God gives the Increase!
Carnal vs. Spiritual
" And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
Κἀγώ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἠδυνήθην λαλῆσαι ὑμῖν ὡς πνευματικοῖς ἀλλʼ ὡς σαρκίνοις, ὡς νηπίοις ἐν Χριστῷ.
- Of the flesh manifest by their actions
- Jealousy and strife
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it.
γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα, οὐ βρῶμα· οὔπω γὰρ ἐδύνασθε.
2. True proclamation of the word is always attuned to the receptivity of the hearer (NIDNTT)
a. The church had not yet matured in its spiritually understanding.
- They winked at sin (5:1).
i. Therefore, they were not able to digest heavier teaching.
Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly.
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἔτι νῦν δύνασθε ἔτι γὰρ σαρκικοί ἐστε.
1. That is, living controlled by the fleshly desires.
a. Our actions will betray us.
For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
ὅπου γὰρ ἐν ὑμῖν ζῆλος καὶ ἔρις, οὐχὶ σαρκικοί ἐστε καὶ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖτε;
1. Walking- present active indicative- a lifestyle consistent with flesh…
2. Works of the flesh
a. Gal 5:20
i. maneuvering and advancing their personal status
They were not spiritually sensitive.
They were not living in Obedience –
A servant must be Faithful!
Paul Explains proof of their carnality
For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?
ὅταν γὰρ λέγῃ τις· ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, ἕτερος δέ· ἐγὼ Ἀπολλῶ, οὐκ ἄνθρωποί ἐστε;
Paul explains the servants.
What then is Apollos?
Τί οὖν ἐστιν Ἀπολλῶς
And what is Paul?
τί δέ ἐστιν Παῦλος;
Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
διάκονοι διʼ ὧν ἐπιστεύσατε, καὶ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ κύριος ἔδωκεν
1. Paul explains workers as servants of the Lord
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ θεὸς ηὔξανεν
1. Each of them works for the Lord but with different tasks.
a. According to the individual gifts given to them by God.
2. Each is dependant upon the other
a. One plants, one waters.
i. There is no room for rivalry.
1. Michelle- singing @ Lemoore 1st Southern.
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
ὥστε οὔτε ὁ φυτεύων ἐστίν τι οὔτε ὁ ποτίζων ἀλλʼ ὁ αὐξάνων θεός
1. God is no respecter of persons, the workers are interchangeable!
2. God enjoys using human instruments to carry out his work!
A servant must be available!
Available
Relationship of the laborers and the church
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
ὁ φυτεύων δὲ καὶ ὁ ποτίζων ἕν εἰσιν, ἕκαστος δὲ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήμψεται κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον
1. Servants of the same Lord, individually rewarded
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building."
θεοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν συνεργοί, θεοῦ γεώργιον, θεοῦ οἰκοδομή ἐστε.
1. God is emphatic in each phrase
a. Literally, “God, we are co-workers; God’s cultivation, God’s construction.”
2. The servants belong to God
a. Members of the church
3. McQueen Road Baptist church-
a. cultivated land, field fig. of a Christian congregation as God’s field
A servant must work in accordance to the guidelines of the master.
A servant must be teachable!