1st Corinthians 3 - Who Do You Follow?

I hope that last post has had time to sink in by now - let's go.

1st Corinthians 3:4-6 - ^"4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? ⁵What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow."

^"4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?" - To set the stage for this, you have to understand the church at Corinth around the time that Paul wrote this letter.

The church was splitting over who they wanted to listen to.

Amazing. A church...splitting....over a difference of opinion. That never happens today (insert sarcasm here). I've heard of churches who have split over things as petty as music style, bulletin inserts and announcements, class situations, and even decor in the foyer.

None of which has to do with Jesus which is who the church should be concentrating on.

"5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—" - Apollos and Paul were both teachers of Jesus at the time this letter was written and Paul was getting ready to lay the smack down on these Corinthians for following men instead of Jesus.

These men were simply "servants." they were ministers serving God in obedience to His will. They weren't idols to be followed - and Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that.

"as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." - Each believer is used to accomplish specific tasks in God's Kingdom, but while humans may be used to cultivate things, only God can make them grow.

In the church, we are called to each do a job for God. We have to be faithful and be obedient in doing that job, but we also have a wonderful concept of diversity, which means we each do things a little differently than others. However, it's not about us. The church belongs to God and He alone can take ownership of the church and make it grow.

When we are faithful and celebrate accomplishing tasks through our vast diversities, God will grow the church.