OUR FOUNDATION IS JESUS CHRIST

Passage: 1 Corinthians 3:10-23

Key verse: 11

NIV

10 By the grace God has given me,(A) I laid a foundation(B) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.(C) 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,(D) because the Day(E) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.(F) 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.(G) 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.(H)

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple(I) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?(J) 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise(K) by the standards of this age,(L) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness(M) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a];(N) 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b](O) 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders!(P) All things are yours,(Q) 22 whether Paul or Apollos(R) or Cephas[c](S) or the world or life or death or the present or the future(T)—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ,(U) and Christ is of God.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13
  2. 1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11
  3. 1 Corinthians 3:22 That is, Peter
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

10 (A)According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled[a] master builder I laid a (B)foundation, and (C)someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a (D)foundation other (E)than that which is laid, (F)which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 (G)each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed (H)by fire, and (I)the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, (J)he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, (K)but only as through fire.

16 (L)Do you not know that you[b] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For (M)God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

18 (N)Let no one deceive himself. (O)If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For (P)the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, (Q)“He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, (R)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So (S)let no one boast in men. For (T)all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and (U)you are Christ's, and (V)Christ is God's.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 3:10 Or wise
  2. 1 Corinthians 3:16 The Greek for you is plural in verses 16 and 17
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. What is our foundation? (1

-15)

On an earlier visit, Paul had laid the foundation of the faith of the Corinthian Christians. After he left them, others built up on what Paul had previously laid. The Corinthian church, therefore, was built on the blessed labor of many Christian coworkers. There was thus no reason for divisions. They had a solid foundation, as long as that foundation was Jesus Christ. They must be careful when they build anything else on Christ, since it will be judged and tested.

2. You are of Christ; Christ is of God (16-23)

What does it mean that our foundation is Jesus Christ? It means we are God's temple! Because we are God's temple, He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. Our foundation is not the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness in God's sight. With this knowledge, there is no reason to boast about who we are related to or who our Bible teachers are. We belong to Christ himself!

Prayer: Father, thank you that you made me into your very temple. Dwell in me with your Holy Spirit and help me live as one whose foundation is Jesus Christ.

One Word: Jesus Christ is my foundation