Episode Synopsis:

So what will it be? Milk or meat? Are the Corinthians spiritual toddlers? Or are they mature Christians? Since they are being drawn to the factions forming within the church (“I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos”) it is clear that no matter how mature they think they are, in reality they are immature. Their lack of progress in Christian maturity provokes a response from Paul who challenges the Corinthians to consider who they are in Christ and how that should impact the way they understand the church and their relation to it as God’s temple, indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The foundation of the church in Corinth is the gospel Paul has preached to them (he was the sower). Apollos came and helped build upon that foundation (the waterer). Since both were fulfilling the roles assigned to them by God, so why would the Corinthians see themselves as followers of Paul or Apollos when they should see these men as servants sent by God to build the church, not as leaders of factions.

The Corinthians are the temple of God, built upon the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How will they build on that foundation? Will they utilize the wisdom of God (Gold, silver, and precious stones)? Or will they continue build using human wisdom (wood, hay, straw)? Since they have chosen the latter, Paul exposes the fact that the divisions and factions within the Corinthian church are the result of spiritual immaturity which is ultimately a holdover from the Greco-Roman paganism in which the Corinthians had been raised. The time has come to move past infancy to maturity.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

"You Are God's Temple" Season Three/Episode Seven (1 Corinthians 3:1-23)