DO NOT STAY CARNAL BUT BECOME SPIRITUAL
Key verse 3:4
Paul raised his voice to indicate the carnal nature of the Corinthians. But a later on, loving them as a father, he explained the truth to them with the illustration of agriculture.
1. Aren't you carnal? (1-5)
The Corinthians were divisional, practicing bias among themselves. They claimed to follow the best spiritual model through ideal men. But it was pure hypocrisy and comparable to a childish act. What is important for a believer is the content of his faith. The ripe fruit of spirituality matters like Galatians 5:22, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, etc.". "A spiritual man has no division nor jealousy in his dictionary. A carnal man cannot stand for or digest the good instructive words (2). Therefore, it is useless to give these words to them (Mt 7:6). We must grow up to the state of a made man, to the measure of Christ's perfect stature (Eph 4:13).
2. The servant as an agricultural worker (6-9)
To the Corinthians who fought among themselves by dividing themselves around men, Paul said that, whether it was Apollos or himself, they were only the servants and collaborators who had helped the Corinthians to grow in faith (5:9). As the farmer did, Paul planted and Apollos watered. The fruit depends on the sovereignty of God. The one who allows growing fruit is God. The one who plants and the one who waters work on their different activities but have the same goal, which is to work for God the Sovereign. They are not the opponents, but the collaborators. Each will receive his own evaluation and reward for his work (8).
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