Not All Christians Are Christ Like

1 Corinthians 3:1-23

·        In chapter two, Paul talked about two kinds of people:  NATURAL people, who are unsaved (2:14), and SPIRITUAL people, who are saved (2:16b).  Now, he begins to talk about CARNAL people.  They have a salvation experience but are immature, allowing their fleshly nature to control them.

·        v. 1  CARNAL PEOPLE ARE CHRISTIANS.  They are “brethren,” but are “babes in Christ.”

·        v. 2  CARNAL PEOPLE LACK SPIRITUAL GROWTH.  It is not shameful for new believers to require milk (basic doctrines), but mature believers should be able to digest meat (“harder” doctrines for the mature).   EXPLAIN:  HEBREWS 5:12 – 6:6

·        v. 3  CARNAL PEOPLE NURSE UNCONFESSED SIN.  They feed their old nature and starve their new nature, and this is evidenced by the division they cause in the body.

CARNAL PEOPLE RESEMBLE NON-CHRISTIANS.  They “walk as men,” with actions and attitudes that mask their redemption in fleshly behaviors of the world.

·        There are two sides to our relationship with God.  As our SAVIOR, He gives us a positional relationship of perfect standing before God.  As our LORD, He gives us an experiential relationship of progressive growth in God.  This relationship can be broken and scarred by sin; once damaged, it can be healed only by repentance; if repentance is not sought, divine discipline may be the result; if repentance is still not sought, the believer will eventually forfeit even his positional relationship!

·        v. 4  THE GREATEST EVIDENCE OF IMMATURITY IS COMPARISON WITH OTHERS. The mature use their gifts to build with; the immature use their gifts to boast with!

·        v. 5 – 9a   THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH IS A PLANT THAT SHOULD GROW IN UNITY

·        It is not the planters or the waterers that get glory, but God who gives the increase.

·        There are diversities of ministry; each are needed by the church at various times.

·        God’s servants receive their reward on the basis of faithfulness within their calling.

·        v. 9b – 15            OUR MESSAGE IS A FOUNDATION THAT MUST BE BUILT UPON CORRECTLY

–  The concept of Christ as a foundation for the church was based on Isaiah 28:16

–  The church cannot survive if it is built on any other foundation, but it will also end in disaster if improper building materials are used – even on the right foundation!

–  Some Christians are building on the right foundation with the wrong materials (works of the flesh instead of works of the spirit).  They will lose their eternal reward.  They may be saved, but they may be responsible for many others being lost!

·        At the Judgment Seat of Christ, all works will be revealed – not the quantity, but the quality!  Not long before this was written, Corinth had suffered a fire.  The humble houses of wood, hay or straw had been destroyed, but the wealthy homes and temples of costly stones were left standing.  Gold, silver and precious stones are found below the ground; it takes hard work to get them!

·        v. 16 – 17      THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH IS A TEMPLE THAT MUST BE KEPT PURE

·        The Apostolics together constituted God’s dwelling place (temple) in Corinth!

·        In the opinion of Jewish custom, the Temple was corrupted when anyone damaged anything in it in the slightest degree, or if its guardians neglected their duties!

·        Anyone defiling their individual or collective “Temples” will be destroyed by God!

·        v. 18 – 20            WE NEED TO STAY HUMBLE ENOUGH TO KEEP LEARNING SPIRITUAL THINGS

–  The Corinthians had the impression that they knew it all – just like worldly people!

–  Godly wisdom begins at a cross, a radical humiliation and death of earthly wisdom.

–  Paul quotes Job 5:12-13, saying that schemes of the wicked are no match for God.

12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

                              13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

–  Paul quotes Psalm 94:11, saying that any thoughts not in tune with God are vain.

                               11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

·        v. 21 – 23            EXALTING PEOPLE PERPETUATES IMMATURITY (AND LEADS TO FAILURE!)

–  All things and all ministries belong to the entire church – and we belong to God!

–  Putting men on a pedestal leads to a fall – theirs or ours.  Keep your eyes on Jesus!