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Timothy: I Corinthians 3:1-8
Misconceptions about Evangelists
and Preachers of the Word of God

1 And, brothers, I was not able to speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to fleshly ones, as to babes in Christ.

2 I gave you milk to drink, and not food, for you were not then able, for neither are you yet able now.

3 For you are yet fleshly. For where among you is jealousy, and strife, and divisions, are you not fleshly and walk according to man?

4 For when one may say, Truly I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos; are you not fleshly?

5 What then is Paul? And what Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, and to each as the Lord gave?

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God made to grow.

7 So as neither he planting is anything, nor he watering, but God making to grow.

8 So he planting and he watering are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I offer my praise and gratitude to You. Your love and grace continuously pour down on Your people, including my family. I am grateful that You have given me another day to live in this fleshly body, to ponder the Eternal Living Word of God, and to continue serving You. I pray that Christ will strengthen my physical body, and the Holy Spirit will enlighten my spirit. I thank Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Father, I would like to present my understanding of 1 Corinthians 3:1-8.

Verses 1-3: Unlike the Church in Rome, the Church in Corinth did not have the proper knowledge of Your Word, and Your people in the Church still lived according to the sinful nature of the flesh. Therefore, Paul had to teach them as he would teach those who live according to the flesh. Paul taught them the fundamental principles of Christian living, which he called “milk” for them to drink. If he had taught them deeper things about Your Word, they would not have understood. The Corinthians’ sinful nature was evident in their jealousy, quarreling, and division, which were in line with the way of those who do not believe in You.

Verse 4 states that because the people in Corinth perceived and reasoned according to the flesh, they divided and formed factions based on who preached the Gospel to them or baptized them, thus causing division in the Church.

Verses 5-7 explain that all those who preach the Gospel and those whom You have appointed to serve in the local Churches, such as pastors, elders, deacons, etc., are all serving You. Their positions, authority, and gifts all come from You, and each of them has duties assigned by You to build and protect Your Church, making it grow and stand firm in the truth. Every position and task in the Church is related and has the same purpose, which is to glorify You. Someone may start a task, and someone else may continue it and complete it. Every good accomplishment in the Church is due to Your power. Therefore, in the Church, no one is better than anyone else.

Verse 8: All the work in the Church is done by the people of God together. Some work more, some work less. Some work with all their heart, some work half-heartedly. Even some people don’t work at all. But on the day when Christ comes, He will reward each person according to their labor. That reward will be based on the effort and sincerity of each person while they worked.

Father, I pray that You help local Churches everywhere to understand the truth in this section of the Bible, so that in every local Church, there is joy, unity, compassion, and mutual love, together building the Church and spreading the Gospel. I thank You, Father. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
04/24/2023