New Life Bible Fellowship Church
Men's Breakfast (2/21/2026)
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Philippians 4:6-7ESV

      • Matthew 6:5ESV

      • Matthew 6:6-7ESV

      • Matthew 6:8-12ESV

      • Matthew 6:13-15ESV

      • Luke 18:1-3ESV

      • Luke 18:4-6ESV

      • Luke 18:7-8ESV

      • 1 Thessalonians 5:17ESV

      • James 5:16ESV

  • Introduction:

    Last week we reached a summit. Paul described the spiritual person who discerns all things and possesses the very mind of Christ. He spoke of wisdom hidden from the ages, now revealed by the Spirit who searches the depths of God. It was glorious.
    And perhaps the Corinthians were nodding along. "Yes, we are the spiritual ones. We have the Spirit. We discern all things."
    Then Paul drops the hammer.
    "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people. I addressed you as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready."
    This is devastating. After two chapters explaining what the spiritual person looks like, Paul tells the Corinthians this is not the way you look. They are babies, still on milk—and worse, they haven't grown.
    How does he know? What proves their immaturity? Not their lack of gifts—they "are not lacking in any gift" (1:7). Not their lack of knowledge—they were "enriched in all speech and all knowledge" (1:5). The proof is something else:
    "For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh? For when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' are you not being merely human?"
    We are back to where we started. The factions. The slogans. The divisions Paul has addressed since 1:10 are the very proof of their spiritual infancy. What the Corinthians thought demonstrated sophistication—discerning between teachers, forming theological allegiances—actually proves they are babies who cannot digest solid food.
    This forces uncomfortable questions. What does spiritual maturity look like? We might assume it means deep knowledge, impressive experiences, or ministry credentials. Paul says the test is different: How do you treat other believers? Do you form factions? Do you divide?
    Today Paul exposes spiritual infancy and calls us to grow up. The question is simple and searching: Are we still infants, or are we growing toward the maturity that bears unity rather than division?

    Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

    1 Corinthians 3:1–9 ESV
    1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

    Main Idea: Since God's servants are merely workers in His field, Jealousy and division reveal spiritual immaturity.

    Background:

    The Contrast Between Two Kinds of Wisdom
    Paul has spent the previous chapters attacking worldly wisdom—the kind that judges people by status, learning, gifts, and rhetoric—and contrasting it with knowing Christ crucified, who is God’s true wisdom. The Corinthians’ divisions over leaders are actually a symptom of allowing worldly attitudes about status and prestige to infiltrate the church. We need to understand that this isn’t just about picking favorite preachers—it’s about whether we’re thinking like the world or thinking like God.
    A Crucial Redefinition of “Spiritual”
    The Corinthians were likely using the word “spiritual” to indicate different levels of spirituality among believers, but Paul redefines it to mean the basic division between those who belong to the Lord and those who don’t. What makes this passage striking is that Paul now applies “spiritual” language differently—calling believers “babies” and contrasting what spiritual people ought to be with how they actually appear in Corinth. They’re part of God’s family, but they have serious growing up to do.
    The Specific Problem: Misestimating Leadership
    Paul’s immediate concern is correcting the Corinthians’ false estimation of their leaders—they’ve aligned themselves with various leaders based on fleshly thinking and human wisdom. This isn’t theoretical; it’s a practical problem destroying their unity and spiritual health.

    I. The Problem: Spiritual Infancy (1-4)

    1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
    But - Paul left us in a glorious state if you will remember from last week he ended with But we have the mind of Christ (2:16b), and now with that truth in our minds, he is about to contrast the Corinthians present condition.
    I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people
    The negative οὐκ ἠδυνήθην ("I…could not address") indicates inability, not mere choice. Paul could not speak to them as mature because they were not mature. The limitation was theirs, not his.
    you as spiritual people - Paul could not speak to you as to spiritual people. The adjective πνευματικός was just used in 1 Corinthians 2:15, Paul could not address the Corinthians as members of that category. Remember last week that Paul divided all humanity into two parts:
    1 Corinthians 2:14–15 ESV
    14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
    but as people of the flesh - Some manuscripts read σαρκικοῖς here, and Paul uses σαρκικοί in verse 3. The distinction may be:
    Verse 1 (σάρκινος): They were fleshly in the sense of being weak, infant-like, not yet developed—more about their state than their sin
    Verse 3 (σαρκικός): They are fleshly in the sense of behaving according to the flesh—more about their conduct
    However, in context the terms overlap considerably. The Corinthians were (and are) operating according to fleshly patterns rather than spiritual ones.
    Note: Paul is not stating a third category of people, such as some think that there are natural, spiritual, and carnal. That somehow carnal Christians are those who are Christians but still choose to live like the world. No, carnal or fleshly Christians are either in sin and must repent, or they are not Christians at all, there is no third category.
    as infants in Christ - νηπίοις ἐν Χριστῷ (nēpiois en Christō) — "Infants in Christ"
    νήπιος (nēpios) — "Infant / Child"
    This noun refers to a very young child, an infant, one who cannot yet speak or reason maturely. The word literally means "not yet speaking" (νη- + ἔπος).
    The image is vivid: the Corinthians were spiritual babies—unable to handle solid food, unable to walk on their own, unable to reason maturely.
    ἐν Χριστῷ (en Christō) — "In Christ"
    This crucial qualifier confirms they are genuine believers. They are infants in Christ—truly united to Him, truly saved, truly part of His body. Their problem is not their status (in Christ) but their development (still infants).
    This is important pastorally. Paul is not questioning their salvation. He is questioning their growth.
    The contrast sets up the milk/solid food metaphor in verse 2.
    2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
    I fed you with milk, not solid food.
    I fed you with milk - Milk represents elementary teaching—the basics of the faith, the foundational truths, the ABCs of Christianity. It is appropriate for infants who cannot yet chew. The verb ποτίζω means "to give to drink, to water." The aorist points to Paul's past ministry among them. He gave them milk—he taught them at the level they could receive.
    not solid food - This noun refers to food that must be chewed—solid food, meat, substantial nourishment. It represents advanced teaching, deeper wisdom, the "wisdom among the mature" (2:6). Paul gave milk, not solid food. The contrast is absolute.
    for you were not ready for it - The Explanation
    The γάρ ("for") explains why Paul gave milk: because they were not yet capable of solid food.
    The imperfect tense ἐδύνασθε describes their ongoing condition during Paul's founding visit: they were not able (continuously, at that time).
    The adverb οὔπω ("not yet") implies expectation of future change. At that point, they could not handle solid food yet—implying they should have developed since then.
    And even now you are not yet ready - The Sting. Here is the devastating twist. Paul acknowledges that they needed milk then—that was understandable for new converts. But now? Years later? They still cannot handle solid food.
    The present tense δύνασθε ("you are able") describes their current condition. The inability that was understandable then is inexcusable now. The Corinthians have not grown. They remain where they started. This is spiritual failure.
    3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
    for you are still of the flesh - As noted above, σαρκικός emphasizes behavior characterized by the flesh. The Corinthians are acting according to fleshly patterns.
    ἔτι (eti) — Still - Again the word ἔτι ("still") emphasizes that change should have occurred but hasn't. They are still fleshly—still operating the same way they did as new converts. But how does he know?
    For while there is jealousy and strife among you -
    ζῆλος (zēlos) — jealousy - This word can be positive ("zeal") or negative ("jealousy"). In vice lists and in this context, it is clearly negative—envious rivalry, competitive jealousy, resentment of others.
    ἔρις (eris) — strife - This noun refers to quarreling, contention, rivalry, discord. It describes the relational conflict that jealousy produces.
    The Pair: Jealousy and Strife - These two often appear together in vice lists:
    Romans 13:13: "not in quarreling and jealousy"
    2 Corinthians 12:20: "jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder"
    Galatians 5:20: "enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions"
    They are "works of the flesh" (Gal 5:19-20)—evidence that the flesh, not the Spirit (5:22-23), is in control.
    Galatians 5:19–20 ESV
    19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
    are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? The Rhetorical Question - The question with οὐχί expects a positive answer: "Are you not fleshly? Yes, you certainly are!"
    Paul is forcing them to acknowledge what their behavior demonstrates.
    behaving only in a human way means living by merely human standards.
    This phrase is devastating. The Corinthians thought they were spiritual, discerning, wise. Paul says they are living κατὰ ἄνθρωπον—"according to human standards," "in a merely human way." This echoes the contrast throughout chapters 1-2:
    Human wisdom vs. divine wisdom
    The wisdom of this age vs. God's wisdom
    The natural person vs. the spiritual person
    The Corinthians are on the wrong side of all these contrasts. Despite having the Spirit, they are behaving like people who don't. The presence of jealousy and strife proves they are still controlled by the flesh. The test of maturity is not knowledge or gifts but relational fruit. Paul now drills down with tangible evidence:
    4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
    For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”
    Paul returns to the slogans from 1:12. The factions he introduced at the beginning of the letter are now revealed as the specific evidence of their fleshly behavior.
    Here Paul mentions only two factions—"I am of Paul" and "I am of Apollos"—rather than the four from 1:12 (Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Christ). This may be because these two are most relevant to the agricultural metaphor he is about to introduce (Paul planted, Apollos watered).
    are you not being merely human? - The Indictment: The rhetorical question expects the answer "Yes." When you divide over human leaders, you are being merely human—ἄνθρωποι.
    This connects to κατὰ ἄνθρωπον (v. 3). To form factions around human teachers is to walk "according to man," to be "merely human," to live as if the Spirit made no difference.
    The Corinthians thought choosing between Paul and Apollos demonstrated spiritual discernment. Paul says it demonstrates the opposite—they are acting like unbelievers, like people without the Spirit. So who are Paul and Apollos, and what is their purpose? Paul is about to show us…

    II. The Reality: Servants in God's Field (5-8)

    5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.
    What then is Apollos? What is Paul? - The Pointed Question - Paul asks "What (τί) is Apollos? What is Paul?"—not "Who (τίς)."
    The neuter τί ("what?") rather than the masculine τίς ("who?") is striking. We see this as purposely depersonalizing—reducing Paul and Apollos to their function rather than their personalities. The question is not "Who are these important figures?" but "What role do they serve?"
    Servants through whom you believed
    Servants: διάκονος (diakonos) — This is the key term. A διάκονος is a servant, a minister, one who serves. The word originally referred to table service (waiting on tables) and came to mean any kind of service. The term deliberately lowers Paul and Apollos. They are not:
    Lords (κύριοι)
    Masters (δεσπόται)
    Celebrities
    Patrons to be honored
    They are servants. Their role is to serve, not to be served. The Corinthians had been treating them as patrons to attract, as celebrities to follow. Paul says: we are merely servants.
    Through whom you believed: δι' ὧν ἐπιστεύσατε (di' hōn episteusate) —
    The preposition διά with the genitive indicates agency or means: "through whom," "by means of whom."
    Paul and Apollos were instruments through whom the Corinthians came to faith. They were channels, not sources. The faith did not originate with Paul or Apollos; it came through them from God.
    This is humbling for ministers. Paul and Apollos played essential roles—but they were intermediaries, not originators.
    as the Lord assigned to each - The Lord Assigns: Each servant (Paul, Apollos) received their role from the Lord. The Lord gave each their task, their sphere, their assignment. This further diminishes competition. If the Lord assigns the roles, then:
    No one can boast in their assignment (it was assigned)
    No one can criticize another's assignment (the Lord gave it)
    Comparing servants is pointless (different assignments from the same Lord)
    The Corinthians were elevating Paul and Apollos to celebrity status. Paul radically demotes them to servant status, and introduces a agricultural image to further explain…
    6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
    I planted - Paul introduces an agricultural image. He is a farmer who planted seeds. This refers to his founding visit to Corinth, when he first preached the gospel and established the church.
    Apollos watered - Apollos came after Paul (Acts 18:24-19:1) and continued the ministry. His role was to water what Paul had planted—to nurture, develop, strengthen the young church.
    Planting and watering are different but both essential. You cannot have a harvest without planting. You cannot have a harvest without watering. Both are necessary; neither is sufficient alone.
    This undermines the factionalism. Why boast in one servant over another when both are necessary? It's like arguing whether planting or watering is more important—a pointless debate.
    but God gave the growth: The Crucial Contrast - The strong adversative ἀλλά ("but") marks the decisive contrast. Paul planted, Apollos watered—but God gave the growth.
    αὐξάνω (auxanō) — "To cause to grow" - This verb means "to cause to grow, to increase, to make grow." Growth is what God does.
    The imperfect tense ηὔξανεν ("was giving growth") is significant. While Paul planted (aorist—once) and Apollos watered (aorist—subsequently), God was continually giving growth (imperfect—ongoing).
    Human action is an instantaneous point in time, a "snapshot" action with very short duration; however, the divine action is continuous. The servants do their tasks and move on; God is always at work, steadily producing growth.
    7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
    So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything
    ὥστε (hōste) — "So that / Therefore" - This conjunction introduces the conclusion drawn from verse 6. Given that God gives the growth, it follows that...
    οὔτε... οὔτε (oute... oute) — "Neither... nor" The correlative negatives emphasize that both categories—planters and waterers—share the same assessment.
    ἐστίν τι (estin ti) — "Is anything"
    The phrase οὐκ... τι means "not anything" or "nothing." Paul is saying the planter and waterer are nothing—at least in comparison to God.
    This is startling. Paul does not say "not much" or "less important" but nothing. The servants who preach, teach, plant, and water are nothing.
    but only God who gives the growth - The Exception: The strong ἀλλά introduces the one who is something: God, the one who gives growth. Only God ultimately matters. Human servants are necessary—Paul affirms planting and watering as real contributions—but they cannot produce growth. Only God can do that.
    8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
    He who plants and he who waters are one - ἕν εἰσιν (hen eisin) — "Are one" Paul and Apollos, despite their different roles, are one. The neuter ἕν ("one thing") emphasizes unity of purpose, mission, and status—not that they are the same person but that they share one goal and serve one Lord. The factions treated them as rivals; Paul declares them united.
    each will receive his wages according to his labor
    μισθός (misthos) — "Reward / Wages", Though the servants are "nothing" in terms of producing growth, they will receive reward. God is not unjust; He acknowledges labor even though He alone gives growth.
    κόπος (kopos) — "Labor / Toil", The word κόπος refers to hard work, labor, toil—work that involves effort and even weariness. Ministry is work. Planting and watering are strenuous. God sees and rewards.
    τὸν ἴδιον... τὸν ἴδιον (ton idion... ton idion) — "His own... his own", The repeated ἴδιος ("his own") emphasizes individual accountability:
    His own reward
    According to his own labor
    Reward is individual, not comparative. Each servant answers to God for their own work, not in competition with others. (Parable of the two talents in Matt. 25, and Luke 19)
    The servants are united (no factionalism) but individually accountable (no hiding behind others). Paul now wraps it with…

    III. The Identity: God's Fellow Workers (9)

    9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
    For we are God’s fellow workers - θεοῦ... συνεργοί (theou... synergoi) — "God's fellow workers"
    The genitive θεοῦ could be understood in different ways:
    "Fellow workers belonging to God": We are co-workers who belong to God
    "Fellow workers in God's service": We are co-workers serving God's purposes
    Paul and Apollos are co-workers who belong to God and serve His purposes.
    The Emphasis on θεοῦ (theou) - Notice the threefold repetition of θεοῦ ("of God") in this verse:
    θεοῦ συνεργοί — God's fellow workers
    θεοῦ γεώργιον — God's field
    θεοῦ οἰκοδομή — God's building
    The repetition hammers home the point: everything belongs to God. The workers, the field, the building—all God's.
    You are God’s field, God’s building
    γεώργιον (geōrgion) — "Field / Cultivated land", This noun refers to a cultivated field, a farm, a piece of land under cultivation. The Corinthian church is God's field—the place where God does His agricultural work. This continues the planting/watering metaphor. The church is where servants plant and water, but the field belongs to God.
    οἰκοδομή (oikodomē) — "Building", This noun refers to a building or the process of building (construction). It introduces a new metaphor that Paul will develop in verses 10-17. The church is not only God's field but God's building—a structure under construction, being built up.
    Therefore, human competition over God's property is absurd.
    The church is not a venue for human competition. It is God's property, God's project, God's people.

    So What?

    Do we understand that division in the church is a sign of immaturity, not sophistication?
    Spiritual maturity is measured by relational fruit—love, unity, peace—not by knowledge or spiritual experiences. How do you treat other believers?
    Do we understand that ministers are servants, not celebrities?
    They are instruments through whom God works—nothing more, nothing less.
    Do we understand that the church belongs to God and that only God can produce genuine spiritual growth?
    Whether you are a minister or a church member, growth is God's work. Do your part (plant, water, pray, serve), but trust God for results.
    We need to act like the church belongs to God—not to the pastor, not to the elders, not to the congregation. We are stewards of God's property.

      • 1 Corinthians 3:1–9ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 2:14–15ESV

      • Galatians 5:19–20ESV

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