Introduction
Our entire blog wrestles with the question: how do I (personally) and my church congregation (corporately; see point 1 below) grow into Christlike maturity?
We know from the Bible that this is God’s plan. (see Meditations 45-48)
We have seen that both, personal and corporate Christlike maturity manifest themselves in two ways:
(a.) in wholehearted love for God and (b.) in wholehearted love for others. (see Meditation 56).
Since Meditation 63 we have explored the first aspect of the second theme and have asked ourselves: How does corporate Christlike maturity manifest itself in wholehearted love for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ?
So far we dealt with the following themes:
1. God sees my church as a ‘corporate personality’. (Meditation 63)
2. My church needs a common ‘Spirit-given vision’ for Christlike love for God. (Meditation 64)
3. My church needs people, guided by God’s Spirit, who are bearers of that divine vision for corporate, Christlike love for God. (Meditation 65)
4. My church needs to grow in unconditional and persistent devotion in prayer. (Meditation 66)
5. My church needs to grow in fellowship with God in true worship. (Meditations 67-73)
6. My church needs to learn how to study and obey God’s Word. (Meditations 74-75)
7. My church needs to learn how to pursue Christlike holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return in glory. (Meditations 76-84)
This time we want to see how God responded to the leadership controversy in the Corinthian church (see Meditation 84). We also will ask ourselves what He might say to us and to our churches through the way He dealt with it.
a.) God reminds us by the apostle Paul of the fact that the community of Jesus’ followers is God’s residence on earth:
-- “You are ... God's building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
-- “ Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
-- “God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:17)
b.) The apostle Paul shows us that the beginning of a solid church project is based on God’s calling of people who are trained by Him for this specific ministry:
-- “We are God's fellow-workers ...” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
-- “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder.” (1 Corinthians 3:10)
c.) The person, the teaching and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are the basis of any healthy church:
-- “No-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
d.) God calls every follower of Jesus to contribute to the growth of his church in quality and quantity:
-- “...someone else is building on it (i.e., the foundation) . But each one should be careful how he builds.” (1 Corinthians 3:10)
e.) God calls us to build with ‘Christlike building materials’ so that the church may grow into Christlike maturity:
-- “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones...” (1 Corinthians 3:12)
In his letter to the Christians in Ephesus (modern Turkey), the apostle Paul explains how these ‘Christlike building materials’ look like in practice:
“... we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)
f.) God warns us not to use ‘unchristlike building material’ which would obstruct the church in growing into Christlike maturity:
-- “If any man builds on this foundation using ... wood, hay or straw...” (1 Corinthians 3:12)
Paul told us earlier in this letter what wood, hay and straw look like. First he mentions the brouhaha about church leadership (1 Corinthians 1:10-12 and 3:4). Then he writes to the Corinthian church: “ ... you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. ... You are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 3:3)
g.) Paul declares by order of God that each of us will be called to account for the way we act in our church: “... his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.” (1 Corinthians 3:13)
h.) Obviously, if we build our churches with ‘Christlike building material’ (see point e.), our work will have eternal value. The apostle declares: “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” (1 Corinthians 3:14)
i.) God warns us that in the Day of judgment, we will lose it all if we have built our church with ‘unchristlike materials’ (see point f.): “If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:15)
Nothing of what we have built in our own strength, will survive this Day of reckoning. ‘Christlike building materials’ are produced by God’s Spirit in our hearts and in our churches. That’s why it remains eternally!
God’s only comfort is that, even if ‘all my unchristlike behaviour in church’ will burn up on Christ’s judgment day, my very soul will be saved, if I have accepted Christ as my Saviour during my life on earth. Elsewhere the apostle Paul declares: “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
j.) The apostle closes this section with a very severe warning to anyone who ruins the church by destructive behaviour: “If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:17)
It is clear from what we have just read in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, that his statements on church behaviour are not only meant for that specific church in the first century.
God has used the misbehaviour of this church in Corinth to address any local church throughout the centuries until Christ’s return! Therefore, my church and I need to ask ourselves the following questions:
-- Does my church congregation realise that the church is God's building, God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in us?
-- Is our church a ‘sound project’ in God’s eyes? Is it governed by people who are called by God and trained by Him for this divine ministry? Are they in God’s opinion ‘expert builders’?
-- Is my church based on the person, the teaching and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
-- Am I and the other members of my church contributing to the inward and outward growth of our church by means of ‘Christlike building materials’, so that our church may grow into Christlike maturity?
-- Would I or other members of my church be in danger of using ‘unchristlike building materials’ which would obstruct our church in growing into Christlike maturity?
-- Would I or other members of my church need to heed God’s severe warning not to ruin our church by destructive behaviour?
1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 3:17, Ephesians 4:15-16 and Romans 8:1 are quotes from the New Living Translation. All other quotes are from the New International Version.
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