Belonging to Christ

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: 1 Corinthians 3

 

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, ²³ and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

(ESV)

 

We live in a divided world and with this divisiveness comes hatred. Divisiveness in our modern culture over race, sexual orientation, and political affiliations leads to name-calling, separation of friends, and even violence. A culture so divided is an immature culture full of hatred and violence.

 

There was immaturity in the Church in Corinth and for that reason, Paul could not address them as spiritual people but as people of the flesh because of divisions in the Church. These divisions revolved around some believing they should follow a flesh and blood leader instead of following Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). To eliminate these divisions, Paul asks the question of who Apollos or Paul are, answering the question that they are servants of Christ through whom they came to believe (1 Corinthians 3:5). Each of these individuals had a role to play in the conversion of the Corinthians with Paul planting, Apollos watering, and God giving growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). The one planting and watering mean nothing with the need to focus on God providing the growth (1 Corinthians 3:7). Divisions in the Church over whether one follows the one planting or the one watering are not to occur for the Church belongs to God (1 Corinthians 3:8-9).

 

The only foundation upon which the Church should build is a foundation built upon Christ as the Messiah the Son of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:10-11; Matthew 16:13-20). If anyone builds upon a foundation of gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, what they build will be tested by fire (1 Corinthians 3:12-13). The worker will receive a reward for whatever survives the testing by fire and suffer loss for what does not survive but he will survive (1 Corinthians 3:14-15). We are the temple of God full of the Holy Spirit with God destroying anyone trying to destroy His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

 

Paul cautions the Corinthians not to fall into deception, believing they are wise in their mind of flesh but to instead become fools so they may become wise in the things of God (1 Corinthians 3:18). The fleshly wisdom of the world is folly to God, with God catching them in their craftiness, with God knowing the futility of their thoughts (1 Corinthians 3:19-20). Paul concludes this passage by telling the Corinthians not to boast in men like himself, Apollos, or Cephas but in Christ to whom they belong (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

 

The Corinthian Church was a divided Church with believers finding their identity in men instead of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:4). This identification with men who are servants of God limits the spiritual growth of the Corinthians because the men they identified with had flaws (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23). Jesus knew no sin and was without flaws and despite having no flaws, he loved sinful humanity so much, he chose to die for their sins as a substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 6:23). Paul is challenging the Corinthians to grow by finding their identity in Christ and not a messenger of Christ. The trials of life test the foundation upon which one builds their faith, like testing by fire. If the foundation of one’s faith is of gold, silver, or precious stones, it will withstand and have refinement by the fires of life. However, if the foundation is of flesh, made of wood, hay, or straw, testing by the fires of life will consume it. Paul wants the Corinthians to build their faith on the solid foundation of gold, silver, and precious stones, or Jesus Christ.

 

The Apostle Paul did not have social media or mass media to assist him in the spread of the Gospel and had to physically travel from place to place to spread the message of the Gospel. Despite this lack of tools to instantly spread the message of the Gospel, Paul achieved celebrity status with some in Corinth finding their spiritual identity in Paul and not Christ. In our present age of mass media, social media, and blogs, a minister of the Gospel can quickly achieve celebrity status with people identifying with them instead of Christ. Ministers of the Gospel must guard against their congregations viewing their minister as a celebrity or idol to worship and encourage them to find their identity in Christ as children of God (1 John 3:1). As believers in Christ, we must guard our hearts not to place those ministering to us on a pedestal as an idol. Instead, we should test their teaching as Bereans (Acts 17:10-11) testing the validity of what they heard against the Word of God. If you are reading this and have not entered into a personal relationship with Christ so you can identify as a child of God, I encourage you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God bless everyone reading this post.