MERE HUMAN BEINGS

 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:

1. 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!
2. 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!

Overly Generous God,

Help us to ignore the daily frustrations and temptations of politics, pandemics, and petty preferences!  Soon, we will be done with the troubles of this world.  Soon, and very soon, we are going to see the King!  We need to rise above these things and be more than mere human beings.  We are Christians - Christ Ones!  We live in daily (hourly) (moment-by-moment) dependence upon You!  

Only through daily renewal and keeping focused on Heaven can we rise above these worldly distractions and be the salt and light that You desire us to be!  Thank You for the Apostle Paul and his wisdom!  Thank You for Your Word as it has been preserved for over 2,000 years!  Thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit to live in us as a ready resource for living godly lives!  And thank You for Jesus and His saving grace and work of redemption!  

You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created.  Amen.

WHAT KIND OF BUILDING MATERIALS ARE YOU USING?

The verses in I Corinthians 3:10-15 have captivated me for years, and yet most people read over them very quickly and give them little attention.  I think there are ENORMOUS truths in these verses that give us tremendous hope - even for those who are living their Christian lives poorly.  I could talk about these verses for hours!

[The Apostle Paul speaking]  By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 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.

FIRST, Paul is clearly speaking spiritually here.  He is laying a foundation.  Paul is a church planter!  He goes from country to country introducing people to Jesus Christ - no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Paul has a singular purpose:  ...one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  [Philippians 3:13-14]   Paul was a man of singular purpose.  Oh, he also made tents, but that simply enabled him to support himself while he preached the Gospel!  

SECOND, Paul welcomed others to build on his foundation!  It most assuredly wasn't all about him.  Paul never travelled alone!  He had many that he was always working with to develop them for the ministry.  Some are:  

• Luke, his personal physician, often travelled with him.
• Barnabas - Acts 14:14
• Epaphras - Colossians 1:7
• Aristarchus - Acts 27:2  Colossians 4:10
• Gaius - Acts 19:29
• Silas - II Corinthians 1:19
• Onesimus - Philemon 1:10-16
• Sosthenes - Acts 18:12-17
• Trophimus - Acts 20:4
• Tychicus - Acts 20:4
• Timothy
• John Mark - Acts 12:25

So, you see, Paul wasn't in this alone!  He often left these individuals to carry on his work - like leaving Timothy at Ephesus - while Paul moved on to new frontiers!  

THIRD, Paul gives us a metaphor for the way we should live.  He mentions building with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw.  Then he talks about our work being tested by fire.  Gold, silver and costly stones will prevail, but wood, hay and straw will burn up.  We're left to determine - on our own - are we building our lives with actions and activities that will last?  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss...

He doesn't unpack this further, but the implications are powerful.  How are we living our lives?  How are we spending our time?  What captivates us?  How are we making a difference?  How are we influencing others?  Who are we investing in?  What kind of influence do we have?  What will be our legacy?  

FINALLY, Paul gives hope to us in case we haven't used our time and resources well.  If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.  This is the GRACE message!  Even if we have used poor materials or have not focused very well on the mission God gave us - we may still be saved!  Such is the GRACE of GOD!  

The Bible clearly teaches that there are levels of rewards in Heaven.  For example:

Revelation 22:12-13
[Jesus speaking]  Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

[If you'd like a full list of these verses, shoot me a message and I'll gladly email them to you.]

Lord Jesus,

Help me to build wisely on the foundation of Truth that You represent!  Help me to use materials that will survive the judgment fires.  Help me to work diligently and faithfully.  Help me to invest in others and not be jealous when they continue building on foundations that I may have laid.  Help me to live with Heaven's rewards on my mind!  

For the Kingdom's sake.  Amen.