Lessons on How to Live

1 Corinthians 3 February 11,2010

One week later and I have started serious PT for “breaking in” the new knee. If I had known about this part ahead of time, I would have asked for one all ready to go. I am now off the pain medicine and ready for regular life to commence. So, the lesson for last Thursday was very appropriate. The translators of the New American Standard Bible call it “Foundations for Living” We could call it Paul’s lessons on how to live. One could read this chapter over and over and continue to glean great wisdom from Paul’s words.

Here are some comments and questions that might help you dig deeper into the text.

Follow God or you can call Him Jesus. They are pretty much the same. We are allowed to view them differently. But, the mystery of the Trinity makes Father, Son and Holy Spirit one and the same. So remember Jesus was and is fully man and fully God. How do we follow? First by learning who God is and doing what He wants us to do. Read your Bible. Know God’s Word.

Pray without ceasing. Prayer is some talk or transmission from you to God, I would say this talk is mostly about how you feel and what you think you need to know. The other side and equally important part of prayer is listening. Spend an inordinate amount of time listening. Listen while you do your work. Listen while you talk to others. Listen in every busy moment. Listen in every quiet time. God has promised to be with us, to guide our footsteps and to carry us through every situation we encounter. This leads us to the third part. Trust Him. Always trust Him. He is good and true.

All through history God has been busy building His temple. Read about the building and the re-building in the OT. Now in new testament times we are the temple of God. He is still busy building His temple. Now He is doing it through you. This is a true mystery. We are flesh and blood. He is God. He is using “mere men” to do His work. How can that be and are we up to the task? vs 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. And, then vs 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. This just says again, we must know Christ and build on Him because he is the foundation of everything we do. All our work will be tested by fire and only the good work will survive. And, for that good work you will receive a reward. I have not discovered what that reward is but I am confident, it will be good.
Then Paul goes on to tell us that if we think we understand all this we are foolish. Look at v 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.

We have dominion over the things of God’s creation. He told us to subdue the earth to rule over it. I believe He meant that. Look at v 3:22b-23 ...all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.