THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION

adopted, the carnal and the natural are set aside. Man's wisdom and the wisdom of this world are brought to nought,

that no flesh should boast in God's presence.

A 2:6,7. What Paul spoke. Wisdom among perfect.

B 2:8.  Knowledge. None knew. Had they known.

C 2:9,10-.  Revelation. Eye, ear, heart. But God revealed.

D 2:-10-13. The Spirit.  a Things of God revealed by

Spirit of God.

b NOT spirit of the world.

c  BUT of God.

b  NOT man's wisdom.

c  BUT Holy Spirit.

a Things of Spirit explained

by spiritual means.

C 2:14,15. Discernment. Spiritually discerned.

B 2:16. Knowledge. Known mind of Lord. We have mind of

A 3:1,2. Why Paul could not speak. Carnal, babes, milk.

The apostle now returns to the question of the divisions that were so harmful, and the subject that has occupied

the interval reveals the inner springs of these contentions. These inner springs are found to be a lack of spiritual

growth, worldly wisdom, and a failure to understand the power and wisdom of God in the cross. The failure to

realize that no flesh can glory in the presence of the Lord, and that not only has Christ been made righteousness,

sanctification, and redemption, but wisdom too (1:30), will ever be a fruitful cause for dissension. Only by seeing

our all is in Christ, may we say `He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord'. The fact that these believers had sought

to magnify Paul as against Apollos, or Apollos as against Paul, indicated the superficial character of their judgment:

`Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers ... I have planted, Apollos watered; BUT GOD gave the

increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; BUT GOD that giveth the increase

... we are labourers together with God (God's fellow-workmen): ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building'

While, therefore, there is this levelling of all distinctions before God - `Now he that planteth and he that watereth

are one' - nevertheless `every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour!' This line of thought

introduces the great teaching of the foundation and the superstructure. The foundation is common to all believers,

and does not come within the sphere of reward or loss. Not so the building that is erected thereon. The Corinthians

must see that their factions and divisions were rearing upon the one foundation that which could only involve them

in loss in the day of Christ. Their divisions were deeper than the human side indicated. They divided Christ, they

destroyed the temple of God. Any increase given was of God, the fellow-workers were God's, the husbandry, the

building, the temple, yea the Christ Himself, were God's (3:23), hence the seriousness of their position.

The work of the believer erected upon the one foundation had to stand the test of `the day' and `the fire'. The

words of the apostle in 3:12-15 would be very clearly understood by the Corinthians. Corinth had suffered at the

hands of the conqueror, and part of the city had been given to the flames. When the conflagration had ceased, the

poorer dwellings of thatch and wood had vanished, the great stone pillars of the larger buildings remained, while the

metals that had been run together by the intense heat became an article of commerce known as `Corinthian brass',

`saved yet so as by fire'; `of the flesh shall they reap corruption'; `Him shall God destroy'.

Sectarian divisions are sometimes spoken of as though they were really blessings in disguise. They are said to

sharpen our activities, provoke to emulation, and provide for differing temperaments congenial spheres of service

and worship. God may graciously overrule these things, but potentially they are wrecking the temple of God.

Instead of listening to those whose fleshly wisdom would justify their divisions, let us hear the conclusion of the