1 Corinthians 3

Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.

I fed you with milk, not with solid food, for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, you aren’t ready even now,

for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?

Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him?

I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.

For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw,

each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is.

If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.

If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”

And again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours,

and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter addresses the spiritual immaturity evident in the Corinthian church, particularly through division and pride rooted in allegiance to human leaders. Paul reframes Christian ministry as a cooperative stewardship under God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that only Christ is the foundation of the church. The passage moves from diagnosing the Corinthians’ fleshly behavior to calling them to humility by grounding their identity in God’s temple and ultimately in Christ alone.

Flow.

Paul confronts the Corinthians’ carnality, evident in jealousy, strife, and partisan loyalties to apostles like Paul and Apollos.
He redefines apostolic roles as complementary but subordinate to God, who alone gives growth, and affirms that each laborer will be judged by God according to their work.
Using metaphors of farming and building, Paul stresses the unrepeatable foundation of Christ and warns of the coming judgment by fire that will test all works.
He declares the church to be God’s temple indwelt by the Spirit, warns against self-deception and worldly wisdom, and concludes by affirming that believers possess all things in Christ, who belongs to God.

Connections.
Following chapter 2, which contrasts divine wisdom with human wisdom, this chapter applies that distinction to the Corinthians’ situation, showing how their divisions reveal a lingering attachment to worldly thinking. The rebuke of pride and emphasis on God’s sovereign role in spiritual growth prepares the way for chapter 4, which develops the theme of apostolic accountability and stewardship, and underscores the need for humility in light of God’s final judgment.

What it teaches.
The church is not sustained by human wisdom or leadership but by God’s power and Spirit; ministers are only instruments in His hands (WCF 26.6; ). The church is built on Christ alone as the foundation, and all teaching and labor must be tested by that standard, with the Day of the Lord serving as the final judgment of all works (; cf. HC LD 17). Believers together constitute God’s temple, and the presence of His Spirit forbids division and pride (; cf. WCF 25.3). Earthly wisdom is folly before God, and boasting in men undermines the sufficiency of Christ, who alone unites all things to His people (; cf. WCF 7.6).

Apply.
Honor Christ alone as the foundation by testing all teachings and allegiances against His supremacy and the unity of His Spirit.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.