Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I Corinthians Chapter 3
Metaphysically Interpreting I Corinthians 3:1-23
3:1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ.3:2I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; 3:3for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men? 3:4For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?
3:5What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. 3:6I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 3:7So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 3:8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. 3:9For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building.
3:10According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. 3:11For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 3:12But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; 3:13each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. 3:14If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. 3:15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.
3:16Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 3:17If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.
3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,
He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:
3:20and again,
The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.
3:21Wherefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours; 3:22whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 3:23and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Sunday, June 29, 1941: I Cor. 3:1-15
What is the surest sign of the mental maturity in man or woman? The habit of self-reliance and quiet confidence.
Has the illumined will any appeal to the mentally immature person? No. Childish persons are self-filled and do not understand the meaning of illumination in connection with the will.
What are some of the common forms of mental immaturity? Strife and jealousy. Like babes, those who allow evil forces of this nature to possess them seem unable to help themselves to a saner, better outlook.
Is the exalting of personality as in the case of certain religious leaders an indication of mental immaturity? Such a habit indicates a childish outlook and dependence on others instead of reliance on one's inner resources.
What is the chief help in gaining self-reliance? The realization that all things come of God and that one must look to Him and accept in faith all that one asks for or desires. It is “God that giveth the increase.”
Why is self-reliance invaluable to man in building a Christ-like character? Only a competent workman can erect a building in a workmanlike manner. One must know one’s work and must know that one knows it. “As a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation.”
Does such confidence foster self-conceit? Not when it is based on the foundation of the Christ. Then one realizes that one is budding by the “grace of God.”
How does one build “gold, silver, costly stones” on the Christ foundation? By keeping the mind attuned to Truth and thinking constructively, one builds a worthy superstructure on the precious foundation of the Christ.
What do “wood, hay, stubble” represent? These stand for negative thoughts that are of little, if any, value in character building and that fail to endure. For the most part they are not in any respect building material.
September 16, 1928: I Cor. 3:5-11
What does Appolos represent? Appollos represents a phase of understanding that, under intellectual thought, is likely to be hard and destructive because of zeal to put away error, apart from the loving thought of the Christ.
When does love predominate? When the Christ understanding enters the consciousness, love predominates. Then a true purifying and uplifting takes place. Christ is the true idea of Sonship.
Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” Explain. The word of Truth is sown in all parts of the consciousness and of the body. Understanding waters the growing Truth, and so helps it along to fruition. The increasing, life-giving power of Truth, however, is Spirit.
November 21, 1937: I Cor. 3:10-15
Explain the statement: “For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ, the divine I AM in expression, is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. The perfect Christ foundation is laid in the ideal of every man's being, as he exists in Divine Mind. No other than this can be laid, but men build diverse superstructures upon it, each according to his bent.
How is each man's work made manifest? For the person who is cast on his own resources the stress of daily living makes manifest the quality of his work. As the weakest link proves the tensile strength of the chain, so the work that a man is able to do under stress proves his capacity as an overcomer.
What reward does a man receive for work that endures? As a man works, he unconsciously puts into his character the same quality that he puts into his work. If he puts truth, beauty, faith, and love into his work, he puts these same traits into his character, and he receives the reward in himself of enduring qualities built into his life.
Explain verse 15: “If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.” If a man neglects the opportunity to put himself into his work; if he fails to put faith in God first; if he practices deceit instead of simple-mindedness; if he hates what he must do instead of doing it with all his might, the effect of his work, insofar as he himself is concerned, is negative, and he suffers the loss of what he would otherwise have.
September 18, 1921: I Cor. 3:16-17
Explain: Give no occasion for stumbling. The body is a temple of God, and the spirit of God dwells in the body. God is working in each to bring into expression his perfect Self. To hinder this unfoldment would be sinning against God, defeating his plan. Therefore, we should carefully avoid causing another to stumble by our ignorance or weakness.
March 19, 1938: I Cor. 3:16-17
What is the temple of God that is destroyed by the use of intoxicants? The regenerated consciousness of man is the temple of God. The term applies also to the spiritualized body of man.
What does temperance include? It includes control of every form of sensation, not only control of the appetite for intoxicants and foods containing unwholesome substances.
September 16, 1928: I Cor. 3:21-23
What is the foundation of all spiritual truth? The foundation of all spiritual truth is Jesus Christ and His doctrine. “And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.” Therefore, man must always center his faith and love in Spirit, in the Christ, the basis of all spiritual activity and growth. Through the consciousness of Christ, all Truth will be revealed to man. “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth.”
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 11-08-2013
