1 Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
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.
Paul is letting the people know here that you are not to base your salvation on a man and that they do not fully understand Christianity. He goes on to to tell them they have their eyes focused on the people who brought them the gospel and not the gospel itself. This is letting us know to that we should not be letting ministers be the focus of our worship They are their to bring the message of the gospel an just be a servant of God. Most of the time it takes the encouragement of several people before someone comes to the saving grace of Jesus
Christ. By this many may play a part in someones salvation but God is the one quickens it. Many can minister the word but the Lord alone is the who can give the faith to the spiritually ignorant and dead. Salvation is God’s work of grace to whom He chooses to give it.
1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
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.
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?
Here Paul lets the people know they have not gown enough in the Lord since he last saw them for him to give them any stronger message than that of salvation. He lets them know he fed them only the essential things they needed because they could not handle the deeper things of God. He even goes on to say that even now they are not ready for it. They are still acting like carnal people it their fusing and fighting among themselves. Paul here is addressing something i believe we see in too many churches today. People who think they are as close to God as they get and are all holy when in fact they are just the opposite because of all the strife they cause. We need to be careful in teaching as well as learning about the word of God that we do not overdo it to the point that we put ourselves above others.
1 Corinthians 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
This begins speaking of someone who has been baptized with the Holy Spirit of God and has the gift of discernment. We judge people by their actions or their fruits and not by whether they are lost or saved. As a Christian we are judged by Jesus and those making carnal judgments about you should not affect you at all. The spiritual man has founded his faith on God’s revelation and he can judge now both earthly and heavenly things. This goes on to say that if we have the mind of Christ just means that He has revealed to us His will. This scripture ask the question who knows the mind of the Lord, well we can say we do because we have the mind of Christ. This means that the Christians possess the Lord’s own understanding, His thoughts, opinions, judgments, plans, and so on. Let us strive each day to get as much of God as we can so we can exhibit the life of Christ in the actions we portray every day.
1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
These verses are telling us that the things we speak are those things which only the Holy Ghost can teach us. People who read the Bible and do not understand it do not have their focus on The Holy Spirit and that is why they can not understand. To be able to comprehend what the Spirit is saying we have to combine spiritual things with spiritual words. He goes to let us know that the natural man only looks at the world with a canal mind. The physical man believes only what he can see, touch, or taste because the Spirit does not dwell in him and the things of God are foolish to him. As spiritual discernment is generated only by the Holy Spirit then the capacity to know spiritual truth is beyond the innate powers of the natural man. The natural man lacks the ability to discern the facts God. This last group is the ones we need to be reaching to, to help them find what the Holy Spirit can do for them.
1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
This first verse lets us know that it is not possible for a man of the flesh to fully understand God who is Spirit. This is saying we know as much as the Holy Spirit has revealed to us and that we can only know what is in another’s heart by the Spirit. This verse deals with the doctrine of illumination having to do with human understanding of divine truth. The next verse lets us know we have received the Spirit of God So we can understand the things that God has given us freely. The Spirit of God has brought unto us life and we are heirs according to the promise of God. The New Testament reveals to us what our inheritance is, if we are Christians. This is about inspiration to keep us going in the right direction that God has for us. Let us always remember that we learning and growing closer to God every day and one day we will receive everything He has promised us.
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
In our wildest imagination, we cannot come up with the wonderful things the Lord has stored up for us. When Paul says it is written he means in the book of Isaiah it says what this first verse says. The words from Isaiah refer to the wisdom God has prepared for believers. God’s truth is not discover-able by eye or ear nor is it discovered by the mind . The Holy Spirit that we receive is the earnest of greater things to come. God reveals to us what we need to know by way of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit alone was qualified because He knows all that God knows, Himself being God. This is saying we really need to be close enough to God so that when the Holy Spirit has something for us we are ready to receive it and we take and apply it to our lives to do the will of God.
1 Corinthians 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Paul stars here letting us know that he preached to those that were morally and spiritually mature or in other words genuine believers. But he did not speak to those who could not understand as Jesus did in speaking to the people in parables so that only His own would understand through the power of the Holy Spirit. He goes on to let us know the mystery and hidden wisdom of God is ordained unto our glory. The mystery refers to some work or purpose of God unrevealed until now and we do know that Jesus revealed this mystery to the believers. This mystery is the wisdom of God that He has revealed through the Holy Spirit of God to those who are His followers. Finally Paul tells us the crucifixion is proof that the rulers, Jewish religious leaders lacked wisdom. This is saying; that if they had known for sure who Jesus was, they would not have crucified Him. To know only a little of the word is dangerous, we need to be in a church that can help us learn all we can about the word of God before we start deciding what is right and what is wrong. Please attend a church today to get the wisdom and knowledge to help you in your life.
1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
These two verse let us see what Paul gave credit to for what he preached and what we should give give credit to for what we have. Paul’s preaching came from the power of the Holy Spirit or you could say the Holy spirit was speaking through him. We should be the same way and try to make sure what we tell others or the message we preach is from God and not from our own minds cause it might not be what God wants us to say. The scripture goes on to say we should not base our faith on mankind but let it be placed in the power of God. It is not up to men to judge whether your faith is what it should be or not, it is up to God. Let us be like Paul and always make sure we let God direct us in what we say and do.
1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
Paul begins hear by telling the people he came giving them the message of Christ crucified in plain and simple language. He might have been a well educated man but that was a hindrance to the people he was giving the message to. Paul was not interested in any ones standing in the community but only in the ones who believed or did not believe. The focus of his preaching and teaching to unbelievers was Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for sin on the cross. Paul let them know that his fear and shaking were because of the seriousness of his mission. He had suffered and been imprisoned for preaching the Gospel but he wanted the people to know that he would not stop preaching and teaching as long as there were ones who wanted to here the Gospel. we can learn a lot from Paul about how important it is to get the message of Christ out to the people even today.
1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
The redeemed not only are given salvation by God’s wisdom rather than by their own, but are also graciously given by His doing, a measure of His divine wisdom. As well as imputed righteousness, sanctification from sin, and redemption by God. In order that, above all else, the Lord will be glorified. God gives us all these things so we can accomplish what his will is for us and in this we glorify Him by our actions and obedience. No matter what we face we should always give God the glory.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." I John 5:7
