Remember what you are doing. 1Corinthians 3:10-23 An assembly of God's people who gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is described in these verses as a building. A temple is not just a dwelling place but a consecrated dwelling place. Like a fruitful field, the value of an assembly's work can be seen as the abundant harvest of Christian character and service, brought in to bless the saints and bring glory to God. As a building, the local assembly is considered a planned structure built to provide a place of safety, security, fellowship, worship, and identity for the Lord's people in a specific area. This is not the building where we meet for our services but rather the bodies we are. The assembly does not belong to us; it belongs to God. "Ye are God's husbandry (field), ye are God's building."
So, where does God dwell openly with His people? Is it in the church I choose? Is it where I feel comfortable? Is it the place that does things in a way that pleases me? We don't have to judge every gathering place in a community, nor should we. Some things we leave to God, but we can and should evaluate where I am and my responsibility to the assembly I am part of. The assembly as a building begins with a skilled man preaching Christ crucified, which is the foundation of our salvation. All believers can participate in sharing the message of the Gospel. “Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
The first and most important part of a building is the foundation. When determining the quality of a building, it is only right to start at the foundation and work our way up when inspecting it. The foundation is what separates us from the ground (the world), and the foundation of a scripturally gathered assembly is the Lord Jesus Christ. In His life on earth, people said of Him, "Never man spoke like this Man." Others said, "We never saw it on this wise." His teaching, His life, His death, and His resurrection set Him apart from the world. These same things are meant to separate a church from the world.
The solid foundation of a church is our Lord Jesus Christ. A biblical assembly does not blend in with the world but maintains a distinct identity from it. It is our responsibility to ensure that the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ is in no way compromised. His deity, His humanity, His eternal Sonship, His perfect character, His absolute holiness, and the fact that He did not sin, knew no sin, and could not sin—all these and more form the doctrine of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. A person teaching a proper understanding of this foundational doctrine will demonstrate through his teaching that he holds these beliefs. A poem we occasionally quote in Gospel preaching fits well here.
"What think ye of Christ" is the test That tries both the state and the scheme You cannot be right in the rest Until you think rightly of Him.
On this solid foundation, the ongoing teaching of God's truth is designed to build up the Lord's people and sustain a scriptural public testimony. The preaching of the Gospel and the salvation that comes from the power of the Spirit is a work of God—the gold. The living results that salvation produces are redemption—the silver. Each truth passed down is like a precious stone, and the outcomes are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. When there is cooperation in preaching Christ, the redemption through Christ, the new life in Christ, the new nature from Christ, and the new creation that represents Christ are clear evidence that God is at work.
The imagery here is not of believers being gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble. The saints of God are "living stones" whose life and character are built on Christ, who is the Chief Cornerstone. In the assembly at Corinth, there were skillful, gifted teachers who were teaching the wisdom of this world. It sounds very reasonable for us to join together with every other church in a community in the interests of "Christian unity." "Just think," they say, "What an impact we would have in the city if all of us who are Christians rallied together as one. Why, we could change the city government, the educational system, the laws. We would have the controlling power."
Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and other faithful teachers established the work in Corinth based on truths that cannot be made by humans and cannot be destroyed by humans. These materials were created by God Himself through His creative power and have stood the test of time. Gold, silver, and precious stones are not often found in large quantities and are hidden from those who are unwilling to dig deep to find them. While there is a clear hierarchy of value, all these come from God and are extremely precious to people. The teachers in Corinth were passing along to the congregation things that were temporary, ordinary, inexpensive, easy to find in one's own backyard, and can be shaped into something that looks good but has no lasting worth. Wood, hay, and stubble are all natural products that grow quickly and can die or be destroyed rapidly, disappearing in a very short time.
Attempting to do God’s work in our own way, limited by human wisdom, and man’s methods are like wood – temporary heat, hay – lots of smoke, stubble – quick-burning and short-lived. What we build into our lives is what we pass on to others. Lightweight, inferior teachers often rely on worldly wisdom, a worldly approach, and worldly words to make what they teach interesting and more acceptable to those who come to hear them. It is part of their method to make their message "seeker friendly."
Everyone who teaches God's people needs to remember there is One Listener we cannot see. When we come into His presence at the Judgment Seat of Christ, the teaching we have given to those who belong to Him will be tested by the fire of His holiness discernment. The quality of teaching will be examined by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is absolutely holy, uncompromising in discernment, and perfectly pure. Our Lord Jesus Christ expects our teaching to reflect that because it represents Him. It is His building we are working on now. Those things that survive the testing of righteous judgment will be rewarded by Him, who is more concerned with the quality of our teaching than the quantity. This view of the future challenges us now to remain loyal to the Lord and faithful to His Word, regardless of what others say or do, and no matter how many or how few we teach.
The church is a temple that is holy because it belongs to God. Only true believers are part of the body of Christ, and only true believers should be part of the local church testimony. The scripture does not suggest that anyone is in an assembly just because they want to be. We are to join the local fellowship of believers because that is where God wants us. If someone defiles the church with divisiveness, contention, or self-made opinions, God will address that person. Sadly, when that happens, the church may also suffer.
The dwelling of God, whether it is in heaven on His throne or on earth His footstool, in the dispensational Body of the Church, or in the local body of believers in an assembly, must be holy. This is "God's temple." We must not demean it nor treat it as our own space where we can do as we please. The supreme Person of God's temple is God Himself. When we are privileged to speak for God, we should never stoop to promote or teach worldly wisdom. The cunning ways and words of the world are worthless and not worth our attention. They are what they are—self-centered people trying to squeeze infinite truths into a slick, smooth capsule to make them more appealing to listeners. Man's wisdom results in futile efforts to diminish the dignity and glory of our Lord to the limited understanding of humans.
Human wisdom is foolishness when it comes to divine matters. Our only glory is in what God has done and continues to do for us. Earthly teachers are merely servants of God whom He uses for the good of His people. The Corinthians limited themselves by boasting about their favorite teachers. What we need, God provides and uses whomever He chooses to meet our needs. His goal is that believers live victorious lives and die with full confidence in their faith. That is the victory that overcomes the world and the fear of death. We do not need to fear what happens around us or to us. Nor do we need to fear the future because we belong to Christ, who in His time here as a man among men, was obedient to God. He is equal with our Father God and secures us forever.
Any teaching that brings glory to God will focus on Him. The goal will be to honor God. It will be a spiritual blessing to God's people. The variety of teachers in a New Testament church is meant to bring blessing to everyone and to meet every need. Everything we need—from work and life to even dying—comes from God. He has provided for His people now and for us in the future. We belong to Christ, and that is our responsibility. We are not our own. We are not of Paul, Apollos, or Cephas. We have Christian liberty, but our freedom is in Christ, and when He was here, "did always those things that pleased the Father."
What should I speak? Where should I go to meet the needs that are here?" These are common words from a spiritual teacher who, in prayer before his God and Father, makes an appeal in the name of the Lord. Then, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide him, he dives deeper into God's Word. God alone knows the needs of each person, whether to comfort, encourage, or exhort. The only way a wise teacher knows is to remember, "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" It is not just flipping a switch or focusing on a personal favorite topic that is needed to pass on to the saints so they will find the understanding they need.
The Word of God must speak to me first, and my own spirit filled with truth. Then, words can be spoken from clay lips so that controversy can be silenced. The natural wisdom of man is essentially useless. What we need is God's wisdom, which may seem sweet at first, but God's wisdom transforms everyone who pays attention to it. The foundation on which we are built is solid; there is no weakness in it or that comes from it. The focus is not on where we think the teaching of foundational truths best fits each person. The precious things that come from God are not easily seen, but their results are definitely impactful when such teaching is led by the Spirit's power.
Lightweight, frivolous teaching abounds, but lasting value is lacking. Worldly wisdom may sound appealing in the moment, but we're often unaware of its dangers. The true worth of some things becomes clear only when tested. Then, the value and outcomes we seek are revealed by the One who knows what is needed. I believe I will be glad to see the smoke rising from the pursuits of the flesh. It might be a surprise to learn what was taught when the saints were blessed. Considering the needs of the listeners, I will bow my knees and study the Word. From the Source of Living Water, truth will flow to bless God's people.
It is no coincidence that God chooses to place a variety of gifts together. Needs vary so resources differ, and every sister and brother has a role to fill, a task to accomplish, and a unique opportunity. When each person is positioned where God intends them to be, His voice can be heard through them by those seeking the Lord. That individual has been gifted by God and placed in a strategic spot where God has spiritually prepared them in advance to meet the situation's needs. The result is that when one person's work is complete, another prepared by the Holy Spirit is called upon, and a lost soul is brought to Christ.
It may be that another person cannot seem to make good connections, but their gift is to provide what is needed to bring blessings to distant locations. The far-reaching impact of faithful laborers is needed in God's harvest field. Sowers, waterers, and reapers are essential when a seed yields fruit. This is what the Lord of the harvest intended when He sent each different person to work in the great field of the Lord. He alone knows the gift He gave and what each person's bent is, so that when the harvest is over, the labor is done, and the profit is finally counted, each one who had a part in the work rejoices because the Lord Himself is exalted.
Like in a family, we want babies to grow into maturity in faith, with each person bearing the characteristic of the One who saved them by His amazing grace. When we labor in God's field, being a participant in the great harvest is our reward. When the fruit is all reaped and counted, all the glory belongs to the Lord. The diversity of the work we do does not change our united goal to bless the Lord and bring salvation to precious souls. When each laborer serves in a spirit of humility, then there is a place where God can bless. Praise, worship, and honor are given to Him when the fruitful season is evaluated and the harvest is gathered.
"What should I speak? Where should I go to meet the needs that are here?" These are not uncommon words from the voice of a spiritual teacher in prayer to his God and Father, he makes an appeal in the name of the Lord. Then trusting the Holy Spirit to guide him, he goes deeper into God's Word. God alone knows the needs of each one, whether to comfort, encourage, or exhort. The only way a wise teacher knows is to remember, "Who hath believed our report?" It is not just the flip of a switch or a personal pet subject of mine that is needed. Pass on to the saints words of edification, exhortation, and comfort so they will find the understanding they need.
The Word of God must speak to me first, filling my own spirit with truth. Only then can words of divine wisdom and truth be spoken from clay lips to help calm controversy. Natural wisdom of man is largely useless; what we truly need is God's wisdom. The initial appeal of man's wisdom may be sweet, but it is God's wisdom that transforms each person who listens. Our foundation is solid, with no weakness stemming from it. When teaching doctrinal truth based on the foundation of the Word of God, we don’t need to worry about our own thoughts. The precious truths from God are not easily visible, but their results are clear. The impact of such teaching is powerful because it is guided by the Spirit's strength.
Light, trivial teaching may be given, but its lasting value isn't there. Worldly wisdom sounds appealing in the moment, but we're not always aware of its risks. The value of some things isn't realized until they are tested.
Truth is then revealed by the One who discerns the worth and result we desire. I think I will be glad to see the smoke rising from the things of the flesh—wood, hay, and stubble. It may be a surprise to learn what was taught when the saints were blessed. To meet the needs of the hearers, I will bend my knees and study the Word. From the Source of Living Water, there will flow truth to bless the people of God.