Believers belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God, establishing an order in which God is head of Christ and Christ is head of every person. The declaration closes a rebuke of party spirit, where claiming Paul or Apollos or Cephas as rival leaders reveals a carnal spirit of envying and strife. No one is therefore to glory in men, in human leaders, skill or craftiness, since ministers are only servants through whom people believed, one planting and another watering while God gives the increase. Because of that belonging, all things belong to believers for their good and not for oppression, even Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present and things to come. Having been purchased with an infinite price by Christ's blood, believers are not their own but God's property in body and spirit, so every faculty, ability, talent, thought and affection is to be employed in His service in holy living.
Belonging and Its Setting
The verse closes a rebuke of party spirit, for claiming Paul or Apollos or Cephas as rival leaders reveals a carnal spirit of envying and strife. They are not rival masters to be boasted in, but ministers through whom people believed, each serving as the Lord gave, and with all things present and to come they are given for the good of believers, not as masters to be gloried in. Dividing into parties around human leaders and exalting one against another brings great evil to the church and lacks the liberality, generosity, and tenderness that reveal Christ abiding in the heart.
The verse states an order of belonging: believers belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. This sets the church's relationship to Christ and God as one of belonging and union, expressing identity as God's people. It reflects the order in which God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of every person, and places believers' place in relation to Christ and God after the assurance that all things are theirs through God and before the description of the apostles as Christ's ministers and God's stewards, where human effort depends on divine power.
Because of that belonging, all things belong to believers for their good and not for oppression: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present and things to come. Therefore no one is to glory in men or in worldly wisdom or to lord it over God's heritage, nor to lift himself up in exaltation as a foundation for others to build on. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God and the thoughts of the wise are vain, self-deceiving, so any who seems wise in this world must become a fool in the world's eyes, willing to be called foolish for doing right, that he may be wise. God chooses the foolish and weak and base and despised things to confound the wise and mighty and to bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His presence, but of Him believers are in Christ Jesus, who is made unto them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that he who glories must glory in the Lord in practical godliness and heart service rather than in Pharisaical forms and ceremonies. God gives wisdom to those who will make the best use of it, sees where it is most needed and will accomplish the most good, knows who is prepared to act as His helping hand in the closing scenes of earth's history, and strengthens the minds of His servants to devise and plan and execute for the greatest advantage of His work, while gospel work in a great city still progresses when workers stay humble and holy and dependent on God, hide self in God, labor with His Spirit, depend wholly on God to give the increase, and return all praise and glory to Him.
God gave Christ to be the head over all things to the church. The Saviour loves the church with an everlasting love and gave himself for it so that he might present it to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. As many as receive him and believe on his name receive power to become the sons of God, and those who give themselves to Christ belong to him and, as members of God's family, share in the Father's gifts and care.
The Son was given not only as sacrifice for the guilty and Redeemer for the lost but as the One through whom every blessing is granted. This includes the Sabbath among God's gifts, for the Ten Commandments were given as a blessing and for the people's good, not as a burden that takes precedence over human welfare. Choosing Him as the portion gives the charter of inheritance, so those who choose Him stand on vantage ground and share in what is His, including heaven and eternal life. This belonging is known by experience as a constant witness of boundless power confirming that believers are Christ's and Christ is theirs. The abilities, talents, thoughts, and affections entrusted to people belong to Christ because He purchased them with His blood and they are to be dedicated to His service, so giving heart, soul, strength, capabilities and all held fully to God and to Jesus makes Christ theirs and with Him heaven, eternal life, and all things theirs through Christ, requiring abandoning narrow selfishness, idleness, a rebellious spirit, and withholding help, and instead using all lent powers to advance and build up God's work.
No Glorying in Men
Ministers are only servants through whom people came to believe, each serving as the Lord assigned, one planting and another watering with the same object while God alone gives the increase, and every laborer receives reward according to his own labor. A minister who emphasizes a different phase of truth or presents the Word in a different way must not be condemned or judged for not seeing perfection in every word and action. Christ rather than the human messenger is to receive chief attention, affection and glory, for any power in the message comes from God, though ministers are to be respected and loved for their work's sake and not exalted so as to eclipse Jesus.
Therefore no one is to glory in men, in human leaders such as Paul or Apollos or Cephas, in human skill or craftiness, or in worldly wisdom. No one is to be puffed up for one minister against another by showing preferences and comparing one with another to the harm of the one not preferred, to think of men above what is written, or to lift himself up in exaltation as a foundation for others to build on. Every differing ability is received from God, so there is no ground to boast as if it were not received, and gospel work prospers when workers stay humble and holy, hide self in God, take no glory to themselves, and return all praise to Him. Such party spirit exalting one leader against another brings great evil to the church and lacks the liberality, generosity and tenderness that reveal Christ abiding in the heart.
Glorying in men is self-deception by worldly wisdom, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God and the thoughts of the wise are vain. To become truly wise one must become a fool in the world's eyes, willing to be called foolish by others when doing what is right. God destroys the wisdom of the wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent, and chooses the foolish things to confound the wise, the weak to confound the mighty, and base and despised things and things which are not to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. Of God believers are in Christ Jesus, who is made unto them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that he who glories must glory in the Lord in practical godliness and heart service rather than in outward forms. When those supposed to be wise in financial matters fail to give wisdom to devise plans and suggest methods for the advancement of God's work, dependence must be placed on those of less business ability and more limited experience, for every man's work will be made manifest when the day declares it by fire.
Believers are not the property of the man under whose labors they received the light of present truth, but are Christ's channels and representatives of His grace to the world and to angels and to men. No human being is to bind converts to himself, control them, tell them what to do and forbid what not to do, command and dictate like an officer over soldiers, claim a church that will do his bidding and be ruled by his wisdom, or exercise unwise authority over Christ's property. Christians are not independent atoms standing apart nor separate bundles tied up apart, but are joined under one great and powerful Source and prepared and aided by one Agency.
Linking up with one teacher, withdrawing from some brethren and binding up with others under names like Paul or Apollos, with envy and strife and prejudice and jealousy and judging brethren who differ, is carnal walking as men and babyish division. Allowing discord separates from brethren and thus separates from God, and God will not tolerate such differences. Yielding to disaffection hinders the manifestation of the Spirit of God, who is sent as Comforter and Strengthener only when His people are all of one mind and united. Those who do such things prove they are not sanctified through the truth and need reconversion, lest their claimed conversion become a stumbling block to sinners. All who receive the truth in love of its principles must learn meekness and humility and wholehearted kindness and love and unity and harmonious action, each strengthening the other, taking diligent heed to their course and making straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way, instead of presenting division in place of unity.
The belonging makes believers God's husbandry and God's building, a holy temple and dwelling place for the Most High to inhabit by His Spirit, to be prepared in contrition and humility. Jesus Christ is the only foundation and cornerstone, and those who build on Him belong to Christ. Every man's work on that foundation will be made manifest when the day declares it by fire that tries what sort it is. Christians are to live in dependence on Him, nourished by His Word, abiding in Christ with Christ abiding in them, and to work faithfully as God's fellow workers.
Belonging to Christ means working under His generalship, doing the allotted work in the great harvest field, loving God with all the heart and neighbor as self after the example of Jesus Christ, and keeping living connection with Christ as the great Head. True success, power and efficiency come from God alone, and every particle of praise and glory belongs to Him, so no minister or worker is to take glory to himself but to depend wholly on God for grace, labor with His Spirit, and depend wholly on God to give the increase. God gives wisdom to those who will make the best use of it, sees where that wisdom is most needed and will accomplish the most good, knows who is prepared to act as His helping hand in the closing scenes of this earth's history, and strengthens the minds of His servants to devise and plan and execute for the greatest advantage of His work.
This allegiance turns believers away from relying on human wisdom, seeking worldly or human influence, or submitting conscience to finite ruling power that would compel obedience. Turning minds to human wisdom and leaning on man places a veil between God and man so that Him who is invisible is not seen. God's workers are free to seek His guidance and not be controlled by others, to be taught of God with faith and practice energized by the Holy Spirit.
Bought for Holy Living
Believers are not their own but God's property, purchased with an infinite price by Christ's blood, with lives dedicated to Him so that body and spirit belong to God. Every faculty is therefore to be employed in His service, the body kept in a healthful condition to do His will and the intellect kept clear and active to think candidly and control all the powers. The abilities, talents, thoughts and affections entrusted to people belong to Christ because He purchased them, and are to be dedicated to His service, so that in giving self and all held to Jesus believers share in what is His, including heaven and eternal life. This giving of heart, soul, strength and capabilities fully to God requires abandoning narrow selfishness, idleness, a rebellious spirit and withholding help, and instead using all lent powers to advance and build up God's work.
This consecration demands overcoming an addicted appetite for alcohol or stimulating drinks, which confuse reason and destroy self-control, not by moderation but by total abstinence, with the moral powers aroused to look unto Jesus and trust the grace He gives to overcome the unnatural craving. It likewise rejects the use of tobacco as defiling and unchristian, clouding spiritual discernment and making prayer dishonoring to the place of worship. The belonging calls believers to break free from sin, pursue holiness, and glorify God in body and spirit. Christ's power can keep them from evil as they meet the conditions of faithful obedience.
The truth of 1 Corinthians 2 and 3 must be applied at home until it is understood, because many who think they are prepared for the Lord's coming are not. Belonging to Christ, with Christ belonging to God, means separating from all hindrances, knowing the will of God, and walking in that pathway. This makes free men who are all light in the Lord, confessing Christ, bearing testimony in the name of the Lord God, acknowledging experience, and coming out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Believers belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God, establishing an order in which God is head of Christ and Christ is head of every person. The declaration closes a rebuke of party spirit, where claiming Paul or Apollos or Cephas as rival leaders reveals a carnal spirit of envying and strife. No one is therefore to glory in men, in human leaders, skill or craftiness, since ministers are only servants through whom people believed, one planting and another watering while God gives the increase. Because of that belonging, all things belong to believers for their good and not for oppression, even Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present and things to come. Having been purchased with an infinite price by Christ's blood, believers are not their own but God's property in body and spirit, so every faculty, ability, talent, thought and affection is to be employed in His service in holy living.
Belonging and Its Setting
The verse closes a rebuke of party spirit, for claiming Paul or Apollos or Cephas as rival leaders reveals a carnal spirit of envying and strife. They are not rival masters to be boasted in, but ministers through whom people believed, each serving as the Lord gave, and with all things present and to come they are given for the good of believers, not as masters to be gloried in. Dividing into parties around human leaders and exalting one against another brings great evil to the church and lacks the liberality, generosity, and tenderness that reveal Christ abiding in the heart.
The verse states an order of belonging: believers belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. This sets the church's relationship to Christ and God as one of belonging and union, expressing identity as God's people. It reflects the order in which God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of every person, and places believers' place in relation to Christ and God after the assurance that all things are theirs through God and before the description of the apostles as Christ's ministers and God's stewards, where human effort depends on divine power.
Because of that belonging, all things belong to believers for their good and not for oppression: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present and things to come. Therefore no one is to glory in men or in worldly wisdom or to lord it over God's heritage, nor to lift himself up in exaltation as a foundation for others to build on. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God and the thoughts of the wise are vain, self-deceiving, so any who seems wise in this world must become a fool in the world's eyes, willing to be called foolish for doing right, that he may be wise. God chooses the foolish and weak and base and despised things to confound the wise and mighty and to bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His presence, but of Him believers are in Christ Jesus, who is made unto them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that he who glories must glory in the Lord in practical godliness and heart service rather than in Pharisaical forms and ceremonies. God gives wisdom to those who will make the best use of it, sees where it is most needed and will accomplish the most good, knows who is prepared to act as His helping hand in the closing scenes of earth's history, and strengthens the minds of His servants to devise and plan and execute for the greatest advantage of His work, while gospel work in a great city still progresses when workers stay humble and holy and dependent on God, hide self in God, labor with His Spirit, depend wholly on God to give the increase, and return all praise and glory to Him.
God gave Christ to be the head over all things to the church. The Saviour loves the church with an everlasting love and gave himself for it so that he might present it to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. As many as receive him and believe on his name receive power to become the sons of God, and those who give themselves to Christ belong to him and, as members of God's family, share in the Father's gifts and care.
The Son was given not only as sacrifice for the guilty and Redeemer for the lost but as the One through whom every blessing is granted. This includes the Sabbath among God's gifts, for the Ten Commandments were given as a blessing and for the people's good, not as a burden that takes precedence over human welfare. Choosing Him as the portion gives the charter of inheritance, so those who choose Him stand on vantage ground and share in what is His, including heaven and eternal life. This belonging is known by experience as a constant witness of boundless power confirming that believers are Christ's and Christ is theirs. The abilities, talents, thoughts, and affections entrusted to people belong to Christ because He purchased them with His blood and they are to be dedicated to His service, so giving heart, soul, strength, capabilities and all held fully to God and to Jesus makes Christ theirs and with Him heaven, eternal life, and all things theirs through Christ, requiring abandoning narrow selfishness, idleness, a rebellious spirit, and withholding help, and instead using all lent powers to advance and build up God's work.
No Glorying in Men
Ministers are only servants through whom people came to believe, each serving as the Lord assigned, one planting and another watering with the same object while God alone gives the increase, and every laborer receives reward according to his own labor. A minister who emphasizes a different phase of truth or presents the Word in a different way must not be condemned or judged for not seeing perfection in every word and action. Christ rather than the human messenger is to receive chief attention, affection and glory, for any power in the message comes from God, though ministers are to be respected and loved for their work's sake and not exalted so as to eclipse Jesus.
Therefore no one is to glory in men, in human leaders such as Paul or Apollos or Cephas, in human skill or craftiness, or in worldly wisdom. No one is to be puffed up for one minister against another by showing preferences and comparing one with another to the harm of the one not preferred, to think of men above what is written, or to lift himself up in exaltation as a foundation for others to build on. Every differing ability is received from God, so there is no ground to boast as if it were not received, and gospel work prospers when workers stay humble and holy, hide self in God, take no glory to themselves, and return all praise to Him. Such party spirit exalting one leader against another brings great evil to the church and lacks the liberality, generosity and tenderness that reveal Christ abiding in the heart.
Glorying in men is self-deception by worldly wisdom, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God and the thoughts of the wise are vain. To become truly wise one must become a fool in the world's eyes, willing to be called foolish by others when doing what is right. God destroys the wisdom of the wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent, and chooses the foolish things to confound the wise, the weak to confound the mighty, and base and despised things and things which are not to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. Of God believers are in Christ Jesus, who is made unto them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that he who glories must glory in the Lord in practical godliness and heart service rather than in outward forms. When those supposed to be wise in financial matters fail to give wisdom to devise plans and suggest methods for the advancement of God's work, dependence must be placed on those of less business ability and more limited experience, for every man's work will be made manifest when the day declares it by fire.
Believers are not the property of the man under whose labors they received the light of present truth, but are Christ's channels and representatives of His grace to the world and to angels and to men. No human being is to bind converts to himself, control them, tell them what to do and forbid what not to do, command and dictate like an officer over soldiers, claim a church that will do his bidding and be ruled by his wisdom, or exercise unwise authority over Christ's property. Christians are not independent atoms standing apart nor separate bundles tied up apart, but are joined under one great and powerful Source and prepared and aided by one Agency.
Linking up with one teacher, withdrawing from some brethren and binding up with others under names like Paul or Apollos, with envy and strife and prejudice and jealousy and judging brethren who differ, is carnal walking as men and babyish division. Allowing discord separates from brethren and thus separates from God, and God will not tolerate such differences. Yielding to disaffection hinders the manifestation of the Spirit of God, who is sent as Comforter and Strengthener only when His people are all of one mind and united. Those who do such things prove they are not sanctified through the truth and need reconversion, lest their claimed conversion become a stumbling block to sinners. All who receive the truth in love of its principles must learn meekness and humility and wholehearted kindness and love and unity and harmonious action, each strengthening the other, taking diligent heed to their course and making straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way, instead of presenting division in place of unity.
The belonging makes believers God's husbandry and God's building, a holy temple and dwelling place for the Most High to inhabit by His Spirit, to be prepared in contrition and humility. Jesus Christ is the only foundation and cornerstone, and those who build on Him belong to Christ. Every man's work on that foundation will be made manifest when the day declares it by fire that tries what sort it is. Christians are to live in dependence on Him, nourished by His Word, abiding in Christ with Christ abiding in them, and to work faithfully as God's fellow workers.
Belonging to Christ means working under His generalship, doing the allotted work in the great harvest field, loving God with all the heart and neighbor as self after the example of Jesus Christ, and keeping living connection with Christ as the great Head. True success, power and efficiency come from God alone, and every particle of praise and glory belongs to Him, so no minister or worker is to take glory to himself but to depend wholly on God for grace, labor with His Spirit, and depend wholly on God to give the increase. God gives wisdom to those who will make the best use of it, sees where that wisdom is most needed and will accomplish the most good, knows who is prepared to act as His helping hand in the closing scenes of this earth's history, and strengthens the minds of His servants to devise and plan and execute for the greatest advantage of His work.
This allegiance turns believers away from relying on human wisdom, seeking worldly or human influence, or submitting conscience to finite ruling power that would compel obedience. Turning minds to human wisdom and leaning on man places a veil between God and man so that Him who is invisible is not seen. God's workers are free to seek His guidance and not be controlled by others, to be taught of God with faith and practice energized by the Holy Spirit.
Bought for Holy Living
Believers are not their own but God's property, purchased with an infinite price by Christ's blood, with lives dedicated to Him so that body and spirit belong to God. Every faculty is therefore to be employed in His service, the body kept in a healthful condition to do His will and the intellect kept clear and active to think candidly and control all the powers. The abilities, talents, thoughts and affections entrusted to people belong to Christ because He purchased them, and are to be dedicated to His service, so that in giving self and all held to Jesus believers share in what is His, including heaven and eternal life. This giving of heart, soul, strength and capabilities fully to God requires abandoning narrow selfishness, idleness, a rebellious spirit and withholding help, and instead using all lent powers to advance and build up God's work.
This consecration demands overcoming an addicted appetite for alcohol or stimulating drinks, which confuse reason and destroy self-control, not by moderation but by total abstinence, with the moral powers aroused to look unto Jesus and trust the grace He gives to overcome the unnatural craving. It likewise rejects the use of tobacco as defiling and unchristian, clouding spiritual discernment and making prayer dishonoring to the place of worship. The belonging calls believers to break free from sin, pursue holiness, and glorify God in body and spirit. Christ's power can keep them from evil as they meet the conditions of faithful obedience.
The truth of 1 Corinthians 2 and 3 must be applied at home until it is understood, because many who think they are prepared for the Lord's coming are not. Belonging to Christ, with Christ belonging to God, means separating from all hindrances, knowing the will of God, and walking in that pathway. This makes free men who are all light in the Lord, confessing Christ, bearing testimony in the name of the Lord God, acknowledging experience, and coming out of darkness into His marvelous light.