1 Cor. 3 (gotta read it all), Grow Up!

Heb. 5:12-14 provides a perfect backdrop for 1 Cor. 3.

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Like Heb. 5-6, today’s passage often leads to discussions as to whether it refers to a saved person or not.  It says they are “saved as through fire,” but they have no works that will glorify Christ in the judgment. 

Let’s consider “maturity.”  The opening verses (v1-4) speak of the Corinthians as “brethren” and as “carnal” (fleshly).  It sounds like differing kinds of Christians, but that cannot be.  But it does seem to me it is talking about “spiritual infancy.”  The writer to the Hebrews called those who were unskilled in the word of righteousness as “babes.”  Paul says “I fed you with mill and not with solid food.”  This makes sense.  There is one kind of human being, but some are children and some adults.  There is one kind of Christian (saved by grace through faith in Christ) but some are children and some adults.  As Hebrews says, adults are those who by exercise (frequent use of the word) they are able to discern both good and evil.

With that in mind, then Paul’s illustrations make sense.  In 3:5-9a we are a “field.”  A young plant is tender, might need some special attention, and has promise.  But it’s ridiculous to think of a plant never coming to maturity, never being fruitful.  Fields need to be watered, then some time in the sun, and it is expected to be putting on a head of grain or an ear of corn.  Then in 3:9b-17 we are, collectively, a building.  Each of us as believers is a part of that building, a brick or light switch or floor tile or whatever.  An unfinished building is ridiculous.  No one ever wants that.  If that happens to us (we move into an unfinished house) then we must alter our expectations, do with less and live with frustrations.  We are a house, the house of God.  And we will stand before Christ and give account of how we have contributed to the construction of this “temple.”

Now, let us consider Paul’s view of “maturity” (v18-23). You can’t mature without a proper diet (the field) or something usable by the Builder (the building).  Paul says that in Christ, everything needed is yours, to bring you from childhood to adulthood.  In the wisdom of this world, you are a fool, and your brain is empty.  You are not getting fed and will not mature by the world’s philosophies and doctrines.  In Christ, in the word of God, you get a full diet.  Just like mom said: gotta get your veggies; you can’t just live on dessert.  I hope we are mindful of this with our physical children.  Are they being fed well spiritually?  Are they getting “practice” using the word of God to light the way in their young lives?