(1Co 3:8) “ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. (9)  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”  Those seeking to serve the Lord are not individuals, but are all linked, for each is “in Christ”. Mysterious – yes. Hard to truly comprehend – yes. But….nevertheless true.

(1Co 3:6) “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (7)  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” No matter the person, they are just a sinner saved by the grace of God doing what they can for their Savior. If anything spiritual is accomplished, it was God’s work despite methem, not because of them. To lift them up is to rob God of the glory that belongs to Him alone.

(1Co 3:6) “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (7)  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”  One of the hardest things to get and hold onto, is a right perspective of self. I am just a sinner saved by the grace of God doing what I can for my Savior. If anything spiritual is accomplished, it was God’s work despite me, not because of me.

(1Co 3:5) “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? (6)  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”  People love to lift up man, to be close to the “some-bodies” of this life. Yet, no man has the right to claim spiritual increase due to self. That spiritual increase came solely by the grace and mercy of God – period.

(1Co 3:4)  “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”  It appears as if they are choosing sides in a conflict. Be careful, for I have never seen a person paint themselves in a bad light when sharing a conflict: (Pro_18:17)  “He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”  

(1Co 3:3) “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”  The focus of these things is self, not Christ Jesus. They were not divided over a stand for truth, but for self: “I’m better than you because…..”

(1Co 3:2) “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.”  What exactly is the “milk”? Answer: (1Jn 3:11) “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” True love prompts us to please Him to the sacrifice of self: (Joh_14:15) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

(1Co 2:16) “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”   My conclusion based on this verse: The Bible (KJV) is the mind of God. Yes, it includes history as well as instruction, yet there is instruction in that history; and at that – all and more than we can begin to comprehend.

(1Co 3:1) “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” What is the basis for this statement? As the chapter proceeds we will find the following: the flesh ruled, just as if they had never been made alive spiritually. To put self first is to live as an unsaved person.

(1Co 2:16) “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”  Doesn’t it stand to reason that the Spirit of God, Who stands ready to teach us these things, would prompt a saved person to open the Bible? Have you experienced this today? Yesterday? The day before…..? Have you received such a prompting? Why not?