But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3
They must not contend about their teachers, who are but G.o.d"s ministers and accountable to him. Their works shall be tried by fire.
3:1. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. As unto little ones in Christ.
3:2. I gave you milk to drink, not meat: for you were not able as yet.
But neither indeed are you now able: for you are yet carnal.
3:3. For, whereas there is among you envying and contention, are you not carnal and walk you not according to man?
3:4. For while one saith: I indeed am of Paul: and another: I am of Apollo: are you not men? What then is Apollo and what is Paul?
3:5. The ministers of him whom you have believed: and to every one as the Lord hath given.
3:6. I have planted, Apollo watered: but G.o.d gave the increase.
3:7. Therefore, neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth: but G.o.d that giveth the increase.
3:8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth, are one. And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour.
3:9. For we are G.o.d"s coadjutors. You are G.o.d"s husbandry: you are G.o.d"s building.
3:10. According to the grace of G.o.d that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation: and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
3:11. For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid: which is Christ Jesus.
3:12. Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:
Upon this foundation... The foundation is Christ and his doctrine: or the true faith in him, working through charity. The building upon this foundation gold, silver, and precious stones, signifies the more perfect preaching and practice of the gospel; the wood, hay, and stubble, such preaching as that of the Corinthian teachers (who affected the pomp of words and human eloquence) and such practice as is mixed with much imperfection, and many lesser sins. Now the day of the Lord, and his fiery trial, (in the particular judgment immediately after death,) shall make manifest of what sort every man"s work has been: of which, during this life, it is hard to make a judgment. For then the fire of G.o.d"s judgment shall try every man"s work. And they, whose works, like wood, hay, and stubble, cannot abide the fire, shall suffer loss; these works being found to be of no value; yet they themselves, having built upon the right foundation, (by living and dying in the true faith and in the state of grace, though with some imperfection,) shall be saved yet so as by fire; being liable to this punishment, by reason of the wood, hay, and stubble, which was mixed with their building.
3:13. Every man"s work shall be manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. And the fire shall try every man"s work, of what sort it is.
3:14. If any man"s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
3:15. If any mans work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
3:16. Know you not that you are the temple of G.o.d and that the Spirit of G.o.d dwelleth in you?
3:17. But if any man violate the temple of G.o.d, him shall G.o.d destroy.
For the temple of G.o.d is holy, which you are.
3:18. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
3:19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with G.o.d. For it is written: I will catch the wise in their own craftiness.
3:20. And again: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
3:21. Let no man therefore glory in men.
3:22. For all things are yours, whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come.
For all are yours.
3:23. And you are Christ"s. And Christ is G.o.d"s.
1 Corinthians Chapter 4
G.o.d"s ministers are not to be judged. He reprehends their boasting of their preachers and describes the treatment the apostles every where met with.
4:1. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of G.o.d.
4:2. Here now it is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful.
4:3. But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you or by man"s day. But neither do I judge my own self.
4:4. For I am not conscious to myself of anything. Yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
4:5. Therefore, judge not before the time: until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall every man have praise from G.o.d.
4:6. But these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo, for your sakes: that in us you may learn that one be not puffed up against the other for another, above that which is written.
4:7. For who distinguisheth thee? Or what hast thou that thou hast not received, and if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
4:8. You are now full: you are now become rich: you reign without us; and I would to G.o.d you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
4:9. For I think that G.o.d hath set forth us apostles, the last, as it were men appointed to death. We are made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men.
4:10. We are fools for Christs sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honourable, but we without honour.
4:11. Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no fixed abode.
4:12. And we labour, working with our own hands. We are reviled: and we bless. We are persecuted: and we suffer it.
4:13. We are blasphemed: and we entreat. We are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all, even until now.
4:14. I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children.
4:15. For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.
4:16. Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ.
4:17. For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son and faithful in the Lord. Who will put you in mind of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus: as I teach every where in every church.
4:18. As if I would not come to you, so some are puffed up.
4:19. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will: and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power.
4:20. For the kingdom of G.o.d is not in speech, but in power.