul was a genius. Paul was shy and retiring, and Apollos had a charismatic personality and was an extrovert. So, they were as different as two people could be, but they made a great team because of their dedication to the work of Christ.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters are anything, but God who causes the growth. Paul and Apollos both had spiritual gifts and they both had responsibility before the Lord. Paul founded the church in Corinth. He was the person who led people to Christ, got the church organized, taught them some doctrine, and got them started. Paul got them started (plants), and Apollos followed as their pastor (waters). Each one had a different responsibility on the “team,” but one was not greater than the other.

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters are anything, but God who causes the growth. All divine production involves grace. If you are productive as a believer, it is because of the grace of God. When believers produce divine good under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, it is because of Who God is, and He will reward accordingly. God is the One Who causes us to grow spiritually. Just like salvation, the spiritual life is developed by God the Holy Spirit as we learn, believe, and apply Bible doctrine.

Now he who plants, and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor (divine production). Paul and Apollos worked as a “team” in Corinth (are one). They were “one” in purpose, which was to evangelize the people of Corinth with the Gospel and then teach them doctrine so they would grow spiritually. Each will be rewarded individually for their efforts. 

All divine production in the Christian life is rewarded. The primary principle in divine production is using our two power options: the filling of the Holy Spirit and Bible doctrine. The Judgment Seat of Christ is where believers will receive their rewards for their “labor.” There is coming a time when every believer will stand before Jesus Christ to be evaluated. This evaluation is not based on personal sins or human works. It is based on our response to God’s plan for us to learn and apply His Word and to mature spiritually. The Judgment Seat of Christ is for believers only and takes place sometime shortly after the Rapture of the Church.(I Corinthians 4:5; 15:51-54; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:21; Romans 14:10-12; II Corinthians 5:10)

What are these rewards that believers receive? Some are mentioned as crowns: a) the Crown of Righteousness is a reward for faithfulness in living the spiritual life (II Timothy 4:7-8) b) the Crown of Joy is a reward for winning people to Christ (Philippians 4:1 and I Thessalonians 2:19) c) the Crown of Life is a reward for enduring testing (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) d) the Crown of Glory is a reward for pastors who study and teach accurate Bible doctrine (Luke 19:17-19; II Timothy 2:12).