I Corinthians 3:18-23: "Boast in God Alone"
Paul continues to combat division in the church and returns to the subject of human wisdom vs. God's wisdom. In this section, Paul sets out to help his readers understand man's true condition. Paul begins, "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise". The reason for most division in the church is a misunderstanding of our true condition. When man thinks himself to be more wise and have all the answers he sets himself against those who he feels is inferior. Paul begins with a harsh command to the Corinthians that they may check their hearts and make sure they are not thinking more highly of themselves then they ought to. Obviously Paul saw this as a direct correlation to the problem of disunity, and therefore commands the reader to "not deceive himself". We must not put any value in the perceived "human wisdom" we feel we have. Paul lets his readers know that the real man who is wise is the one who understands that only God is truly wise, and that man can offer nothing of value apart from understanding the wisdom of God. Earlier, Paul had told his readers that when we accept Jesus Christ and become saved, we receive the very wisdom of God. Therefore, only those who seek after and value this wisdom they received from God is truly wise. Those Corinthians that were putting value and giving ear to earthly wisdom were acting foolishly. MacArthur writes, "Much division in the church would be eliminated if individuals were not so impressed with their own wisdom. A person who thinks that he is wise in this age- that is wise in contemporary human wisdom- does nothing but deceive himself". Paul is pleading for the Corinthians to not be foolish, do not follow after the foolish wisdom of this world, but rather, be wise and root yourself in the very wisdom of God. This would help in unifying the body to seek after Christ, rather than themselves.
Paul continues, "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God". It is when man puts faith in himself and in the ways of the world that disunity can easily find its way in. When man trusts his own wisdom and the philosophies of the world, he is following the subjective truth of fallen humans, rather than the absolute truth of the all-knowing creator. This should not be the case. We can obviously see how this could cause disruption in the church. Intellectual pride has no place in the church. MacArthur writes, "The church must create an atmosphere in which the Word of God is honored and submitted to, in which human opinion is never used to judge or qualify revelation. As far as the things of God are concerned, Christians must be totally under the teaching of Scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we be open to God's wisdom and truly become wise". When we hold up our wisdom in the light of God's wisdom, we truly see how foolish we really are. However, those who are blinded by sin, can actually look only at their wisdom and think themselves wise. That is why we must constantly holding ourselves up to the objective and absolute truth of the Word, rather than the subjective philosophies of this world.
So that man may understand that he is never as wise as he thinks God, "is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness". No matter how disillusioned a man may be, in the end God will reveal to him his true foolishness in not seeking after God. Though man may think he is fooling everyone, God knows his heart and his true foolishness, and will reveal this to him and all men when he sees fit. To further show that man's foolishness is known by God he points out "The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless". Man in his futile mind feels he has the answers to all of life's issues. However, God looks down in His infinite wisdom and sees it for what it truly is, that is, useless gibberish. MacArthur points out, "Human philosophy is totally inadequate to bring men to God, to show them how to be saved or how to live. It will always become entrapped in its own schemes, and entrap those who trust in it. The one who trusts in human understanding does not have the right understanding of himself. He does not see that his spiritual opinions, ideas, and reasonings are useless (mataios), vain and empty".
We can now see Paul bringing us back to the original complaint, that the Corinthians were putting their faith in men, and causing disunity among each others by placing their faith and devotion into their leaders, rather than God. Paul writes, "So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apolos or Cephas". Paul had previously shut down any person that had shown devotion to him. He did not die for them, nor were they baptized in his name. Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that Paul, Apollos, and Peter should not be the cause of division. They were boasting of their devotion to these men, rather than submitting themselves to the devotion of Christ and the truth of Scripture. To further explain the problem, MacArthur writes, "The divisions that developed around them were based on the people's attraction their individual styles and personalities, their personal appeal to various Corinthians. Church members began to boast of Paul or Peter (Cephas) or Apollos, giving honor to one over the other- and the church became divided". We are to respect and honor those men who faithfully bring us closer to God through the careful preaching of the Word. However, we are to join them in giving glory to our God through the understanding of His Word, not to praise the men themselves. For we have already learned that they are not preaching their own wisdom, they are preaching the wisdom of God. Therefore, we should not lift these men above their proper place, as they would not desire to be placed there. They are preaching all the wisdom we need to know, and we should rejoice in the fact that all heavenly knowledge belongs to us. When we are saved, we inherit all the blessings of God and we should rejoice in all the faithful leaders that help us gain that understanding to the glory of God. MacArthur writes, "If the Corinthians had been careful to understand and follow what all three of those men taught, rather than, for instance, how they looked or spoke, the church would have been united, not divided. Their views of others had to be corrected".
Paul also desired the Corinthians to have a proper view of all the riches they have in Christ. Yet another reason they did not need to argue or fight. When Christians have the proper view of this current world and their position in it, they will have no desire to long after what's not theirs, covet other people's things, and cause disunity in trying to elevate themselves over others. In other words, we as Christians must recognize the riches we have in Christ, and when we truly understand them it will naturally lead to peace and unity within the church. Paul writes, that "all things belong to you . . . the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you". Paul includes everything in this. Anything is this world, "in the millenial kingdom and throughout eternity in the new heavens and new earth, we will possess the earth in a richer way (Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21). But even now the universe is a possession of God's people. It is ours. Our heavenly Father made it for us", according to MacArthur. Again, Paul is trying to impress to his readers that there is no need for quarreling or disunity when we all have the same possessions in Christ. In fact, we even have everything involved in death. Death has been conquered by Christ, and when we have our faith in Christ we have victory of death as well. Later in this book Paul writes, "O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?" (I Cor. 15:55). As a believer we will pass through death as its master, only to be ushered into the presence of the Lord. Paul is pleading for us to grab hold of these truths. To continue his grandiose statement that as believers "all things belong to you", he includes the present and future. We currently have all that we need in Christ here on earth, and everything we need for our eternal lives in the future. All this has been taken care of for us as believers. What then could we possibly be in disunity over?
However, more important than any other possession we could ever have, Paul reminds us that we "belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God". This should motivate us as believers above all else to maintain unity in the church. MacArthur writes, "By far the most important requirement for overcoming division is having the right view of our Possessor, Jesus Christ. He is Himself the source of spiritual unity and the source for healing division. It is in taking our eyes off Him that division begins, and it is in putting our eyes back on Him that division ends". Brothers and sisters may we remember all that we have in Christ. May we remember that our own desires, our own wisdom, and our own philosophies are useless and foolish when compared to Christ. May we remember all that God has given us, all that we possess including the very righteousness of Christ. May this be a reminder to never cause dissension or disunity in the church. May we learn to encourage and exhort one another in this area.
Paul continues, "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God". It is when man puts faith in himself and in the ways of the world that disunity can easily find its way in. When man trusts his own wisdom and the philosophies of the world, he is following the subjective truth of fallen humans, rather than the absolute truth of the all-knowing creator. This should not be the case. We can obviously see how this could cause disruption in the church. Intellectual pride has no place in the church. MacArthur writes, "The church must create an atmosphere in which the Word of God is honored and submitted to, in which human opinion is never used to judge or qualify revelation. As far as the things of God are concerned, Christians must be totally under the teaching of Scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we be open to God's wisdom and truly become wise". When we hold up our wisdom in the light of God's wisdom, we truly see how foolish we really are. However, those who are blinded by sin, can actually look only at their wisdom and think themselves wise. That is why we must constantly holding ourselves up to the objective and absolute truth of the Word, rather than the subjective philosophies of this world.
So that man may understand that he is never as wise as he thinks God, "is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness". No matter how disillusioned a man may be, in the end God will reveal to him his true foolishness in not seeking after God. Though man may think he is fooling everyone, God knows his heart and his true foolishness, and will reveal this to him and all men when he sees fit. To further show that man's foolishness is known by God he points out "The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless". Man in his futile mind feels he has the answers to all of life's issues. However, God looks down in His infinite wisdom and sees it for what it truly is, that is, useless gibberish. MacArthur points out, "Human philosophy is totally inadequate to bring men to God, to show them how to be saved or how to live. It will always become entrapped in its own schemes, and entrap those who trust in it. The one who trusts in human understanding does not have the right understanding of himself. He does not see that his spiritual opinions, ideas, and reasonings are useless (mataios), vain and empty".
We can now see Paul bringing us back to the original complaint, that the Corinthians were putting their faith in men, and causing disunity among each others by placing their faith and devotion into their leaders, rather than God. Paul writes, "So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apolos or Cephas". Paul had previously shut down any person that had shown devotion to him. He did not die for them, nor were they baptized in his name. Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that Paul, Apollos, and Peter should not be the cause of division. They were boasting of their devotion to these men, rather than submitting themselves to the devotion of Christ and the truth of Scripture. To further explain the problem, MacArthur writes, "The divisions that developed around them were based on the people's attraction their individual styles and personalities, their personal appeal to various Corinthians. Church members began to boast of Paul or Peter (Cephas) or Apollos, giving honor to one over the other- and the church became divided". We are to respect and honor those men who faithfully bring us closer to God through the careful preaching of the Word. However, we are to join them in giving glory to our God through the understanding of His Word, not to praise the men themselves. For we have already learned that they are not preaching their own wisdom, they are preaching the wisdom of God. Therefore, we should not lift these men above their proper place, as they would not desire to be placed there. They are preaching all the wisdom we need to know, and we should rejoice in the fact that all heavenly knowledge belongs to us. When we are saved, we inherit all the blessings of God and we should rejoice in all the faithful leaders that help us gain that understanding to the glory of God. MacArthur writes, "If the Corinthians had been careful to understand and follow what all three of those men taught, rather than, for instance, how they looked or spoke, the church would have been united, not divided. Their views of others had to be corrected".
Paul also desired the Corinthians to have a proper view of all the riches they have in Christ. Yet another reason they did not need to argue or fight. When Christians have the proper view of this current world and their position in it, they will have no desire to long after what's not theirs, covet other people's things, and cause disunity in trying to elevate themselves over others. In other words, we as Christians must recognize the riches we have in Christ, and when we truly understand them it will naturally lead to peace and unity within the church. Paul writes, that "all things belong to you . . . the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you". Paul includes everything in this. Anything is this world, "in the millenial kingdom and throughout eternity in the new heavens and new earth, we will possess the earth in a richer way (Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21). But even now the universe is a possession of God's people. It is ours. Our heavenly Father made it for us", according to MacArthur. Again, Paul is trying to impress to his readers that there is no need for quarreling or disunity when we all have the same possessions in Christ. In fact, we even have everything involved in death. Death has been conquered by Christ, and when we have our faith in Christ we have victory of death as well. Later in this book Paul writes, "O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?" (I Cor. 15:55). As a believer we will pass through death as its master, only to be ushered into the presence of the Lord. Paul is pleading for us to grab hold of these truths. To continue his grandiose statement that as believers "all things belong to you", he includes the present and future. We currently have all that we need in Christ here on earth, and everything we need for our eternal lives in the future. All this has been taken care of for us as believers. What then could we possibly be in disunity over?
However, more important than any other possession we could ever have, Paul reminds us that we "belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God". This should motivate us as believers above all else to maintain unity in the church. MacArthur writes, "By far the most important requirement for overcoming division is having the right view of our Possessor, Jesus Christ. He is Himself the source of spiritual unity and the source for healing division. It is in taking our eyes off Him that division begins, and it is in putting our eyes back on Him that division ends". Brothers and sisters may we remember all that we have in Christ. May we remember that our own desires, our own wisdom, and our own philosophies are useless and foolish when compared to Christ. May we remember all that God has given us, all that we possess including the very righteousness of Christ. May this be a reminder to never cause dissension or disunity in the church. May we learn to encourage and exhort one another in this area.
posted by amesfam | 10:36 AM
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