OUR FATHER WHOSE KINGDOM OPERATES AT AN ESTABLISHED STANDARD TO WHICH WE SHOULD ASPIRE

The apostle Paul, continuing with the reproof of those who were fostering secterianism within the church at Corinth based on personality cults, explained why this was baseless seeing that each person they were exalting above themselves was merely a fellow servant in the kingdom of God and all contributed small portions to the task of spreading the gospel. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verses 5 - 10 says it this way;

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 

As each servant did the tasks alloted to them, they laid down a foundation upon which the next servant labored. 

Paul changes subjects to mention that the quality of work each person performed was subject to inspection and thus it was imperative that each builder was deliberately attentive to the standard of work they were doing as they built their  portion.

Paul, in the next section of this chapter, reveals details on how each person's works is tested against the standard of the kingdom and how credit for that work is ( or is not ) attributed to the workman who did it.

Have mercy on us.

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