[Diligent]

Originally Posted by chette777

It must of gotten pretty rotten to have to delete a whole thread. those guys I warned them about that.

Yes, I only rarely yank an entire thread. When the topical content gets too mixed with the baiting and bashing, that's when I decide to wipe the thread. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Forrest]

Outstanding Brother George. And it makes perfect sense now. I've really had some error in my teaching on this chapter... This has helped a lot. Thank you for this study.

[Forrest]

Brother George, I was reading the chapter after your study and a "word" caught my attention. It's the word "believed" in verse 3.

1Co*3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

Is it possible that in verse 3, Paul is actually referring to how they, the church, "believed" on the Lord Jesus Christ after he planted the gospel seed and it was watered by Apollos? He did say this later in the same letter:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

If the word "believed" references initial "belief" in the gospel message (which he preached) then it seems to me verses 6-11 still provide both sound historical and doctrinal teaching from this interpretation.

1Co*3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

1Co*3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Paul planted the gospel seed, Apollos watered the gospel seed, but God gave the increase.

1Co*3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

1Co*3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

It seems here that first the husbandry is identified, then secondly, the building. The husbandry of course exists when seed is planted then watered. God gives the increase. The building is something that can be built upon. Those who "believed" are God's building.

1Co*3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

It seems Paul makes a transition from a seed sower to instructing those other ministers who are builders to build on the foundation of Christ. The "foundation" that was laid is clearly Christ. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11 ). The man as you said in your lesson is the minister. So is this possibly referring to both the "gospel" and "doctrine" concerning the church at Corinth?

[George]

Aloha brother Forrest,

You may very well be on to something brother!

I have read through your comments 3 times - and what you presented never occurred to me, but each time I read through your comments the more they make sense to me.

WHY "Husbandry" first and then "Building"? I will have to think and meditate on what you have presented, but I know one thing for sure - God does not do anything without a purpose or reason, and the order that is presented in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3 may very well be for the reason that you have presented.

This is the kind of Bible "discussion" I appreciate and enjoy! Thanks brother.

Psalms 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

[chette777]

I too look at the order God has preserved his word in. as very important when seeking to understand. I commented on the order taking to winman on Prov 8:22