I Cor 3--Carnal, Essential Doctrine, True Wisdom

Paul describes the Corinthians as being carnal. They were characterized by envy, strife, and divisions. They were being immature. They seemed to be worried about insignificant details and factions (reputations & associations). I am of Apollos. I am of Cephas. I am of Paul.

Sounds a bit like the modern-day church doesn't it. I belong to this church. I belong to that one. I am so privileged to have friends from many different churches. Oh sure, we don't agree doctrinally on every point. But as long as we have the 5 essentials, and we are seeking to love and serve the Lord, then unity can exist, because "we are of Christ."

So what are those 5 essential doctrines:
1. Inerrancy of the Bible
2. The Diety of Christ--this includes the Trinity, and the Hypostatic Union (Christ is fully God and fully man.)
3. Salvation by Grace through Faith
4. The Resurrection of Christ
and
5. The Gospel

Our foundation must be Jesus Christ. Then we are to build on that foundation. There are many materials that we can choose to use-- gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw. But when we come to the Judgment Seat of Christ, the quality of our work will become clear, for it will be revealed by fire. If it endures, that person will receive a reward. If it burns, he will suffer loss but will still be saved.

A few years ago, our family took a trip with our church to Greece and Rome to follow in the Footsteps of Paul. We stopped in Corinth. And one of my vivid memories was that of the Bema seat. Imagine a marble stage with steps going up. The floor of that stage is several feet about your head. And upon that stage is a seat where the Governor would sit and pronounce judgment. I can imagine laying on my face waiting for my King to judge my works. And I hope to have some that last. But I fear that many will be burned to ashes because of wrong motives and attitudes (seeking my own glory instead of God's glory, complaining, wanting man's praise and not God's, unwillingness and disobedience in my heart, pride, and many other disrespectful attitudes toward God and my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.) Oh Lord, I pray I'll have something left! Help me to glorify you with my life!

The Wisdom of the world is foolishness with God.

How much of what we call wisdom today is the wisdom of this world? I'm afraid to even guess. But so much of what we learn today in our modern world of instant information is foolishness. Opinions change from day-to-day. One study says that this food is harmful, another says it's OK for you to have it in moderation, and another says it is beneficial. Parenting advice is child-centered. We are inundated with commercial advertisements for the latest and greatest of every product possible that can improve your life. And frankly the church is no different. We try to make the Gospel less offensive by stripping it of the power it has to save sinners! And we pick and choose messages so that the least number of people will be offended. We so need God's wisdom! And yet most people don't even read their Bibles. According to a Gallop poll from 2000, the percentage of Americans who read the Bible at least once a week is 37%. And I'd venture to guess that the percentage has gone down in the last 7 years. How can we possible know Wisdom if we never read it for ourselves?