Daily Scripture Reading 1Corinthians 3:1-23

I think most Christians are familiar with the concept of the indwelling of the Spirit, but how often do we ponder the ramifications of that doctrine? We make sure a food container is clean before we put food into it so that we don’t contaminate the food. We have safety standards for the interior of buildings so that they are safe spaces in which to live and work. We paint and decorate buildings so that they are pleasing to the eye and make a positive statement about the occupant of the building. Do we have the same mindset about the dwelling place of the Spirit?

There is a verse in the third chapter of 1 Corinthians which declares the truth that Christians are sanctuaries of God. The next verse zeroes in on the implications of that truth. This truth affects how we should be treated as well as how we treat ourselves.

At the beginning of chapter 2, Paul reminded the Corinthians that he had not used worldly wisdom to persuade them to become Christians. Instead, he proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus. Then Paul declared that Christians have the Spirit of God, meaning we have the mind of God, which helps us comprehend the truths of God.

1Cor. 3:1 ¶ And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to fleshly men, as to infants in Christ.

1Cor. 3:2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are still not able,

1Cor. 3:3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

1Cor. 3:4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?

This continues some thoughts that Paul wrote in 1Cor 1:12. The church in Corinth was divided into camps based on who led them to Jesus and/or baptized them. They were trying to claim superiority over one another based on those connections. Paul condemned that mindset.

A similar mindset today would be trying to claim superiority over other Christians based on which mega-church you attend or which nationally known Pastor baptized you or presided over your wedding ceremony. Denominational affiliations and church size are also used to assert superiority. We should not have that frame of mind.

1Cor. 3:5 ¶ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one.

1Cor. 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

1Cor. 3:7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

Famous churches and pastors do not cause growth. God causes growth. Churches and pastors are merely tools God uses to cause growth. God can use small churches and obscure teachers to lead people to maturity just as well as those who are prominent.

1Cor. 3:8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

1Cor. 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

1Cor. 3:10 ¶ According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.

1Cor. 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1Cor. 3:12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

1Cor. 3:13 each man’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.

Just as gold, silver, and precious stones can survive a fire while wood, hay, and straw will be completely destroyed by flames, so too some of our earthly accomplishments will have eternal value while others will have no meaning in light of eternity.

1Cor. 3:14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.

The only successes on earth which will receive an eternal reward are those which have eternal value.

1Cor. 3:15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

1Cor. 3:16 ¶ Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Ponder the ramifications of the fact that Christians are a sanctuary of God within which the Spirit dwells. Houses are typically treated with respect. They are cleaned, maintained, and protected. We should do the same with our bodies.

1Cor. 3:17 If any man destroys the sanctuary of God, God will destroy him, for the sanctuary of God is holy, and that is what you are.

If someone would destroy your house, you would want justice. If a person damages a public building, there are consequences. Likewise, if any man destroys a Christian, which is the same as destroying a sanctuary of God, then God will destroy him.

The Greek word that is translated “destroy” is sometimes translated as “corrupt”. Anyone who corrupts a Christian is subject to being destroyed by God.

1Cor. 3:18 ¶ Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

Any atheist who believes in evolution and approves the sexual revolution must believe in the resurrection of Jesus in order to be truly wise.

1Cor. 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”;

1Cor. 3:20 and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.”

1Cor. 3:21 So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you,

1Cor. 3:22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,

1Cor. 3:23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Paul declared that Christians are a sanctuary of God in which the Spirit dwells. He warned that anyone who destroys the sanctuary of God will be destroyed by God.

What does it look like to destroy or corrupt a Christian, which is the same as destroying or corrupting a sanctuary of God?

How should we treat our own bodies in light of the fact that we are a dwelling place of God?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”