The Servants of God
—1Corinthians 3

There were some in the church at Corinth who seemed to be wise but Paul regarded them as fools. Some were using the names of Paul and Apollos in a factional way. Each division claimed Paul or Apollos (or some other apostle) as its head —without any permission from those gentlemen. Paul set the record straight: "Who is Paul, and who is Apollos, but servants...?"

In this chapter (1Corinthians 3), Paul wrote of four classes of people, namely Babes, Beanplanters, Builders, and Boasters. We will see who among these were servants of God.

1 Babes (Verses 1-4).

Paul told the Corinthian brethren about the challenges he faced in trying to give the church solid food from the gospel. He could give them only the milk. Instead of being mature, they were still babes in Christ. They needed to be served. They weren't equipped to be servants.

Paul put his finger right on the problem —Their minds were carnal, fleshly, not spiritual (1Corinthians 3:1).

When a little baby is hungry his mind is wholly concerned with his body. His cries, like sirens, call you to serve him with milk. That's fine for an infant but he soon grows and makes a change to solid food. This leads to more growth, and in a few years he himself becomes able to serve and help others.

Likewise, those who are babes in Christ desire the first principles of the gospel. They grow on the "milk" of the word, but grow to desire the "meat" of the word instead.

Paul also laid it on the Corinthians that envy and strife between factions, which they allowed, was a sign that they were carnal when they should have been spiritual and fit for service.

2 Beanplanters (Verses 5-8).

Paul then explained the role of himself and Apollos. It was certainly not to lead factions in the church! Rather, it was to help grow the church. Paul said, "I planted and Apollos watered, but God gave the increase" (1Corinthians 3:6).

Paul and Apollos were servants of God, called to the work of the Lord. Figuratively speaking, in their teaching, they grew beans or other plants and cared for them in God’s field. Literally, they made converts through the gospel, and nurtured their spiritual development in the church.

Furthermore, Paul and Apollos were careful to reject any glorification of themselves. They were content to be servants of God, humbly doing God’s work, giving glory to God, each rewarded by God as God saw fit.

3 Builders (Verses 9-17).

At this point Paul left the figure of plants in God’s field and used the figure of builders in God’s temple. "You are God’s field; you are God’s building". Instead of planting and watering, he wrote figuratively of himself laying a foundation and another, such as Apollos, building on that foundation.(1 Corinthians 3:8).

The point that Paul made here was, "No other foundation can anyone lay than the one that has been laid, which is Jesus Christ". Paul said that this was the foundation he himself had laid. (1Corinthians 3:10-11)

Whilst nobody could change that foundation, there was going to be a variety of failures to meet God’s building code. Some preachers built with gold, silver, and jewels. They built a magnificent temple. Others built with wood, hay, and straw. They built a fire hazard. (1Corinthians 3:12)

There is a judgment of fire coming, Paul declared, testing each preacher's work. If it is gold, silver, and precious stones, it will survive the fire and the builder will be rewarded. Otherwise the work will be burned and the builder will have no reward from it. Paul was not writing about false teachers, but teachers who did not impart the whole counsel of God, including the meat of the word, to strengthen the disciples (1Corinthians 3:13-15).

Having said in verse 9, "You are God’s building", he went on to say in verse 16, "You are God’s temple", which is a figure for the church of God. Each stone in the temple, meaning each member of the church, was promised that "the Spirit of God dwells in you" (1Corinthians 3:16-17).

Paul added a warning not to defile the temple of God (1Corinthians 3:17). When evil things like immorality and deception are tolerated, the church is defiled. Moreover, God will destroy those who do the evil.

4 Boasters (Verses 18-23).

Paul draws attention to a wrong attitude among the teachers in the church. There were some who thought they were wise and they boasted of their worldly understanding. God knows that was futile.

Paul reminded the Corinthians, "All things are yours" (1Corinthians 3:21-23). They had Paul, Apollos, Peter, and others to serve them. They had power over the world, over life, death, the present and future. These were blessings they enjoyed through Jesus Christ.

These were realities they could "boast" of, giving all credit and praise to him, and his Father in Heaven, whose servants they were.