If you made this statement today, the modern day religious culture would reject you as being a heretic. And yet Paul, "called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ ... unto the church of God which is at Corinth" did exactly that when instructing those sanctified in Christ Jesus (and called to be saints)." (I Corinthians 1:1-2)
As we can see from this scriptural example, Paul did not mince words. He told the saints to call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord in every place -- both theirs and ours -- so that in every single thing we do and say, we can be enriched by Him, in all utterance and in all knowledge -- "even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you." (I Corinthians 1:5-6)
So, then why did Paul tell these people that they are still carnal?
"For ye are yet carnal; for whereas [there is] among you envying and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men? For while one saith, "I am of Paul and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul and who is Apollos, "but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour." (I Corinthians 3:3-8)
Interesting, and yes, I can hear the questions already. The justifications -- we go to church, we do good works, we don't intentionally do anything wrong (or sin), and we regularly pay tithes so that ordained ministers of the church can minister to us. And these, as a collective measure are all well and good except that Paul said, "according to YOUR OWN labour." He did not write "according to the minister or priest's labour, or the missionaries labour, or the Sunday School teacher's labour, or ..." Paul wrote that "every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour." (I Corinthians 3:8)
As written then, this scripture puts the onus on each and every one of us to minister the gospel. Studying apostle Paul's instruction in more depth, let's look at some comparative scriptures -- the first being what Jesus said earlier:
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now -- howbeit, when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself but whatsoever He shall hear, [that] shall He speak and He will show you things to come." (John 16:13-14)
When He the Spirit of truth is come. The Comforter who will lead and guide us into all truth. Jesus told us that in order for the Comforter to come unto us, He had to first go away,
"But if I depart, I will send Him unto you, and when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement, of sin, because they believe not on Me, of righteousness because I go to My Father and ye see me no more, of judgement because the prince of this world is judged." (John 16:7-11)
But now the Comforter has come. Jesus THROUGH the Holy Ghost has given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. When we are baptized in the precious name of Jesus, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. But then, according to apostle Paul, we stagnate. We have not moved forward from the milk, desiring the meat that invites us into the land that flows with milk and honey.
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat -- for everyone that useth milk [is] unskillful in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are full of age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement." (Hebrews 5:13- Hebrews 6:2)
What the author is suggesting in Hebrews is the need for each and every one of us to press into Jesus -- diligently seeking Him through His Word and then, after establishing the first principles of the oracles of God (as outlined in Hebrews) move forward unto perfection -- in order that we can become ministers of the good news gospel of Jesus Christ.
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby ..." (I Peter 2:2)
"And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ -- that we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up unto Him in all things -- which is the Head, [even] Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-15)
Yes, the onus is on each and every one of us to grow in His grace. Not only personally but similarly within the body of Christ.
"How is it then brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." (I Corinthians 14:26)
And in summary, Isaiah writes:
"Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts." (Isaiah 28:9)
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) Study His Word to show thyself approved, and don't let the counterfeit modern day religions divert you from becoming what God intended you to become from the very beginning. Stand in the offering plate.
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