1 Corinthians 3:9

1 Corinthians 3:9 says, For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.  Paul continues to stress that we are all laborers together.  As the body of Christ here on earth, we are called to work together to present the gospel that God might be glorified and people might be saved, and God should always receive the glory.  We are but laborers for Christ, and He is and always will be the One to be glorified by our labor.  Verse ten adds, According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  God is the architect of salvation and the works that we do as followers of Christ.  God gives us a purpose in His kingdom, and it is based on His design for the salvation of all who will believe in Christ.  We must never question our part in God's plan, but simply follow His leadership.  Verse eleven continues, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Paul stated very clearly that salvation comes through Christ alone.  The lost of the world may say that this makes us narrow minded, and in this point we must be.  There is no other way to salvation and restoration with God except through salvation given by Christ.  This can never be added to or taken away from.  Verse twelve states, Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  We are to build upon the foundation of Christ.  Some may build works that bring glory to God and stand through the fire.  Others may attempt to build on false teachings, the hay and stubble, but these works will not endure.  We need to make sure that what we build on the foundation of Christ glorifies God and is not done for our own glory.  The things that we build for Christ will not only stand the test of five, but they will be purified by it.  Verse thirteen adds, Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  Paul states what I had just said about our works very plainly here.  God will make manifest every person's work.  Things that we claim to do for God may not stand the test of fire.  Verse fourteen continues, If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  Paul was not saying that we serve God for rewards, but that if we are truly working for God's glory that we will one day receive a reward, though that does not necessarily mean in this life.  We are to simply serve God because we want to do His will, and not because we think He will make us rich.  Verse fifteen concludes, If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.  Paul declares that just as we are not saved by works, neither is our relationship with God sustained by works.  Even if the things we claim to do for God as followers of Christ do not stand the fire of God's judgment, we are still His people.  Still, we should always try to do the work that God calls us to do, and if we do so, then our works will survive as well.  We simply need to give God our best.

1 Corinthians 3:1

1 Corinthians 3:1 says, And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  Paul had led these believers to salvation through Christ, but he had to speak to them as baby Christians.  They were still allowing carnal, or worldly, thoughts and ideas to influence them.  After we accept Christ as our Savior, then we must start to grow under the Lordship of the Holy Spirit.  If we have truly accepted salvation through faith in Christ, we are a new creature.  We are then expected to grow in our knowledge of spiritual things, and not still be guided by the carnal thoughts of the world.  Verse two adds, I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  Paul said he had fed them with milk, making the analogy of the way newborn babies are fed.  We do not expect newborn babies to eat solid food, but they must be fed milk as they grow and develop.  Paul said that he had fed them, or taught them, the simple truth of salvation, and then they were expected to begin growing so they could start to understand greater truths about God.  Paul said they were still unable to understand the meatier things of God.  Verse three continues, For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  Those who follow God through faith in Christ are no longer carnal, but have entered into a everlasting spiritual relationship with God.  Paul declared that many of these born-again believers were still allowing worldly ideas influence their actions.  Verse four states, For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?  Paul said that proof of the fact that they were still not growing in Christ was the fact that they were still divided over the question of who had led them to Christ.  We today, as we grow in our relationship with God, must never let the things of this world divide us.  We are all saved by the same grace of God and need to continue to grow in our faith and understanding of how God would have us live in the world.  We are to be united in Christ, and not divided by any worldly ideas.  Verse five adds, Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  Paul reminded the believers at Corinth that he and Apollos were simply ministers who preached the gospel to them.  Who had presented the gospel was not important, but their belief in the gospel was what brought them salvation.  This will always be the case.  If we received salvation while listening to some famous preacher or while sitting home alone, it doesn't matter.  All are equally saved if they accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse six continues, I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  Christians work together to reach the lost.  Paul said he planted the seed of the gospel, Apollos watered or nurtured it, but only God could save, or give the increase.  If we witness to someone for years, and they suddenly accept Christ when someone else is witnessing to them, we should only feel joy, and never feel cheated or resentful. We all work together for God's glory and not our own.  Verse seven says, So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.  Paul again reminds those who were arguing because of who led them to Christ that it did not matter.  Paul and Apollos were nothing but messengers, and God was to receive the glory, because He alone could bring salvation to anyone.  Verse eight adds, Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.  Paul reminded the Christians at Corinth that they were to be united as one in Christ.  There was no room for pride or envy in the body of believers.  All had a purpose to fill in order that the gospel could be effectively presented.  That still holds true today. As individuals and as a group of believers, we must do all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.   Paul made quite a statement here.  Paul said that there was no way for people to really understand all the things that God has already prepared for those that love Him.  We are not promised great riches here on earth, but we can rest assured in God's promise of an everlasting and abundant life through our faith in salvation through Christ.  Verse ten adds, But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  Paul tells us that the only way to begin to understand God is through the Spirit of God.  We do not need to understand everything that heaven will be to understand the gift of salvation.  We are not told that the Spirit will reveal everything there is to know about God, because our finite minds could not comprehend it.  We, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, should gain a greater knowledge of God every day.  We are told to grow in knowledge of God.  At the time of our salvation, we are as a newborn child, and we need to grow into mature Christians.  We cannot believe that since we are saved, born again into God's family, that we need not continue to learn more about God.  Verse eleven continues, For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Paul stated that the only way we can know the things of man is because we are born as humans.  The other animals cannot understand the things of man.  Likewise, we cannot begin to understand the things of God until we have received the Holy Spirit after our acceptance of Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twelve states, Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  As Paul stated then, we no longer live by the spirit of the world, but by the Spirit of God.  We have been changed into a new creature.  We can now freely understand the gifts that God has given us.  Until we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, we may think the good things in life are something we earned, or that fate or luck gave them to us.  As followers of Christ, we know that all good things come from God.  Verse thirteen adds, Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  Paul stated here that Christians have a new message, not guided by the teachings of this world, but by the teachings of God, or the spiritual things.  We are not called on to prove Christ historically, but to believe Christ today through faith.  Verse fourteen continues, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  We cannot know the things of God until we accept salvation through Christ and are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.  We cannot find God nor understand God unless we come to Him in faith believing in Christ as the only way to salvation.  Verse fifteen says, But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  If we are living under the Lordship of Christ, we are able to judge all things as to whether they are right or wrong, and at the same time no one can judge us.  Christ alone has the authority to judge our actions, because we are bought by His sacrifice and sustained by the Holy Spirit.  Verse sixteen adds, For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.  Paul first asks who can know the mind of the Lord, and then answers that believers can, because they have the mind of Christ.  All of our thoughts and actions should be determined by following what we know Christ would have us do.

1 Corinthians 2:1

1 Corinthians 2:1 says, And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  Paul was a very educated man, but he did not come to people with eloquent speech, proclaiming his power as he did when persecuting Christians, but instead came with the simple message of Christ.  As followers of Christ today, that is how we must come to people.  We cannot witness out of a feeling of superiority, but as humble servants of God.  We do not need eloquent words, only the simple message of Christ crucified, resurrected, and Lord.  Verse two adds, For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Today, people who are lost many times like to argue about God and why He does or doesn't do certain things, but our message must always be the simple truth of the gospel.  Verse three continues, And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  Paul did not say that he was never afraid, but that even when he was afraid, he still came to them proclaiming the gospel. We are not called to be supermen, never knowing that we could place our lives in danger for the gospel, but we are called to place our fears in God's hands and to continue witnessing for Christ.  Elijah fled in fear after experiencing a great display of God's power, but when he heard God in a quiet voice, not in displays of power, he was revived in faith.  If we are suddenly overcome with fear, we need simply to listen for God's voice to strengthen us.  Through the Holy Spirit God is with us always so we have no need to fear. Verse four states, And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  If we want to be effective witnesses, we need to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  As Paul said, enticing words are not enough. People could see the change in Paul's life, and they should be able to see it in ours.  Verse five Paul adds, That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.  Paul knew that the wisdom of men could lead people away from God, but that faith in God gave them the ability to overcome any doubts they had.  This remains true today.  We must follow God in faith even if the world calls us weak and foolish.  Verse six continues, Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  When Paul spoke of those who were perfect, he was speaking about those who viewed themselves that way.  Paul spoke to them with the wisdom of God, not the wisdom of man that they put their faith in.  We today must approach those that we witness to the same way.  We have the power of God with us.  Verse seven says, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:  God's wisdom is indeed a mystery to those who do not know Him. Salvation through the death of Christ is a hidden mystery to those who do not see it through faith in God.  This was God's plan of salvation from the beginning.  Verse eight adds, Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  Paul states that if the princes of the world, those in power, had known Who Christ was, they would not have crucified Him.  If people today understood Who Christ really is, they likewise would not reject His gift of salvation.  Unfortunately, worldly wisdom and power often come between people and the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:25

1 Corinthians 1:25 states, Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  Paul stated what we must always understand, and that is even what we might consider as the foolishness and weaknesses of God is still so much more wisdom and strength than we will ever have.  We might question why God used the crucifixion of Christ on the cross to bring salvation to the world, but we can never question the wisdom and power of God displayed there.  We today hear about scientists discovering something new that will help us understand the world and how man came into existence, but as followers of Christ are we already know the answer.  God created and sustains the universe.  Some people say that this explanation is just too simple, and that people have to be foolish to believe it.  I personally think that someone has to be more foolish to believe that big explosion in the existing world brought about the order in the universe.  I have never seen where an accidental explosion brought about anything but disorder and destruction.  Verse twenty-six adds, For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  Paul told the early believers in Christ that they could see that not many of the strong and mighty men after the flesh were called.  I believe that since Paul was speaking to Christians, he meant that not many of the strong and wise after the flesh had accepted the call to salvation.  We know that God calls all people to salvation, but often their status in the world prevents some from believing in salvation through the cross, which is the only way to find salvation.  Verse twenty-seven continues, But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;  I believe what Paul was declaring here is that God uses what the world thinks of as foolish and weak to accomplish His will so that there can be no doubt that He is the One at work.  If we had to have great knowledge and be in power to find God, then most of the world would miss out, from one aspect or the other.  God makes salvation easy to obtain so that all may come to Him.  Verse twenty-eight states, And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: There could be little more base than death on the cross, yet God chose this method to bring salvation to the world.  In death, it becomes as though we are not, or that we no longer exist, in the eyes of the world, but we know as followers of Christ that death is but a transformation.  Verse twenty-nine adds, That no flesh should glory in his presence.  There is no way for us to glory, to feel that we have earned salvation, in the presence of God.  We did not gain salvation by our wisdom and strength, but solely by the mercy of God.  Verse thirty says, But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  Paul again states the only way to salvation is through Christ.  Christ is everything we need to be restored to a right relationship with God, and faith in Him is the only way we may be restored.  Verse thirty-one concludes, That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  In Christ alone can we glory.  If we begin to glory in anything other than Christ, we need to repent and return to obedience of God.  The Holy Spirit will always guide and correct us if we only listen.

1 Corinthians 1:19

1 Corinthians 1:19 states, For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.  I believe Paul was stating that we can never come to God thorough the wisdom of the world, but the world's wisdom is what will ultimately fail.  There are many very intelligent people in the world today who not only do not believe in God but attempt to discredit His very existence.  One day, though, all their wisdom will be destroyed, but the God that they denied will still be God.  Verse twenty adds, Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  Paul was asking a question that should have been answered that those who would not accept the salvation of Christ were nowhere spiritually.  All their wisdom and teachings amounted to nothing.  There is only one way to salvation, and that is through faith Christ, which is so simple that even a child can understand it.  Verse twenty-one continues, For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  We can never find God through the wisdom of the world, and I believe that the more a person accepts the wisdom of the world the harder it becomes to accept the gospel.  Paul stated that it was by the foolishness of preaching that God chose to reach the world.  God has unlimited methods to bring about salvation, but He chose accepting Christ as Savior and Lord through faith.  This is nothing complex, so to many in the world it is foolish for this reason.  Many people do not want to admit that salvation is not something that they can obtain by their own abilities. Verse twenty-two states, For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:  The Jews in Paul's day were looking for a sign that the Messiah was here, and missed the sign when it came.  They were not looking for a suffering Servant but a conquering King, so they missed the sign of the cross. The Greeks were seeking wisdom, and the cross seemed foolishness to them as a way to victory over the world.  Verse twenty-three declares, But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;  Unfortunately, this remains true today.  For the Jew today, Christ is still a stumbling block, and for the unsaved of the world, salvation through a crucified Savior is still foolishness.  Verse twenty-four adds, But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  Paul declared that to those who accepted salvation through Christ that Christ was the power and wisdom of God.  This is a truth that we as followers of Christ can never doubt.  Christ's crucifixion revealed both the power and wisdom of God.  It represents the power because sin and spiritual death were defeated for all time.  It represents the wisdom of God since it represents the only way to salvation and is based only on faith in that fact.

1 Corinthians 1:10

1 Corinthians 1:10 says, Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  Paul was asking those who made up the church at Corinth to be united through their faith in Christ.  We are to be the same way today.  Some people can almost become so proud of their church, their local body of believers, that they feel that they are superior to other bodies of believers.  We must never feel superior nor inferior to any group of believers, but we must all be united through Christ.  Verse eleven adds, For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  Church problems are nothing new but began almost from the time the church was formed.  Paul said it had come to his attention that there were contentions among the members of the church at Corinth.  Paul did not just help establish churches and forget them.  He remained in prayer and concerned for them.  We should have that same concern for not only our local church, but for churches everywhere.  There is no room for contention in the body of Christ, which is what we as believers are.  Verse twelve continues, Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Some of the believers were claiming to be more important because of the person who baptized them.  When they began to do this, they were missing a key concept of salvation, and that is that we are all equal at the cross.  The way we came to salvation is not what is important.  The only important thing is that we came to salvation through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse thirteen asks, Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?  The first question was whether or not Christ was divided.  I believe this was asking if Christ was a greater Savior for some than for others, making them greater in the eyes of God and their fellow believers.  Paul asked if they were being baptized because he had saved them.  The answer was that only through Christ could there be salvation and that no one was more saved than another.  Verse fourteen adds, I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;  Paul was thankful that he had baptized very few, and in the next verse he gives the reason.  Verse fifteen continues, Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 

Paul didn't want anyone to think that he was baptizing people in his own name.  The act of baptism itself was what was symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, not the one who was performing the baptism.  Verse sixteen says, And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.  I believe Paul was simply continuing to emphasize that it was unimportant who baptized those who were followers of Christ.  Paul himself did not want anyone to claim that they were better because he had baptized them.  Verse seventeen adds, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Paul said his calling was to preach the gospel, and even in that he was not called to convince people with eloquent words, but simply with the message of the cross.  This is still our message and purpose today. We are to lead people to a knowledge of salvation through the cross, and who we may have been baptized by is not to be a point of pride or contention.  Verse eighteen continues, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.  The gospel indeed sounds foolish to those who refuse to believe it, but to believers it is the power of God. God calls us to salvation and unity through Christ, so no one has a reason to feel superior or inferior to any other Christian.