Paul and Apollos God's Fellow Workers

1And as for myself, brethren, I found it impossible to speak to you as spiritual men. It had to be as to worldlings—mere babes in Christ. 2I fed you with milk and not with solid food, since for this you were not yet strong enough. And even now you are not strong enough: 3you are still unspiritual. For so long as jealousy and strife continue among you, can it be denied that you are unspiritual and are living and acting like mere men of the world? 4For when some one says, "I belong to Paul," and another says, "I belong to Apollos," is not this the way men of the world speak?

5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are just God's servants, through whose efforts, and as the Lord granted power to each, you accepted the faith. 6I planted and Apollos watered; but it was God who was, all the time, giving the increase. 7So that neither the planter nor the waterer is of any importance. God who gives the increase is all in all. 8Now in aim and purpose the planter and the waterer are one; and yet each will receive his own special reward, answering to his own special work. 9Apollos and I are simply fellow workers for and with God, and you are *God's* field— *God's* building.

Christ the Only Foundation

(Isaiah 28:14-22; 1 Peter 2:4-12)

10In discharge of the task which God graciously entrusted to me, I—like a competent master-builder—have laid a foundation, and others are building upon it. But let every one be careful how and what he builds. 11For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ. 12And whether the building which any one is erecting on that foundation be of gold or silver or costly stones, of timber or hay or straw— 13the true character of each individual's work will become manifest. For the day of Christ will disclose it, because that day is soon to come upon us clothed in fire, and as for the quality of every one's work— the fire is the thing which will test it. 14If any one's work—the building which he has erected—stands the test, he will be rewarded. 15If any one's work is burnt up, he will suffer the loss of it; yet he will himself be rescued, but only, as it were, by passing through the fire.

You are God's Temple

(Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

16Do you not know that you are God's Sanctuary, and that the Spirit of God has His home within you? 17If any one is marring the Sanctuary of God, him will God mar; for the Sanctuary of God is holy, which you all are.

18Let no one deceive himself. If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise.

Worldly Wisdom is Foolishness to God

19This world's wisdom is "foolishness" in God's sight; for it is written, "He snares the wise with their own cunning." 20And again, "The Lord takes knowledge of the reasonings of the wise—how useless they are." 21Therefore let no one boast about his human teachers. 22For everything belongs to you—be it Paul or Apollos or Peter, the world or life or death, things present or future—everything belongs to you; 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.