309 - Les Feldick Bible Study Lesson 3 - Part 1 - Book 26 - Paul the Wise Masterbuilder

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 3 * PART 1 * BOOK 26 PAUL THE WISE MASTERBUILDER Now reading verse 9: I Corinthians 3:9a "For we are labourers together with God:..." The Eternal, Sovereign God. So looking at the verse again: I Corinthians 3:9 "For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." All the possessive term is with God. We are His husbandry, and we are God's building. Now we're going to stay with that word "building" rather than the husbandry aspect because when we get down to verse 12 we are going to be dealing with building materials. Because there's no Church language in these early chapters." Now look what Paul says in verse 10: I Corinthians 3:10a "According to the grace of God which is given unto me,..." Now reading on: I Corinthians 3:10a "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon...." When the home is half built? Now completing the verse: I Corinthians 3:10b "...I have laid the foundation, (He's been there from day one overseeing this building, which is the Body of Christ) and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed (Following in Paul's footsteps) how he buildeth thereupon." Well then, let's turn to the Book of I Timothy, Chapter 1, and verses 15 and 16. For the most part Christendom has taken this verse as the "chief of sinners" that Paul was the worst that was ever saved. Now look at the verse with me. I Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Now most of Christendom takes that word `chief' to make Paul the worst, but that's not what the word `chief' means. The word in the Greek is `Protus' and now let's look up where that term is used in other Scriptures. Luke 22:26 Now look at that verse. Does that mean Paul was the worst? Now let's go on to Acts chapter 28, and verse 7. Romans 3:1,2 Remember it's the same word we have been comparing. I Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Paul says, "I am the head of the line. So God saved him by Grace. The verse does not imply that Paul was the worst, the most wicked, the most vile of all sinners. But instead Paul is the head of a line of sinners who would be saved like he was. Everyone of us was just as vile in God's sight because the picture in Romans chapter 1, and another one in Corinthians, is not pretty at all. And Paul tells us that some were such as you, and some were such as us, but always remember the chief, the head of the line was saved first. Now come into verse 16, and this verse just makes it so plain and makes all the sense in the world. I Timothy 1:16 Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." Now what's a pattern? Paul was the chief of sinners, a sinner saved by Grace. Paul doesn't say that is retroactive all the way back to Pentecost. But from that point onward from his conversion on the road to Damascus, from that point on God is going to be calling people into the Body of Christ which is a revelation given only to Paul. Let's look at the verses again so we don't miss the point. I Timothy 1:15,16 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (Remember, not the worst but the first, since Paul was going to play the role of being the Apostle of the Gentiles.) Paul is the only one that claims to have had revealed to him the mysteries. Now as we come back to I Corinthians let's look at verse 10 once more: I Corinthians 3:10a "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder,..." Now what's the other word tied to `wise' that Paul has just been drumming into our minds these first three chapters here in I Corinthians? Wisdom. He's always comparing the wisdom of God as over against the wisdom of this world. And how that the wisdom of this world knows nothing of the wisdom of God, and here in this verse he's still sticking to that term `wisdom.' Now looking at the verse again: I Corinthians 3:10a "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation,..." The foundation is the heart of your building isn't it? If you have a rotten foundation then you will have a rotten building in short order. Paul is making that same analogy here. It is Jesus Christ plus nothing, and faith in that finished work of the Cross. Romans 11:13 "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,..." #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible