1 Corinthians 3

Thursday, 8 May 2014

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 1 Corinthians 3:18

In chapters 1 & 2, Paul spoke in detail about human wisdom in contrast to spiritual wisdom. There we saw that true spiritual wisdom will always be centered on the Person and work of Jesus Christ. In chapter 1 we read this –

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'”1 Corinthians 1:18, 19

Now returning to this thought concerning wisdom, after having discussed our building upon the foundation which is Christ, he reminds us the importance of the materials we use by beginning with, “Let no one deceive himself.” Self-deception is an enormous problem. When people are puffed up with pride and are unwilling to focus on (or properly handle) the word of God, they will delude themselves concerning it.

A great example of this is when a person is asked a question to which they have no answer. Instead of saying, “I don’t know” they will often start theorizing in their own mind, looking for anything that sounds acceptable so that they don’t sound uneducated. In this, they begin to deceive themselves and thus deceive others in the process. Paul speaks about this type of thing in 2 Timothy 3:13 –

“But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

Anytime we depart from the truth of Christ as revealed in Scripture, we head immediately in a perverse direction. However, this isn’t limited to Christians with bad theology. It permeates the world of academia. It is more than common to invent fine sounding arguments concerning issues to which the specialists have no idea about and no answer to. Instead, they make up things in their head in order to sound wise and they carry many along in their deceit.

Paul gives a remedy for this when he says, “If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.” Rather than “seeming wise” by professing a wisdom other than Christ, the wisest course of all is to “become a fool.” This means that taking the direction of Christ and running with the knowledge of Christ is foolishness to the world. When someone takes that direction, they are counted as a fool. But in reality, they have made the wisest choice of all because their instruction comes from the true Source of wisdom, God. In this, one will “become a fool that he may become wise.”

What seems contradictory to the rest of the world is the soundest course of all. In Christ, there is an eternal fount of wisdom, reason, intelligence, and splendor. Apart from Him, there is only vain imaginings and self-deceit which results in the deceiving of others. It is an eternally sad choice to make.

Life application: New religious expressions pop up daily. Old religions are revived and reinstated as supposed sources of enlightenment. Philosophies are held in high esteem because they question reality or the ability to truly know anything. All such things seem wise to the world, but they are foolishness to God. On the contrary, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the true wisdom of God and in it all other machinations of man are made utterly foolish. Stand firm on the gospel of Christ and know that God is pleased with you looking “foolish” to the rest of the world!

Lord God, I’d rather be a fool in the eyes of the world while standing on the gospel of Christ than to have all the accolades, honors, and awards that the world can tempt me with. I’d rather be the lowest worker in Your heavenly kingdom, than the smartest philosopher in hell. I’d rather be crucified next to my Lord, than die in peace in a bed of feathers and silk sheets if that meant losing You. Lord, use me, Your lowly servant, until I am used up. And then Lord, take me home to Your glorious place of rest. Amen.

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

In a smooth transition from his thoughts about  having “laid the foundation,” and then us as workers continuing to build on the foundation, Paul asks rhetorically, directly, and with an exacting purpose the question in this verse. He starts with, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God?” If thought through logically, the answer necessitates us to think on what he has said about us being builders. If we are the temple of God, then why would we build in a way which our efforts would be of no value and thus be burnt up.

This thought is reflected in Jesus’ parable about building a house upon the sand or upon the rock in Matthew 7:24-27. Why would someone build a house that would crash down around them? But this is what we tend to do in our spiritual walk and this is what Paul asks us to consider. In this, he uses the term “temple of God.” The Greek word for temple is naos. It is equivalent to the temple in Jerusalem where the glory of God dwelt. And specifically, it is referring to the Most Holy Place where His glory was manifest.

This is now the state of the believer in Christ. God is dwelling within us and so our efforts, our conduct, even our whole demeanor should be reflective of this high and exalted position. And to show that this is a true and accurate analogy, he says that “the Spirit of God dwells in you.” This confirms that God is residing with man in a unique way and that what once occurred in the temple in Jerusalem is now occurring in each believer.

In Ephesians 1:13, we are told that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit upon belief in Christ. This in-dwelling then is different than God’s interactions with others. God is everywhere (omni-present) and therefore our in-dwelling is a special act of God which is not available to others. Just as His divine glory was seen in the temple in Jerusalem, He is now revealed in us. Because of this, our actions take on a new significance.

When the people of Israel defiled the temple, God destroyed the temple and His presence departed. What then would be the consequences of our disobedience? Paul will continue with his thoughts on this in the coming verse.

Life application: If you have called on Jesus, you are sealed with God’s Holy Spirit. If you are so sealed, then you have an obligation to that special honor. As you conduct your daily affairs, be prepared to act in a manner which acknowledges your exalted state and which will bring eternal rewards, not the fire of judgment and loss.

Glorious God… my Redeemer who saved me and has sealed me for the Day of Redemption. Help me to walk rightly in this life, building upon the foundation of Christ in a true manner. Help my every action to be directed to the purpose of bringing You glory. On my own, I’m prone to bad decisions and walking in an unfaithful way, so be with me and keep me from myself. May You alone be seen in me and in my every action. To Your glory I pray. Amen!

Monday, 5 May 2014

If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

Paul, speaking of the quality of work which is built upon the foundation of Christ, gives us direct and exacting insights into what will happen when we face Jesus. To understand the timing, one needs to understand the sequence of events concerning church-age believers as the Bible lays them out. First, we are saved at some point in our lives and sealed with the Holy Spirit – our guarantee of eternal life from that moment on. We can never lose this status. From the moment of our salvation, everything we do will be a part of our judgment before Jesus. It is our choice how we build upon the foundation.

Eventually, we die and await our call to glory. Or, if we are those left alive at the coming of the Lord (the moment known as the rapture), we will be translated to be with Him forever. After our translation from the earthly to the spiritual, we must then face our trial for the things we have done in our lives since coming to Christ. This is known as the judgment seat of Christ and it is detailed for us in 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 –

“Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”

This is the biblical sequence of events for the saved believer. There is no such concept as “purgatory” as taught by the Roman Catholic Church. It is a made-up lie which was inculcated into their teachings for financial profit and as a tool to keep congregants in bondage. There is also no such thing as “loss of salvation” as taught by those who follow the doctrine of Arminius or other such teachers. There is eternal security in the Lord, but there is the sure coming judgment for the life we lived in Him. And this judgment is explained clearly here. Remembering that Paul has already described our works as gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw will help us to understand our judgment before Christ. He says, “if anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss.” Fire merely refines (or has no effect) on the first three types of work. However, it will consume the last three depending on its amount of heat and duration. Wood may make it through a temporary fire, but it will be marred. The final two will certainly be burned up.

Paul’s words then are a metaphor not for condemnation, but for purification. The term mulct is a good description of what will occur at this judgment. To mulct means “to penalize by fining or demanding forfeiture.” The things we could have enjoyed in our eternal state will be lessened if our works don’t pass muster. If they do, we will receive our reward for them. In the end, all will be completely satisfied with the results because they will be based on the choices we made. There will be no impartiality nor unfairness in what occurs.

Whatever cannot withstand the judgment will certainly be burned away. However, despite this scary sentiment, Paul next gives words of a most blessed assurance. Each person will be judged and face whatever loss is due, “but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” The meaning of this is perfectly clear and only someone with a perverse agenda could come to any other conclusion than that this is a judgment solely for rewards and losses, but not condemnation – “he himself will be saved.” The immense grace and mercy of Christ means that even a person who has done absolutely nothing for Him after salvation will continue on in his saved state forever.

However, he will bear the sadness of having lived a life which could have done so much more. He will be save “as through fire.” When one is pulled alive from a burning house, they may bear the pains of the ordeal, the smell of the ordeal, and the sad memories of it as well, but they will be saved.

Life application: The wise soul will take 1 Corinthians 3:15 to heart and will endeavor to work for eternal rewards, putting aside that which is earthly, temporary, and destined to perish. The smell of the smoke at the judgment for such an ill-used life may linger for all eternity.

Lord, Your word makes it clear that there is a judgment coming for all who are in Christ, not one of condemnation, but one for rewards and loss. Help me each day to ponder this and to put aside that which is temporary and useless and to work diligently as a productive member of Your church. I desire that my judgment will be one of rewards and a smile, not loss accompanied by a frown. Help me to consider this always. Amen.

Sunday, 4 May 2014

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 1 Corinthians 3:14

Paul has been speaking of the building of the church upon the foundation, which is Christ Jesus. He noted six different materials of varying quality which one could use to continue the building process and then he noted that whatever we use, something of value or something worthless, it will be seen for what it truly is in the end.

Now he notes that “if anyone’s work which he has built on it endures…” Obviously, those more valuable and lasting materials will endure while those of lesser quality won’t. Using these metaphors, he is certainly speaking primarily of teachers, preachers, and ministers who take and build upon the foundation. However, could it not be said of the mother who sits with and instructs her children on Christ? Could this same principle not be applied to the cashier behind the counter who takes time to tell about the Lord who saved her? And could it not be applied to the electrician who speaks to his fellow workers about Christ?

Each of these examples are people who are building upon the foundation. Their knowledge may be less than trained teachers, but it may actually be of better quality. One does not have to be a theologian to get the principle tenets of the faith right and then to properly repeat them to others. Even a person who is confined to a wheel chair and has no other ministry than posting on Facebook or doing other internet work can build upon the foundation.

No one is truly exempt from participating in the work for Christ and each has a role that can and should be filled. As long as the words are correct and correspond to the doctrines of the Bible, it will endure. And if it endures, “he will receive a reward.”

Christians are saved by grace through faith. It is a done deal and it is a guarantee. What occurs after salvation is up to the individual. Those things that we do, be they many or be they few, are to be of the highest quality if they are to be rewarded. Let us, therefore, endeavor to hold fast to the principle tenets of the faith and thus bring glory to God, And we can do so in the hopes of a reward from our gracious Lord.

Life application: You are a minister of the gospel to those around you. Fulfill your commission to the best of your ability and be pleased to do it… the rewards are heavenly.

Lord, Your word promises a reward to me for those things which I do in Your name which are enduring. I will endeavor to conduct myself and my work in a manner which is pleasing to You, edifying of others, and lasting in nature. But the reward which matters the most to me is to simply hear from You the words “Well done.” With this, I will be eternally pleased. Amen.