1 Corinthians 3

Paul addresses the Corinthians as carnal, not spiritual, due to their divisions and factionalism, emphasizing that he and Apollos are merely ministers through whom God gives the increase. He declares that Jesus Christ is the sole foundation, and all subsequent work will be tested by fire. Furthermore, believers are the temple of God, and worldly wisdom is foolishness in God's sight, urging them not to glory in men but to recognize that all things are theirs in Christ.

Paul confronts the Corinthian believers, labeling them carnal and spiritual babes because of their envying, strife, and divisions, particularly their allegiance to different leaders like himself or Apollos. He clarifies that he and Apollos are merely God's ministers, with Paul planting and Apollos watering, but it is God alone who provides the growth. Ministers are co-laborers with God, and the Corinthians are God's field and building, with Jesus Christ as the only true foundation. Paul, as a wise masterbuilder, laid this foundation, and others build upon it, but each builder's work will be tested by fire, revealing its quality and determining their reward, though the builder himself may be saved "as by fire." He reminds them that they are the holy temple of God, where the Spirit dwells, and warns against defiling it. Finally, Paul cautions against worldly wisdom, which is foolishness to God, and encourages them not to boast in men, for all things belong to them through Christ, who belongs to God.

The Apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian church, indicating that he could not speak to them as spiritual individuals but rather as carnal, like babes in Christ, because they were not yet able to receive deeper spiritual truths. He explains that their continued envying, strife, and divisions, particularly their factionalism where some claimed allegiance to Paul and others to Apollos, demonstrated their carnal nature. Paul clarifies that he and Apollos are merely ministers, servants through whom the Corinthians came to believe, each according to what the Lord gave them. He uses the analogy of planting and watering, stating that he planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but it was God who ultimately gave the increase, emphasizing that neither the planter nor the waterer is anything without God. He asserts that all ministers are one in their purpose as "labourers together with God," and that the Corinthians themselves are "God's husbandry" and "God's building." Paul, by God's grace, laid the foundational truth as a wise masterbuilder, and this foundation is exclusively Jesus Christ, upon which no other can be laid. He warns that subsequent builders must take heed how they build, whether with valuable materials like gold, silver, and precious stones, or with perishable ones like wood, hay, and stubble. Every man's work will be made manifest and tested by fire on "the day," revealing its true quality. If a man's work endures the fire, he will receive a reward; if it is burned, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, yet "as by fire." Paul then reminds the believers of their sacred identity, stating, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" He issues a stern warning that if any man defiles this holy temple, God will destroy him. Furthermore, Paul cautions against self-deception and worldly wisdom, declaring that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, citing scripture that God catches the wise in their own craftiness and knows their thoughts are vain. He concludes by urging them not to glory in men, for all things—including Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, and all things present and to come—are theirs, because they belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.