The Apostle Paul founded the Corinthian church and, after leaving to plant more churches in other cities, continued to correct it through his letters. Scholars are quite certain that Paul wrote them at least four letters. Sometimes, he's simply answering questions that they've asked. However, in other places, he's clearly trying to correct their beliefs and behavior. In I Corinthians 3, he is clearly expressing his disappointment in their lack of spiritual growth.
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. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 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? [vs.1-4]
Paul is not happy with the Corinthians! They are divided:
...there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas [Peter]; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? [I Corinthians 1:11b-13]
While Paul was among them, he gave them 'milk' - the elementary truths of the Gospel. By now, they should be eating 'meat' - having matured and moved on to deeper truths and practices. But instead, they have failed to grow and mature and are still drinking 'milk'. Consequently, as their spiritual father, Paul chastises them for their spiritual adolescence.
In doing so, he refers to them three times as mere men or mere human beings.
God wants us to be SO MUCH MORE than mere human beings!
God has called us to be holy! In Matthew 5:48, Jesus challenges us to Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Paul clearly admonishes that he expected the Corinthians to rise above petty arguments and dissensions. By failing to do so, they besmirch the name of Christ!
In II Corinthians 4:16-18, Paul tells them how to respond:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
His advice here is clear and seems to involve two primary steps:
- Allow yourself to be renewed day by day! This means that just attending Sunday worship can't be expected to carry you through the week! You must make a daily effort to allow the Holy Spirit to mold you, mend you, correct you and teach you. Our feet are continually rooted to this earth! We cannot change that. We will always have human responses to the stimuli of our world. We must give the Spirit of God regular opportunity to transform those responses and give us a divine perspective! If we fail to do so - we will revert to being mere human beings!
- Keep focused on your eternal destiny! Like Larry Norman said in 1972, "I'm only visiting this planet!" Our presence here is short - like the dot on the 'i' in 'infinity'. We will spend ETERNITY in Heaven with our Lord - if we are faithful here! Don't you see how important this daily renewing is? In Colossians 3:2, this same Apostle Paul instructs us to set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things...When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. WOO HOO!
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