{"id":9636,"date":"2024-01-03T08:42:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T07:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.versebyversebible.cz\/?p=9636"},"modified":"2025-07-06T15:51:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T13:51:19","slug":"1-korintsky-kapitola-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/1-korintskym\/1-korintsky-kapitola-3\/","title":{"rendered":"1 Corinthians - chapter 3"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1 I, brothers, am&nbsp;<em>by<\/em>&nbsp;couldn\u2019t speak to you as&nbsp;<em>by<\/em>&nbsp;spiritual, but rather as&nbsp;<em>by<\/em> physical, such as&nbsp;<em>by<\/em>&nbsp;those who are immature in Christ.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On the one hand, Paul understands that Christian maturity develops gradually. One cannot expect a person to understand profound spiritual matters immediately after conversion, just as one cannot expect a child to behave like an adult. Some experiences can only be gained through time, a personal search for God, the study of Scripture and persistent prayer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A child is not a small adult, and their development takes time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On the other hand, Paul would have a great deal to say; he would like to convey a great deal of important information to the Corinthians, but he cannot. Why? It would be in vain; the Corinthians would not understand it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paul is clearly frustrated by this and blames the church for it. They should have been further along by then,<strong> their spiritual development was delayed compared to the norm.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u00b4s about <strong>spiritual<\/strong> spiritual knowledge, spiritual development. The physical condition has nothing to do with it \u2013 even young people can be well advanced in spiritual knowledge, whilst, conversely, older people may remain spiritual children. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A person\u2019s spiritual state depends on two factors: \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It depends on how long \u2018one has been with the Lord\u2019, that is, how long one has been a believer. Some aspects of spiritual development cannot be rushed. Certain experiences must be gained over time<sup data-fn=\"77aa14a5-1fd7-4205-8868-9b727d4d1830\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#77aa14a5-1fd7-4205-8868-9b727d4d1830\" id=\"77aa14a5-1fd7-4205-8868-9b727d4d1830-link\">1<\/a><\/sup>. Studying the Scriptures and prayer also take time.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In fact, after his conversion, Paul\u2019s fellow brothers \u2018sent\u2019 him off to Tarsus (perhaps because of his excessive zeal, perhaps because of his troubled past).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He spent about seven years there; in total, about ten years had passed between Paul\u2019s conversion and his entry into public service (when Barnabas sought him out there). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The pace at which time passes in terms of spiritual growth can be influenced to a certain extent \u2013 an active, zealous Christian matures more quickly than a passive and lazy one.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A child cannot skip developmental stages, but may either thrive or fail to grow properly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It could be said that spiritual growth is easier to slow down than to speed up \u2013 though it is possible to speed it up as well. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Perhaps one could say (half-jokingly) that the following equation holds: <strong>Spiritual maturity = (time spent with the Lord) \u00d7 (zeal)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or, for example: <strong>Spiritual maturity \u2248 (time \u00d7 zeal) \u2013 external temptations + God\u2019s grace<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2 I gave you milk to drink, and food&nbsp;<em>I am yours<\/em>&nbsp;No<em>gave<\/em>, because&nbsp;<em>that one<\/em>&nbsp;you haven\u2019t been able to yet&nbsp;<em>endure<\/em>. But even now, you still can\u2019t,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul reproaches the Corinthians and laments their state: he would like to teach them more advanced Christian truths, but it would be of no use. It was not possible in the past, and it is still not possible now, as he writes this letter. (Paul wrote it whilst he was staying in Ephesus.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We may well feed a baby a cutlet instead of breastfeeding, but this achieves nothing \u2013 it will not result in the baby growing and maturing any faster, but will only cause problems. We are not helping the child, but harming them. Their diet must be appropriate for their age. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Similarly, Paul could not simply \u2018serve up\u2019 to the Corinthian congregation all the knowledge he had acquired during his lifetime \u2013 he had to select and filter it: \u2018I can tell them this, but not that yet; they wouldn\u2019t \u201cget\u201d it\u2019; \u2018that would only do them harm\u2019, and so on. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It could only bring them <strong>milk<\/strong>, that is, the biblical \u2018fundamentals\u2019, as listed, for example, in Hebrews 6:1\u20132 <em>Therefore, if we have left behind the elementary teachings concerning Christ, let us press on towards maturity, and not lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, the doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgement to come.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3 for you are&nbsp;<em>still<\/em>&nbsp;even physical. After all, if&nbsp;<em>\"I have<\/em>&nbsp;jealousy and discord amongst you<sup>[<\/sup>and distribution<sup>]<\/sup>, whether you are physical and&nbsp;<sup>(<\/sup>you don't live<em> 21<\/em>&nbsp;in human terms<sup>)<\/sup>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>i.e.: you do not follow people;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On what basis did Paul make his diagnosis of the Corinthians\u2019 spiritual immaturity? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It wasn\u2019t complicated at all \u2013 he didn\u2019t need any questionnaires or audits. He could tell easily, even from a distance, because the Corinthians were <strong>they were physical beings and lived like ordinary people<\/strong>. What does that mean? How did their physical behaviour \u2013 \u2018walking in the manner of a human being\u2019 \u2013 manifest itself in practice? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both mean being \u2018led\u2019 by the body (one\u2019s ego), acting according to the body, and indulging the body in whatever it desires. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>(The opposite of the physical is spiritual action, whereby a person does what the Spirit and the spirit desire)<sup data-fn=\"bc536bf1-3265-4f5a-b4b1-ebfacc51e308\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#bc536bf1-3265-4f5a-b4b1-ebfacc51e308\" id=\"bc536bf1-3265-4f5a-b4b1-ebfacc51e308-link\">2<\/a><\/sup>. The opposite of living in a human way is living according to the Holy Spirit).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What did the Corinthians\u2019 flesh crave? To be important, to assert themselves at the expense of others, to assert their dominance, and to be right at any cost. This manifested itself in <strong>jealousy, strife and division.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There was no unity in the Corinthian church \u2013 the members quarrelled and were jealous of one another, which led to the formation of factions and, in some cases, tore the church apart. Being jealous of others, quarrelling and causing divisions are undoubtedly signs that a person is being led not by the Spirit, but by the flesh. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4 When one says, \u2018I belong to Paul\u2019, and another, \u2018I belong to Apollos\u2019, you are not&nbsp;<sup>(<\/sup><em>like others<\/em>&nbsp;People<sup>)<\/sup>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>var.: physical;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We learn what was the dividing line within the Corinthian congregation, what the subject of the disputes was, and on what grounds the members distinguished themselves from one another \u2013 it was a question of allegiance to the \u2018founding fathers\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both Paul and Apollos played a significant role in the founding of the Corinthian church.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pavel founded the choir and spent a year and a half there<sup data-fn=\"04f9d97e-fbf1-41a6-ae14-b687394c6181\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#04f9d97e-fbf1-41a6-ae14-b687394c6181\" id=\"04f9d97e-fbf1-41a6-ae14-b687394c6181-link\">3<\/a><\/sup>. Apollos then continued his work, and it is possible that his intellectual style of preaching impressed some members of the congregation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In any case, this sort of distinction testifies to the physical nature of the members of the Corinthian congregation. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5 Who is Apollos? And who is Paul? They are servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord has appointed each one.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>gr.:&nbsp;<em>deacons<\/em>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Corinthians should clearly understand the situation regarding pastors, preachers, evangelists and other church leaders \u2013 each of these servants of God does what they are able to do: everyone is different; everyone has their own level of understanding and their own style. None of this makes one person better than another, and none of it justifies building up a cult or a faction of followers around oneself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The fact that someone believes is not, in any case, to the servant\u2019s credit, but to God\u2019s. Without \u2018<strong>The Lord gave<\/strong>\u201c, a servant may \u2018go out of his way\u2019, however good he may be, and yet no one will turn to God.\u201d <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, very few people will believe \u2018directly\u2019, without a human intermediary \u2013 almost<sup data-fn=\"93f86b49-0b47-46ea-910d-6bb53c533589\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#93f86b49-0b47-46ea-910d-6bb53c533589\" id=\"93f86b49-0b47-46ea-910d-6bb53c533589-link\">4<\/a><\/sup> everyone will believe \u201c<strong>through <\/strong>\u2018someone\u2019 who proclaims the Gospel to him.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Together, they are all God\u2019s <strong>servants<\/strong> \u2013 Everyone does what God has ordained for them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When God \u2018divides up the work\u2019, He does so rationally \u2013 He does not duplicate tasks, nor does He assign them in such a way that people compete with one another or \u2018step on each other\u2019s toes\u2019, but<strong> so that they complement one another. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6 I planted, Apollos watered, but it was God who made it grow.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul uses a lovely \u2018agricultural\u2019 metaphor to describe the founding of the church: Paul arrived in Corinth, where there was nothing (no believers, no church). <strong>Zasadil<\/strong> the Gospel. That <strong>supported <\/strong>It flourished through the gods (the congregation gradually took shape), whilst Apollos ensured a steady supply of nourishment (sound teaching). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is what is known as the <strong>biogenic <\/strong>Principle: Just as the potential for a plant to come into being is hidden within a seed \u2013 a potential that will unfold if the right conditions are provided (it is sown in the soil and supplied with light and water) \u2013 so too does the Good News of the Gospel hold the potential for the Church to come into being and grow \u2013 it simply needs to be sown in the soil of human hearts and nourished by preaching. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>7 Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything <em>particular<\/em>, but it is God who makes it grow.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Planting and watering are important, but they are neither extraordinary nor complicated. The real \u2018masterpiece\u2019 is to instil that miraculous potential for growth into the seed (or the Gospel). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>God\u2019s plan is absolutely brilliant in this respect. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>8 The one who plants and the one who waters are one and the same, but each will receive&nbsp;<em>6 Its rising<\/em>&nbsp;their own wages according to their efforts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>God\u2019s co-workers labour towards a single goal, in a single field or on a single building site. Their common goal is a harvest or a profit. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Each of them will then receive a reward commensurate with the effort they have put in. Neither more nor less. God is just and is able to judge perfectly the extent of the effort expended <strong>efforts<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>God, unlike human leaders, is able to assess not only the amount of work done, but also the amount of effort a person had to put into that work. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A strong and skilled bricklayer can build a metre of wall effortlessly in a few minutes, whilst it takes another a whole day and requires a great deal of effort. A human builder is concerned only with the result, but God also takes into account the worker\u2019s heart and effort. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>9 For we are God\u2019s fellow workers; <em>did<\/em>&nbsp;You are God\u2019s field, God\u2019s building.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Apostle Paul and his team <strong>worked together <\/strong>with God. Christians work together with God. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A co-worker co-works, works together (with God). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Greek, it is <strong>accomplices<\/strong> (<em>synergoi<\/em>) from the word <em>synerge\u00f3<\/em> (to cooperate, to contribute),<strong>\u03c3\u03cd\u03bd (syn)<\/strong><br>together, jointly, <strong>\u1f14\u03c1\u03b3\u03bf\u03bd (ergon)<\/strong> work, action, effort.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Czech, we use the word \u2018synergick\u00fd\u2019, for example to describe a synergistic effect (paracetamol and ibuprofen work synergistically \u2013 both reduce fever, pain and inflammation, and are more effective together than they are separately).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In English: labourers together with God; co-workers; fellow workers; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paul, and Christians in general, are certainly working towards the same goal as God Himself. God is striving for something; He has His own vision of the world and of history, and He guides them in some way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>More generally: Beings endowed with free will (both angels and humans) essentially have two options \u2013 either they cooperate with God, acting as \u2018sons\u2019 (ergic), and follow the path He sets out; or they are \u2018anti-\u2019<sup data-fn=\"1bbca2e9-0390-4b37-bc8f-425f8658274f\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#1bbca2e9-0390-4b37-bc8f-425f8658274f\" id=\"1bbca2e9-0390-4b37-bc8f-425f8658274f-link\">5<\/a><\/sup>\u201c (ergic), they do not support God\u2019s efforts or even actively \u2018throw a spanner in the works\u2019.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The devil and the demons are outright opposed to this \u2013 they deliberately seek to thwart and foil God\u2019s plans. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For the most part, people do not cooperate with God\u2019s plans either, although there are probably not that many outright, conscious opponents. Very few people (perhaps only Satanists?) would subscribe to the statement: \u2018My aim is to thwart God\u2019s work on this earth\u2019. The fact that they are, in reality, doing just that through their attitudes (by rejecting Christ) is another matter entirely. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><em>You<\/em>&nbsp;You are God\u2019s field, God\u2019s building<\/strong>: There is talk of the Christians in Corinth, of the church in Corinth \u2013 which Paul refers to as God\u2019s field and building. In what sense? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If I am the owner (if God is the owner) of a field or a building, I certainly intend to make use of it. How?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I expect a field to be sown and then to yield a harvest. I expect a building to be completed, to serve its purpose, and for me to benefit from it. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In both cases, I realise that I must first put in the effort to build up my assets so that I can benefit from them later on. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, I do expect a return: if I invest in my property (build and furnish a house, plough and sow a field), it will bring some benefit. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>10 According to&nbsp;<sup>[<\/sup>God\u2019s<sup>]<\/sup>&nbsp;By the grace given to me, I, like a wise builder, have laid the foundation, and another is building on it. Let each one take care how he builds on it.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pavel sets aside the image of the field and develops the image of the builder. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He himself is the builder. The building consists of the churches, the local congregations \u2013 in this case, primarily the church at Corinth. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was Paul who founded them \u2013 he went to places where there were no Christians and established the church. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He built on<strong> on a firm foundation, that is, on Christ<\/strong> (he preached about Christ crucified and risen).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Churches must always be built on Christ. If they are built on anything else, they are unstable and will eventually cease to exist. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"><strong>This is illustrated by the following anecdote: A small Protestant church had an inscription above its entrance reading \u2018We preach Christ crucified\u2019. As time went by, the congregation dwindled and, at the same time, the entrance became overgrown with ivy. The ivy gradually covered the word \u2018crucified\u2019, so that only \u2018We preach Christ\u2019 remained. Eventually, the word \u2018Christ\u2019 was also covered \u2013 and all that remained was \u2018We preach\u2019.<\/strong><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the cornerstone of a congregation is religion, theology, emotion or fellowship, such a congregation will not stand the test of time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The same applies to the spiritual life of every Christian \u2013 everything is subject to change; only Christ Himself is unshakeable. Nothing and no one can take away our relationship with Christ; everything else, including life itself, can. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pavel, like\u2026 <strong>wise builder<\/strong> knew. What does a wise builder know, and what did the Apostle Paul know? That if a person lays a poor-quality stone in the foundation of a building, the whole structure will collapse sooner or later. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A \u2018real-life example\u2019 springs to mind: poor-quality material was reportedly used in the sub-base of the motorway from Ostrava to Bohum\u00edn and on to Poland. Shortly after it opened, the motorway became undulating, and to this day (2025) there is a speed limit in place.<sup data-fn=\"103513db-d9c9-4d70-ba55-10881e3d89c1\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#103513db-d9c9-4d70-ba55-10881e3d89c1\" id=\"103513db-d9c9-4d70-ba55-10881e3d89c1-link\">6<\/a><\/sup><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, there are many cases where someone cuts corners during construction and the house subsequently collapses; this is by no means unusual.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paul is certain that he himself acted correctly when establishing churches. How can he be so certain? Because he took care never to place anything other than Christ at the centre of his message. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We know that Paul established churches, which he handed over to local leaders (he appointed elders) after a while, and then moved on to another place. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Those who took over the congregation from Paul had to <strong>pay attention to how they are building on Pavlov\u2019s foundation.&nbsp;<\/strong>Whether, apart from Christ, they are beginning to incorporate unstable elements into the building of the Church \u2013 such as their own self-importance, elements of the Law, or other secondary and \u2018unsteady\u2019 things. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that is&nbsp;<em>already<\/em>&nbsp;laid, <em>.<\/em>&nbsp;That is Jesus Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul took great care to ensure that the foundation of every church was laid on the pure Gospel \u2013 the teaching of the saving work of Jesus Christ.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This emphasis was so strong in his case that it was difficult for those who took over the choirs after him to change anything about it. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He also made corrections to the choral pieces during his subsequent visits and in his letters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And it has to be said that there was plenty to correct \u2013 unhealthy tendencies and all manner of \u2018excesses\u2019 were commonplace in \u2018his\u2019 congregations. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>12 If anyone on&nbsp;<sup>[<\/sup>this<sup>]<\/sup>&nbsp;is based on&nbsp;<em>from<\/em>&nbsp;gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay&nbsp;<em>or<\/em>&nbsp;straw<\/strong>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Every Christian is the architect of their own life. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He was given a foundation on which to base his faith (he heard the Gospel). It was on this foundation that he began to build his Christian life. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some believers have a broader sphere of authority \u2013 they bear responsibility not only for themselves, but also for their family, for the people around them (for example, in a home group), or, as leaders, they may bear responsibility for the local church.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All of this can be done well or badly. It does matter how we live out our Christian lives and what we make of them. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even Christians can waste their lives \u2013 devoting their time and effort to things that ultimately prove to be futile and pointless. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is precisely what is meant by the image of building with materials that are valuable and durable, or, conversely, with materials that are of poor quality and cheap. We have a duty to ensure that what we do with our lives is of high quality, valuable and enduring. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It must be our priority to ensure that,<strong> when, after our resurrection, God \u2018sits down\u2019 with us and begins to review and assess our earthly Christian life, so that what we have devoted ourselves to may stand up to scrutiny in His eyes, be regarded as valuable, enduring and useful for God\u2019s work. .<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The alternative, in fact, is that God will judge our lives to have been wasted \u2013 declaring that what we have devoted our time, effort and money to is worthless. Our efforts will \u2018go up in smoke\u2019 and we will stand before God empty-handed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>13 Everyone\u2019s work will be laid bare. On that day<em> \"I have<\/em>&nbsp;will be revealed, for it will be made manifest in the fire, and the fire will test the quality of everyone\u2019s work.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>e.g.: is revealed;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who is this tester? <strong>by fire<\/strong>? God\u2019s piercing gaze \u2013 God looks deep into our hearts and reveals everything we have done in life, including our most hidden motives (everything will be revealed <strong>obvious<\/strong>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>So what, then, of our lives in this <strong>Will it really stand the test of fire?<\/strong> What will not be burnt up? That which was done out of love for Christ, from a pure, joyful and humble heart. That is what we will take with us into eternity. Whatever we did for other reasons will be rejected by God. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It will certainly not be a question of quantity (for example, the number of people we have led to Christ or the amount of money we have given to the poor), but of quality. God will reveal absolutely everything about our lives and our service to Him.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>God does not need our money, our good deeds or our prayers. But He gives us the chance to offer them to Him precisely because He wants to give us the opportunity to build something valuable and lasting out of our lives. He gives us the chance to build ourselves a lasting, indestructible, eternal treasure in heaven. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>We are all given the opportunity to become a precious gem in God\u2019s edifice. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is worth noting here that the \u2018trial by fire\u2019 of which Paul speaks is not the same as God\u2019s judgement, at which each person\u2019s acceptance or rejection will be determined. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Here, Pavel talks about <strong>To the judgement seat of Christ,<\/strong> as described in 2 Corinthians 5:9\u201310: <em>That is why we strive so earnestly to please him, whether we remain at home or go out into the world. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due for what we have done whilst in the body, whether good or evil.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>At the judgement seat of Christ, the lives of Christians will be assessed by Christ \u2013 some of them will indeed be saved, but they will enter into eternal life with God empty-handed. It will become apparent that they have, to a greater or lesser extent, wasted their Christian lives; that what they devoted themselves to had no value in God\u2019s eyes, or was even evil.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No believer\u2019s life is, of course, perfect; no Christian has done everything right. But we must strive to live as well as we possibly can. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At this point, it is also worth recalling (as we know from the parables of the talents, the bridesmaids, and the sheep and goats) that<strong> Even for a converted Christian, it is possible to exclude oneself entirely from salvation through extreme passivity, and thus to be condemned (the lazy servant in the Parable of the Minas ended up where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth \u2013 that is, in hell).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>14 If anyone&nbsp;<sup>(<\/sup><em>on this basis<\/em>&nbsp;will issue<sup>)<\/sup>&nbsp;the work and it&nbsp;<em>He<\/em>&nbsp;if he stays, he\u2019ll get a reward, <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u2018built an extension\u2019 (onto that foundation); <\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>var.: remains;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christ will walk with us and assess our lives \u2013 what we have devoted ourselves to as Christians:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whatever has no value in His eyes will be <strong>burnt<\/strong>. It will be a great loss and a painful process \u2013 it will be excruciatingly painful to see how much of our Christian life we have devoted to vanities, how much time, effort and money we have squandered on worthless things. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What might be the \u2018straw\u2019 that breaks the camel\u2019s back in our lives? Anything. It\u2019s not about the thing itself, but whether we did it properly. <strong>For example, possessions can be as worthless as straw (if we have hoarded them needlessly) or as precious as a gem (if we have used them to serve God).<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One example that springs to mind is a holiday cottage \u2013 I have often seen cottages or holiday homes turn into money- and time-sinks; in some cases, they have even led the owners away from the church, for example by \u2018preventing\u2019 them from attending Sunday services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As with everything, the problem isn\u2019t the cottage itself, but our attitude towards it. (On the contrary, a cottage can be a blessed place of peace and rest, or even a venue for the church\u2019s community life.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are countless examples, and there is no general rule \u2013 or rather, <strong>As a general rule, what we do must be in accordance with God\u2019s will. As a general rule, we should seek and do God\u2019s will.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The same thing can be either straw or a gem. (Even service in the Church can become straw if it was not what God wanted from us at that particular moment.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>On the contrary, that which does not burn away \u2013 that which was in harmony with God\u2019s will \u2013 has lasting value, will accompany a person into eternity, and will be rewarded.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>15 if&nbsp;<em>He<\/em>&nbsp;his work will be consumed by fire; he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but as through fire.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Here, Paul reiterates what we have already mentioned \u2013 that we are talking about the assessment of believers\u2019 lives, not about a judgement in which decisions are made regarding whether people are accepted or rejected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To realise that I have devoted my time and energy to something that was \u2018useless\u2019 undoubtedly means <strong>to suffer considerable damage. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>To waste your life \u2013 that really hurts.<\/strong> Although I did manage to achieve the most important thing in my life (I found Christ), I did not live my life wisely afterwards, as a Christian, and much of what I devoted myself to turned out to be in vain. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If Christians\u2019 lives are \u2018consumed by fire\u2019, it will be a very painful experience for them \u2013 <strong>will go through the fire of remorse. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is therefore of the utmost importance for believers not to make this mistake. How can it be avoided? <strong>We must seek to find out what God wants from us, and then do it. We must carry out God\u2019s will, not our own.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>16 Do you not know that you are God\u2019s temple and&nbsp;<em>all<\/em>&nbsp;Does the Spirit of God dwell within you?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>n.: amongst you;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How does this relate to the judgement of a Christian\u2019s life at Christ\u2019s judgement seat? Or is Paul changing the subject?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apparently:  <strong>If a Christian knew (or were more aware) that they are \u2018indwelt\u2019 by the Holy Spirit, they would live their life differently. They would allow themselves to be guided by Him more, take His views more into account, and devote themselves more to His work. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The question, \u2018Do you not know?\u2019, is clearly rhetorical. The Corinthians already had this information; they knew that they were God\u2019s temple and the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit \u2013 but they tended to forget this and fail to act accordingly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do we know that? <strong>Are we sufficiently aware that, following his coming to earth (at Pentecost), the Holy Spirit chose Christians as his dwelling place? <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>God had originally set aside (and carefully prepared) first the Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem, as His \u2018dwelling place\u2019 amongst people.  The New Testament change in God\u2019s approach is, in this sense, utterly radical: <strong>No longer just one place on the planet, and no longer a dwelling in the usual sense of the word<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The change does not involve moving the site from the Temple in Jerusalem to somewhere else (to another temple, to one of the churches, or to some other sacred place).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The place where God dwells is \u2018<strong>diversified<\/strong>\u201c. Since Pentecost, millions of walking human \u2018temples\u2019, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, have been moving about the world.\u201d <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>17 If anyone destroys God\u2019s sanctuary, he will be destroyed<sup> <\/sup>God forbid. For God\u2019s sanctuary is holy,<sup>(<\/sup>and that&nbsp;<em>sanctuary<\/em><sup>)<\/sup>&nbsp;It\u2019s you.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>e.g.: which;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For the Holy Spirit to be willing to take up residence somewhere, that place must be holy \u2013 that is, set apart from the world and cleansed of all sin. After a person has turned to Christ, they are sanctified by the blood of Christ \u2013 it is only through this that a person can become a temple of God. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the human body is God\u2019s temple, and the Holy Spirit has no \u2018difficulty\u2019 taking up residence within a person, this is a clear sign of the great value of a sanctified Christian.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christians are therefore obliged to treat these \u2018walking sanctuaries\u2019 with respect \u2013 both in their attitude towards themselves and in their attitude towards one another. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The destruction of God\u2019s sanctuary has terrible consequences \u2013 God\u2019s retribution is \u2018<strong>destruction <\/strong>\u2018destroyers\u2019. Nobody wants to be destroyed by God. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why is Paul talking about this now? How does it relate to the judgement seat of Christ? Or is Paul returning to an earlier issue within the Corinthian church? There are several possibilities:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>He is speaking of people (in the Corinthian church) who were systematically destroying their own bodies, the temple entrusted to them as stewards for the service of God. People are capable of destroying themselves very easily through passivity (by failing to look after themselves<sup data-fn=\"9ef9842e-d2cc-4f08-b1f4-0d9145e0cf59\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#9ef9842e-d2cc-4f08-b1f4-0d9145e0cf59\" id=\"9ef9842e-d2cc-4f08-b1f4-0d9145e0cf59-link\">7<\/a><\/sup>) or through their own actions, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or overeating. They are then unfit for God\u2019s work purely for health reasons<sup data-fn=\"8b1111cc-a55c-46de-991a-f66186b378ca\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#8b1111cc-a55c-46de-991a-f66186b378ca\" id=\"8b1111cc-a55c-46de-991a-f66186b378ca-link\">8<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Holy Spirit wishes to dwell in human temples that are pure and \u2018pleasant to dwell in\u2019. If a person defiles their temple with impurity and sin, they will pay the price for it<sup data-fn=\"940da6bf-ba4d-4e53-8ed4-c7842902f7e0\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#940da6bf-ba4d-4e53-8ed4-c7842902f7e0\" id=\"940da6bf-ba4d-4e53-8ed4-c7842902f7e0-link\">9<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or perhaps Paul is referring to disputes within the congregation, where Christians were causing harm to one another. If I \u2018drive someone out\u2019 of the congregation or even, through my behaviour, drive them away from the faith, God will undoubtedly punish me for it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As regards the connection with Christ\u2019s judgement seat, this would constitute a punishment for a Christian whom the devastation of his own temple had prevented from bearing any meaningful fruit for God during his lifetime.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"><strong>To illustrate this, we can imagine our body as a car entrusted to us by God at birth. It is up to us in what condition we return our car to God when we die:<\/strong>\n\n<strong>- I could return them to God \u2018as good as new\u2019, practically untouched, polished, with just a few hundred kilometres on the clock.  I certainly won\u2019t be praised for that \u2013 a car like that would be like a buried talent. <\/strong>- <strong>- Can I return the car in a wrecked, damaged and dirty state? The car didn\u2019t work as it should have; it didn\u2019t stand a chance of transporting anything properly because I didn\u2019t look after it. In this case, too, I\u2019ll have a problem with God.<\/strong>\n- <strong>The third option is ideal: I will return the car to God worn out and damaged, not through neglect, but through service to God. It has clocked up millions of kilometres \u2018for God\u2019 and it shows \u2013 it is battered, has been in several accidents, is dented, and has lost its original lustre and beauty. For treating my car in this way, I will undoubtedly be rewarded by God. <\/strong><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>18 Let no one deceive themselves. If any of you think you are wise in this age, you should become a fool, so that you may become wise.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>that is to say, by the standards of this world;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This seems to be a new area of discussion \u2013 I can\u2019t see how this idea relates to the theme of human bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. (Perhaps in the sense that someone thinks they\u2019re treating their body in some particularly wise way, but in reality that\u2019s not the case at all.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paul puts wisdom into perspective in the sense that he understands it <strong>this age<\/strong>, that is, the unbelievers of this world \u2013 is, from God\u2019s point of view, not really true wisdom at all. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What does it mean<strong> to act the fool in order to gain wisdom<\/strong>? To believe in the Gospel without a doubt. The Gospel\u2014that is, the good news of salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ\u2014is, from the world\u2019s perspective, truly foolish, \u2018strange\u2019. It defies the way people of this world think. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But whoever rejects them remains a fool in the eyes of God. <strong>It is better to be a fool in the eyes of the world than in the eyes of God.<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">It is practically impossible to be wise in the eyes of the world and in the eyes of God. Not even Christ Himself \u2013 that is, God Himself \u2013 managed to please the world; even He was rejected and condemned by the world. How, then, could we possibly succeed in doing so?<\/mark><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One might even say that being held in too high regard by the world can be a sign that something is amiss in our lives. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>19 For the wisdom of this world is folly in God\u2019s sight. For it is written: \u2018He catches the wise in their own craftiness.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul quotes Eliphaz from the fifth chapter of the Book of Job: <em>\u201cwho (meaning God) thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands will not succeed,  13 who catches the wise in their own craftiness\u201d<\/em>. Here, Eliphaz \u2018defends\u2019 God against Job, and does so in a rather unpleasant manner. Nevertheless, Paul uses his words as universally true.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>God does not truly value what is known as the wisdom of this world. To Him, it seems foolish. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And God has no trouble \u2018backing up\u2019 His position with facts; He can easily refute the arguments of worldly wisdom.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What exactly <strong>the wisdom of this world<\/strong> What does this amount to? We can illustrate this, for example, with Christ\u2019s Beatitudes, where Jesus contrasts what this world considers \u2018blessed\u2019 with what God considers \u2018blessed\u2019<sup data-fn=\"2576e10d-ff32-4dbf-b688-614f1116289e\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#2576e10d-ff32-4dbf-b688-614f1116289e\" id=\"2576e10d-ff32-4dbf-b688-614f1116289e-link\">10<\/a><\/sup>: \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The world: intelligence, cunning \u2013 God: poverty of spirit, simplicity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A World of Joy \u2013 God Weeps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The world: noise, assertiveness \u2013 God: stillness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The world tolerates injustice \u2013 but God does not<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A World of Retribution \u2013 The God of Mercy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The world tolerates impurity \u2013 God loves a pure heart<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The world is at war \u2013 God is peace<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A world that yields to evil, God who upholds justice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The world of turning away from Christ \u2013 God, who remains faithful to Christ despite opposition. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>20 And again: \u2018The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise\u2019&nbsp;<em>and knows<\/em>\u2018\u2026that they are futile.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul illustrates the fact that God is well acquainted with what this world regards as wisdom with yet another verse \u2013 namely, Psalm 94:11: <em>The Lord knows the thoughts of men; He knows that they are futile.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not only does God know worldly wisdom well, but He also knows full well how poor its quality is \u2013 it is <strong>futile<\/strong>, is useless. <strong>Worldly wisdom leads nowhere; it takes a person nowhere, nor does it provide answers or solutions. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>21 So let no one boast about other people. After all, everything belongs to you:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul returns to the disputes within the Corinthian church: \u2018From God\u2019s point of view, the question of whether you belong to me or to Apollos is completely pointless; boasting about belonging to one or the other is nonsense.\u2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your arguments are not even logical, <strong>After all, it\u2019s all yours<\/strong>. Presumably meaning: \u2018I, Paul and Apollos are yours.\u2019 We can understand more clearly what Paul means from the following verses: <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, whether the world or life or death, whether&nbsp;<em>things<\/em> present or future \u2014 everything&nbsp;<em>\"I have<\/em>&nbsp;yours, 23 then you&nbsp;<em>you are<\/em>&nbsp;Christ and Christ the Son of God.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Christians \u2018belong\u2019 not only to Paul and Apollos, but also to other \u2018things\u2019 \u2013 <strong>life and death, the present and the future,<\/strong> Quite simply, everything.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The concepts of life, death, the present and the future encompass all the possible circumstances that may arise in the lives of Christians. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In what sense are all possible life circumstances, including the very worst, \u2018<strong>our<\/strong>\u201c, that is, Christians?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Everything a Christian encounters in life \u2014 people, events, even death or the future \u2014 ultimately serves our good, our benefit and our ultimate victory. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Everything takes on new meaning and becomes part of our heritage and a means by which God shapes and guides his people. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is the same principle as Romans 8:28: \u2018We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">.<\/p>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-footnotes\"><li id=\"77aa14a5-1fd7-4205-8868-9b727d4d1830\">Even the best of spouses don\u2019t know much about married life after just six months of marriage. <a href=\"#77aa14a5-1fd7-4205-8868-9b727d4d1830-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 1\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"bc536bf1-3265-4f5a-b4b1-ebfacc51e308\">That is to say, the Holy Spirit and the spirit as the spiritual aspect of our personality.  <a href=\"#bc536bf1-3265-4f5a-b4b1-ebfacc51e308-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 2\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"04f9d97e-fbf1-41a6-ae14-b687394c6181\">Paul arrives in Corinth from Athens. He is introduced to a Jewish couple, Aquila and Priscilla, who had been expelled from Rome under Emperor Claudius\u2019s decree. Paul stays with them and works alongside them as a tentmaker. He first preached in the synagogue to the Jews and to \u2018God-fearing\u2019 Gentiles. However, he encounters resistance, so he focuses on the Gentiles \u2013 his first significant convert is Titus Justus, a Gentile \u2018worshipper of God\u2019, who provided him with a place to stay. Crispus, the head of the synagogue, also accepted the faith, which caused tension. <strong>Apollos <\/strong>He came from Alexandria; he was educated and \u2018well-versed in the Scriptures\u2019, \u2018fervent in spirit\u2019. Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and enriched his understanding of Christ. Subsequently, Apollos arrived in Corinth and continued Paul\u2019s work.<br>It is possible that his intellectual and oratorical style made an impression mainly on the educated inhabitants of Corinth.  <a href=\"#04f9d97e-fbf1-41a6-ae14-b687394c6181-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 3\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"93f86b49-0b47-46ea-910d-6bb53c533589\">It is said that in Muslim countries, where the preaching of the Gospel is forbidden, people quite often encounter Christ directly \u2013 for example, in their dreams \u2013 without anyone having preached the Gospel to them. <a href=\"#93f86b49-0b47-46ea-910d-6bb53c533589-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 4\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"1bbca2e9-0390-4b37-bc8f-425f8658274f\">\u2018Syn\u2019 and \u2018anti\u2019 are Greek prepositions denoting opposition. In Latin, \u2018cum\u2019 would probably be used instead of \u2018syn\u2019, and \u2018contra\u2019 instead of \u2018anti\u2019. <a href=\"#1bbca2e9-0390-4b37-bc8f-425f8658274f-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 5\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"103513db-d9c9-4d70-ba55-10881e3d89c1\">The D1 motorway between Ostrava and Bohum\u00edn began to show signs of significant undulation very soon after it opened in 2007. The unevenness began to appear after just half a year.   The Roads and Motorways Directorate introduced a speed limit, which remains in place to this day. According to the court\u2019s ruling, the cause was the use of poor-quality embankment materials \u2013 specifically, a mixture containing slag from steelworks and material from the so-called \u2018cold spoil tip\u2019 at Nov\u00e1 Hu\u0165.  <a href=\"#103513db-d9c9-4d70-ba55-10881e3d89c1-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 6\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"9ef9842e-d2cc-4f08-b1f4-0d9145e0cf59\">I certainly don\u2019t think people should \u2018pamper\u2019 their bodies excessively, spoil them or treat them too gently. Bodies are meant to serve God, and in doing so they can be put through their paces. After years of service, the Apostle Paul\u2019s body was thoroughly \u2018worn out\u2019 and covered in scars.  <a href=\"#9ef9842e-d2cc-4f08-b1f4-0d9145e0cf59-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 7\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"8b1111cc-a55c-46de-991a-f66186b378ca\">For example, I have seen countless men who died prematurely, ruined by alcohol and smoking, leaving their wives widowed. <a href=\"#8b1111cc-a55c-46de-991a-f66186b378ca-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 8\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"940da6bf-ba4d-4e53-8ed4-c7842902f7e0\">We are responsible for \u2018keeping an eye on what we take in\u2019. If I spend a lot of time looking at filth on the internet, I will drive the Holy Spirit away \u2013 He certainly won\u2019t be watching with me. <a href=\"#940da6bf-ba4d-4e53-8ed4-c7842902f7e0-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 9\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"2576e10d-ff32-4dbf-b688-614f1116289e\">The wisdom of the world is also well documented by the so-called \u2018Nine Commandments of Satan\u2019, which recommend: the indulgence of desires as opposed to abstinence; the pursuit of anything that brings mental, emotional or physical satisfaction. physical existence over spirituality; treating man as a mere animal; \u2018kindness to those who deserve it\u2019 as opposed to \u2018love squandered on the ungrateful\u2019; revenge rather than turning the other cheek; \u2018responsibility towards those who are responsible\u2019.  Such is the wisdom of this world. The vast majority of the world\u2019s population lives by it.  <a href=\"#2576e10d-ff32-4dbf-b688-614f1116289e-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 10\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1 j\u00e1, brat\u0159i, jsem&nbsp;k&nbsp;v\u00e1m nemohl mluvit jako&nbsp;k&nbsp;duchovn\u00edm,&nbsp;ale jako&nbsp;k t\u011blesn\u00fdm, jako&nbsp;k&nbsp;nedosp\u011bl\u00fdm&nbsp;v Kristu.&nbsp; 2 Dal&nbsp;jsem v\u00e1m&nbsp;p\u00edt ml\u00e9ko, pokrm&nbsp;jsem v\u00e1m&nbsp;nedal, nebo\u0165&nbsp;ten&nbsp;jste je\u0161t\u011b nemohli&nbsp;sn\u00e9st. Ale ani te\u010f je\u0161t\u011b nem\u016f\u017eete, 3 nebo\u0165 jste&nbsp;st\u00e1le&nbsp;je\u0161t\u011b&nbsp;t\u011blesn\u00ed. V\u017edy\u0165 pokud&nbsp;je&nbsp;mezi v\u00e1mi \u017e\u00e1rlivost,&nbsp;sv\u00e1r[a rozd\u011blen\u00ed], zdali nejste&nbsp;t\u011blesn\u00ed a&nbsp;(ne\u017eijete jen&nbsp;po lidsku)? 4 Kdy\u017e jeden \u0159\u00edk\u00e1: \u201aJ\u00e1 jsem Pavl\u016fv\u2018&nbsp;a druh\u00fd: \u201aJ\u00e1 Apoll\u016fv\u2018, nejste&nbsp;(jako jin\u00ed&nbsp;lid\u00e9)? 5 Kdo je Apollos? A [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"Sebekvalitn\u011bj\u0161\u00ed man\u017eel\u00e9 toho po p\u016fl roce man\u017eelstv\u00ed je\u0161t\u011b o man\u017eelsk\u00e9m sou\u017eit\u00ed mnoho nev\u011bd\u00ed.\",\"id\":\"77aa14a5-1fd7-4205-8868-9b727d4d1830\"},{\"content\":\"Tedy Duch svat\u00fd a duch jako duchovn\u00ed slo\u017eka na\u0161\u00ed osobnosti. \",\"id\":\"bc536bf1-3265-4f5a-b4b1-ebfacc51e308\"},{\"content\":\"Pavel p\u0159ich\u00e1z\u00ed do Korintu z At\u00e9n. Seznamuje s \u017eidovsk\u00fdm man\u017eelsk\u00fdm p\u00e1rem Akvilou a Priskou, kte\u0159\u00ed byli vyhn\u00e1ni z \u0158\u00edma kv\u016fli na\u0159\u00edzen\u00ed c\u00edsa\u0159e Claudia. Pavel u nich z\u016fst\u00e1v\u00e1 a pracuje s nimi jako v\u00fdrobce stan\u016f. K\u00e1zal nejprve v synagoze \u017did\u016fm a \\\"bohabojn\u00fdm\\\" pohan\u016fm. Setk\u00e1v\u00e1 se v\u0161ak s odporem, tak\u017ee se soust\u0159ed\u00ed na pohany \u2013 jeho prvn\u00ed v\u00fdznamn\u00fdm obr\u00e1cen\u00fdm je Titus Justus, pohan \\\"ctitel Boha\\\", kter\u00fd mu poskytl z\u00e1zem\u00ed. V\u00edru p\u0159ijal i Krispus, p\u0159edstaven\u00fd synagogy, co\u017e vyvolalo nap\u011bt\u00ed. <strong>Apollos <\/strong>poch\u00e1zel z Alexandrie, byl vzd\u011blan\u00fd a \\\"zdatn\u00fd v P\u00edsmu\\\",, \\\"horliv\u00fd v duchu\\\". Akvila a Priska si ho vzali stranou a doplnili mu pozn\u00e1n\u00ed o Kristu. N\u00e1sledn\u011b Apollos p\u0159ich\u00e1z\u00ed do Korintu a navazuje na Pavlovu pr\u00e1ci.<br>Je mo\u017en\u00e9, \u017ee jeho intelektu\u00e1ln\u00ed a \u0159e\u010dnick\u00fd styl imponoval hlavn\u011b vzd\u011blan\u00fdm obyvatel\u016fm Korintu. \",\"id\":\"04f9d97e-fbf1-41a6-ae14-b687394c6181\"},{\"content\":\"\u0158\u00edk\u00e1 se, \u017ee v muslimsk\u00fdch zem\u00edch, kde je zv\u011bstov\u00e1n\u00ed evangelia zak\u00e1z\u00e1no, se lid\u00e9 pom\u011brn\u011b \u010dasto setk\u00e1vaj\u00ed s  Kristem p\u0159\u00edmo, nap\u0159. ve snech, bez toho, aby jim Jej n\u011bkdo zv\u011bstoval.\",\"id\":\"93f86b49-0b47-46ea-910d-6bb53c533589\"},{\"content\":\"\\\"Syn\\\" a \\\"anti\\\" jsou \u0159eck\u00e9 protikladn\u00e9 p\u0159edlo\u017eky. Latinsky by asi m\u00edsto syn bylo \\\"cum\\\" a m\u00edsto anti bylo \\\"contra\\\".\",\"id\":\"1bbca2e9-0390-4b37-bc8f-425f8658274f\"},{\"content\":\"D\u00e1lnice D1 mezi Ostravou a Bohum\u00ednem za\u010dala vykazovat z\u0159eteln\u00e9 zvln\u011bn\u00ed velmi brzy po uveden\u00ed do provozu v roce 2007. Nerovnosti se za\u010daly objevovat u\u017e po p\u016fl roce.   \u0158editelstv\u00ed silnic a d\u00e1lnic  zavedlo sn\u00ed\u017eenou rychlost, kter\u00e1 je zde dodne\u0161ka. Podle rozhodnut\u00ed soudu bylo p\u0159\u00ed\u010dinou bpou\u017eit\u00ed nekvalitn\u00edch n\u00e1sypov\u00fdch materi\u00e1l\u016f \u2013 konkr\u00e9tn\u011b sm\u011bsi obsahuj\u00edc\u00ed strusku z ocel\u00e1ren a materi\u00e1l z tzv. studen\u00e9ho odvalu Nov\u00e9 huti. \",\"id\":\"103513db-d9c9-4d70-ba55-10881e3d89c1\"},{\"content\":\"Rozhodn\u011b si nemysl\u00edm, \u017ee lid\u00e9 maj\u00ed sv\u00e1 t\u011bla p\u0159ehnan\u011b \\\"ope\u010dov\u00e1vat\\\", rozmazlovat je a \u0161et\u0159it. T\u011bla maj\u00ed slou\u017eit Bohu a p\u0159itom mohou dostat \u0159\u00e1dn\u011b \\\"zabrat\\\". Apo\u0161tol Pavel m\u011bl t\u011blo po letech slu\u017eby \u0159\u00e1dn\u011b \\\"zhuntovan\u00e9\\\" a pln\u00e9 jizev. \",\"id\":\"9ef9842e-d2cc-4f08-b1f4-0d9145e0cf59\"},{\"content\":\"Vid\u011bl jsem nap\u0159. nespo\u010d\u00edtan\u011b mu\u017e\u016f, kte\u0159\u00ed zem\u0159eli p\u0159ed\u010dasn\u011b poni\u010den\u00ed alkoholem a kou\u0159en\u00edm zanechav\u0161e sv\u00e9 \u017eeny jako vdovy.\",\"id\":\"8b1111cc-a55c-46de-991a-f66186b378ca\"},{\"content\":\"Jsme zodpov\u011bdn\u00ed za to, abychom si \\\"hl\u00eddali vstupy\\\". Budu-li tr\u00e1vit mnoho \u010dasu u ne\u010distot na internetu, Svat\u00e9ho Ducha zapla\u0161\u00edm - d\u00edvat se se mnou jist\u011b nebude.\",\"id\":\"940da6bf-ba4d-4e53-8ed4-c7842902f7e0\"},{\"content\":\"Moudrost sv\u011bta dob\u0159e dokumentuje tak\u00e9 tzv. \\\"satansk\u00e9 devatero\\\", kter\u00e9 doporu\u010duje: uk\u00e1jen\u00ed choutek oproti od\u0159\u00edk\u00e1n\u00ed, provozov\u00e1n\u00ed \u010dehokoliv, co p\u0159in\u00e1\u0161\u00ed ment\u00e1ln\u00ed, emo\u010dn\u00ed nebo t\u011blesn\u00e9 uspokojen\u00ed. fyzickou existenci oproti spiritualit\u011b, \u010dlov\u011bka jakou pouh\u00e9 zv\u00ed\u0159e, \\\"laskavost k t\u011bm, kdo ji zasluhuj\u00ed\\\" oproti \\\"l\u00e1sce vypl\u00fdtvan\u00e9 na nevd\u011b\u010dn\u00edky\\\", pomstu oproti nastaven\u00ed druh\u00e9 tv\u00e1\u0159e, \\\"odpov\u011bdnost v\u016f\u010di odpov\u011bdn\u00fdm\\\".  Takov\u00e1 je moudrost tohoto sv\u011bta. Podle n\u00ed \u017eije naprost\u00e1 v\u011bt\u0161ina sv\u011btov\u00e9 populace. \",\"id\":\"2576e10d-ff32-4dbf-b688-614f1116289e\"}]"},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1-korintskym"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9636\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/versebyversebible.hiseo.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}