I Corinthians Labourers together with God I Corinthians

I Corinthians Labourers together with God I Corinthians 2 -4

Structure of the Book Overall Theme: Flesh has no glory - Do all to the glory of God Chapter 1 -4 Overcoming division by putting down self and glorying in God Chapter 5 -7 Moral issues overcome – we are not our own – ye are bought with a price Chapter 8 -11 Not what can I justify doing, but what will build up others

Structure of the Book Overall Theme: Flesh has no glory - Do all to the glory of God Chapter 12 -14 The perfection of an ecclesial body working together in love Chapter 15 Putting flesh to death to attain the incredible victory of immortality Chapter 16 Pastoral care within the ecclesia

And Moses said unto Yahweh, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And Yahweh said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I Yahweh? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. Exodus 4: 10 -12

Yahweh’s Glory Man’s Wisdom

Ministers of God

Yahweh’s Glory Man’s Wisdom Slaves

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; 1 Corinthians 1: 12 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 1 Corinthians 3: 4

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed 1 Corinthians 3: 5 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Corinthians 3: 6

Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 1 Corinthians 3: 22 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 1 Corinthians 4: 6

Co-labourers together with God

A wise master Builder never begins to build without a design. This he drafts after a scale of so much to the foot. This is the extension, or time, so to speak, of the building to be erected. Having well considered the whole, he concludes, that it is the best possible plan that can be devised in harmony with the principles of architecture. It then becomes his purpose, his foreordination, predetermination, or design. All subsequent arrangements are made to conform to this recorded purpose, because it is the very best his most deliberate wisdom and ingenuity could devise. The next thing he does is to collect together all the necessary materials, whether of brick, stone, lime, sand, wood or aught else that may be needed. If a spectator desired to know what all these crude matters were heaped up together in one place for – the Architect would reveal to him his purpose by submitting the draft of his plan in all its lines, circles, angles, etc. : and he would describe to him such an arrangement of the materials as would impress the spectator’s mind with an image of the edifice, though it would fall infinitely short of the reality when perfected. God’s design in the creation of the world – Faith in the Last Days – Page 49

A testing of our work by fire

Fire and “the Day” And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire = destroy Jude 1: 23 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ = Purifies 1 Peter 1: 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 2 Thessalonians 1: 7 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: = destroys and saves 2 Thessalonians 1: 8

“The Day” When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1: 10 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17: 31

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept and none is lost………. ” John 17: 12

The Future Glory – A vision of the future