We are God’s fellow workers

We are God’s fellow workers

1 Cor 3:9

⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service;you are God’s field, God’s building.

Mk 16:20

²⁰ Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

1 The 3:2

² We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith

We learn the following from the above verses

1)  We are God’s fellow workers

2)  The Lord worked with His disciples and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.

Timothy, the co-worker in God’s service was sent to strengthen and encourage church of Thessalonians in their faith.

We will receive our reward for what we do to build kingdom of God

We will receive our reward for what we do to build kingdom of God

1 Cor 3:8, 14

⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

Psalm 18:20

²⁰ The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

Psalm 62:12

¹¹ One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God, ¹²  and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

Mt 25:21

²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

 We learn the following from the above verses

1)    We will receive our reward for what we do to build kingdom of God

2)    God rewards for our quality of work in building the kingdom of God

3)    God rewards our righteousness and for the clean hands

4)    God reward everyone according to what they have done.

5)    If we are faithful in small things God has given us, He will put us in charge of many things

God makes us grow in Him

God makes us grow in Him

1)    God makes us grow in Him (1 Cor 3: 6)

            ⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

2)    God gave us a new heart (Ezek 11.19)

            

¹⁹ I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

3)    Our position in Christ is perfect: we have righteousness from God (Rom 1:17). 

4)     

¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,^[e] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.

5)    We are complete in Christ (Col 2:10). 

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

6)    We have all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

7)    We have all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph 1:3).

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Jealousy and quarreling among us shows that we are worldly

Jealousy and quarreling among us shows that we are worldly

1 Cor  3:3

 ³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? 

Rom 13:13

¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

1 Cor 1:11

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

Gal 5:20

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We learn the following from the above verses

1)  Jealousy and quarreling among us shows that we are worldly

2)  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in dissension and jealousy

3)  I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

4)  We are not to live with sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy

God has revealed to us by His Spirit, what He has prepared for those who love Him

God has revealed to us by His Spirit, what He has prepared for those who love Him

 1 Cor 2:10

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

Mt 13:11

¹¹ He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

2 Cor 12:1

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 

Gal 1:12

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Eph 3:3, 5

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ³ that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. ⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

We learn the following from the above verses

1)  God has revealed to us by His Spirit, what He has prepared for those who love Him

2)  The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to us

3)  Paul was blessed with visions and revelations from the Lord

4)  The gospel is received by the revelation from Jesus Christ.

The mystery of Christ has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him

No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him

1 Cor 2:9

⁹ However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” —
    the things God has prepared for those who love him

Isa 64:4

⁴ Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,  who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Isa 65:17

¹⁷ “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

We learn the following from the above verses

1)    No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him

2)    Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides our Lord,  who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

3)    God will create new heavens and a new earth for His people.

Prayer helps to stand firm in all the will of God mature and fully assured

Prayer helps to stand firm in all the will of God mature and fully assured

Col 4:12

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

Heb 5:14

¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Heb 6:1

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,^[a] and of faith in God, ² instruction about cleansing rites,^[b] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Jas 1:4

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

We learn the following from the above verses

1)  Prayer helps to stand firm in all the will of God mature and fully assured

2)  We are to train ourselves constantly to  distinguish good from evil to be mature

3)  Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity

4)  Let perseverance finish its work in our trails and temptations so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.