Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters. Praise God for the opportunity that we can continue to study together the Word of God as we are continuing with the study of the book of first corinthian we have arrived to first corinthian chapter 3 and we are now beloved brothers and sisters dealing with the second half of first Corinthians chapter 3 please open your Bibles and i would like you to turn to verse 9 we will read it all the way to verse 23 and the theme of this portion is the subject of the truth that the church the assembly the ecclesia is a building a temple and the goal is to build a temple with proper material with a quality that will honor God because as we have already learned in the first a few verses that the church the assembly of believers is the family of God the church the assembly of believers Jew and Gentiles are the field where God is ministering to and this we call it God's husbandry God's field in Hebrew it is called Sade the field where God will be.

Working but beloved brothers and sisters from verse 9b to the end of the chapter verse 23 the church the assembly the people of God really are the temple the building the house of God where God is dwelling in the midst of his own and he want us to build for his glory and for his honor and so we read in verse 9 first Corinthians 3 verse 9b ye are God's building according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder i have laid the foundation and another builders their own but let every man take heed how he builders there upon verse 11 Paul continue for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Yeshua ha-Mashiach Jesus Christ Jesus the Messiah now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious the stones, wood, hay, rubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's.

Works what sort it is if any if man's work abide which he has built there upon he shall receive a reward if any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so is by fire knowing not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are let no man deceive you If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, the Lord knoweth the thought of the wise that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in man, for all things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's Messiah. And the Messiah, Christ, is God. And I will stop here, beloved brothers and sisters, with this passage, 1 Corinthians 3, verse 9b to verse 23. So, as we have mentioned earlier, beloved brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians as a corrective ministry.

The Corinthians were called by Shaul Paul saints according to chapter 1 and verse 2 the Apostle Paul said ye are sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus the Messiah our Lord both theirs and ours so there were saints there were believers they were set apart for God positionally but beloved brothers and sisters practically the Corinthians were not set aside for God in a practical way that's why beloved brothers and sisters all the book of Corinthians deal specifically with corrective ministry that Apostle Shaul Paul presented before the Corinthians. It was rather a sad condition that existed in the history of this local assembly at Corinth.

They had issues which we are dealing with now in chapter 1, 2, 3, and 4 in relationship to divisions among themselves. They had problems with immorality in chapter 5 and 6. Chapter 7, there are problems with marriage. Chapter 8, 9, and 10, problems with the liberties of the believers. Chapter 11, there are problems with. The Lord's table. Chapter 12, 13, and 14, there were problems with the spiritual gifts. Chapter 15, problems with the truth of the resurrection. In chapter 16, there were problems with regarding the giving the supporting money the issue that they had a problem there as well so as we have already covered up to now the apostle Shaul Paul is dealing with these issues one issue at the time and when we have arrived to now first Corinthians chapter 3 and verses 9b to the end of the chapter Shaul Paul continued to remind the Corinthians that they were carnal some said I am of Paul chapter 3 verse 4 some said I am of Apollos chapter 3 verse 4b he said are ye not carnal verse 5 he said who then is Paul who then is Apollos but they are ministers they are servants they are people who are called to minister to you dear brothers and sisters of the Corinthians and that's the problem there are ministers in Hebrew it says meshartim meshartim there were people that were raised by God to serve the Corinthians.

Beloved brothers and sisters in the Greek the word is diakonos and diakonos means simply a servant a minister a person that is called to serve God's people in whatever service it will be in the case of Paul and Apollos they were more than just ordinary diaconals they Paul was an apostle and they were the ones that were literally teaching the ministering of God as the servants of God to the corinthian assembly so in the first first nine verses of first Corinthians 3 Shaul Paul mentioned to the Corinthians they are the family of God and as a family there needed to be maturity among the people of God and then in verses 5 to 9a Shaul Paul said that the assembly the church is a call to be as it says here a field a sade in Hebrew a place where God's people are are serving among each other and they're supposed to be a growth and there will be quantity more people coming in and there will be a growth among the people of God it's like.

The field and you remember what we we read in verse 9 for we are laborers together with God and then Paul said ye are God's husbandry God's field God's sade in Hebrew sade the field where God is working in this field using his people his servants to work in that field that there will be a lot of quantity of growth and the goal is to bring more people in and not to have divisions and friction that people leave and go astray and no longer enjoy the local testimony in any local church, local assembly of the people of God. But now in the second half of 1 Corinthians 3 from verse 9b to the end of the chapter, Shaul Paul presents the church as the temple, as the building that God is dwelling in the midst of his own people, and here God desires quality, godliness.

There must be godliness among the people of God, because it is the church, the assembly the ecclesia is God's house it's where gods dwell you remember we read already. In Matthew 18 20 Yeshua said where two or three are gathered together unto my name there am i in the midst of them Yeshua Jesus the Messiah said to the disciple even before the church was born in preparation to understand when two or three individuals in a local congregation and assembly are dwelling together in harmony submissive to the word of God he said i will be in the midst of you God will be in the midst of you because the people of God the church the assembly is the temple the building where God dwell in the midst of his own and the goal the aim is to bring quality of godliness in the midst of God's people and that's why God's people are to be careful how they build the temple how they build and the way we live is an evidence of what kind of material we're using to build the temple of God and the material has to do with the manner whereby God's people behave with one another as they live for God and he is in the midst of his own.

So now notice that in verse 9, the second half of verse 9, Shaul Paul said, ye are God's building. Notice that word, ye are God's building. And that word, ye are God's building, in that verse 9b, that word for building is oikodomo. Or kodome or kodome simply has to do with that word in the Hebrew which is binyan it's simply like a place like a building where God would dwell now again notice he doesn't say you are in a certain building no he said you are God's building known as ye are plural God's building so beloved brothers and sisters the Corinthians and every local assembly in fact the whole assembly the whole church is God's temple God's building remember it the the church is a composition of living stones sinners who have been forgiven Jewish and Gentile believers united into that one body and the people, the believers are the building he doesn't say that a certain structure is the building but no, ye, you, believers together, collectively, are God's building let me remind you that sometimes the believers individually are presented as the temple of God because their body becomes the temple of God.

We read it a little bit later on in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 19 where Shaul Paul said, What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. So in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 19 and 20, there we are presented, the believers individually, the believers' bodies presented as the temple as the house of God but in second corinthian chapter 6 there the apostle just like in our chapter first corinthian 3 and verse 9b ye are God's building in second corinthian chapter 6 he's speaking about the believers collectively it says in verse 16 of second Corinthians 6 what agreement has the temple of God with idols and then he continue for ye are the temple of the living God ye not as plural not only your body individually but also collectively so beloved brothers and sisters now that the apostle is continuing to remind and to minister to the Corinthians who had a great need to understand the fact that they could.

Not behave and cause divisions in the local assembly he is encouraging them to understand that God is dwelling in the midst of his own people not only in their each of their own body individually as the holy Spirit of God came to reside there when we have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah but also collectively and that's why their behavior towards one another is so important because God is dwelling in the midst of his own and if there is friction and there are divisions the Spirit of God is grieved and God cannot operate cannot have joy in the midst of his own people we quench the spirit we grieve the spirit when there is divisions among the people of God so notice there are four things that Shaul Paul pointing to the Corinthians as they are building as they are together the household of God as they are together God's building God's temple God's house Paul is pointing into four important lessons that all of us need to learn as the.

Corinthians as well number one we must build on the right foundation if we are going to recognize and to do the right thing because we together are the building God's building and God's temple number two we must build with the right materials if we are going to understand where we are and if we are going to honor God in our life number three we must build according to the right plan and number four we must build with the right motive beloved brothers and sisters these are lessons that are so important that the Shaul Paul is ministering to the believers at Corinth so notice from verse 10 first Corinthians 3 verse 10 all the way to verse 23 four important lessons are presented before Shaul Paul, by Shaul Paul before the Corinthian assembly at Corinth.

So the first point the Apostle Paul is making here the requirement is that we must, the Corinthian must build on the right foundation. If we are God's building, We must build upon the right foundation. And the foundation is none else but Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach. And so in verses 10 and 11, Paul says, According to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master builder, notice he used the word builder I have laid a foundation and another builders there on but let every man take heed how he builders there upon for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ Yeshua HaMashiach Jesus the Messiah he is that foundation now that tells us volume beloved brothers and sisters why volume simply because the the apostle come to the corinthian writing to the corinthian after he have established already the local assembly and after he heard what was going on in the previous chapters that They were so divided.

And they were, he said that they are carnal. And that they are really envying and divide among one another and strive with one another. Claiming to be, I belong to him, I belong to him, I belong to him. Paul, Apollos, Cephas. And he said to them, listen, you belong to the Lord, you are God's building, you are God's temple. And therefore, you must build this house, this temple, this spiritual house with the right foundation. Meaning that it must be built in submissiveness to the person of our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, who is the foundation. And so in verse 10 Paul said according to the grace of God it is only by the grace of God and which is given unto me he gave me the responsibility to share with you the gospel to present before you the truth of the word of God and I, Paul said of himself in verse 10 as a master builder I have laid a foundation what does he mean?

He says I have laid before you i presented before you the one who is the foundation the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he is the foundation beloved brothers and sisters it is very important to understand that the Lord Jesus the Messiah he is the chief corner stone and Shaul Paul came to Corinth present the gospel led people to the Lord Jesus the Messiah and he's saying to them i have laid the foundation and others now to build upon that foundation you notice that he's speaking to the Corinthians in their locality but in reality this applies to the world wide assembly of God the foundation is in the bottom is the person of the Lord and the apostles that built upon the the Lord Jesus the Messiah the chief cornerstone he is the foundation he's the chief cornerstone and the foundation is immediately laid upon him that solid foundation in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 19 we read now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with.

The saints and notice once again of the household of God this is the temple you are the household of God that spiritual building the spiritual house and then he continued verse 20 and you are built together or built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets Jesus the Messiah himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the buildings fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord notice that verses 19, 20 and 21 of Ephesians chapter 2 and so beloved brothers and sisters if there will be any growth to this temple to this house, to this building the house of God which ye are meaning the Corinthians and you and i and every believer well we must build whatever we do whatever we build we must build when the heart and the motives and the practices are built on that foundation in other words on the person of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach Jesus the Messiah.

Again, according as to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, Paul says, I have laid a foundation, and in other builders their own, but let, listen to this, let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. Notice, while together the Corinthians collectively are part of the local house of God, local temple of God, and all believers are collectively called the house of God, the temple of God, the spiritual temple of God, but every one of us, every one of the Corinthians, have to be, as it says here, taking heed as to how we are believers. That's a question to all of us beloved brothers and sisters how do you and I build are we building upon the right foundation are we building this spiritual house of God presenting the person of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah who is the foundation are we building with proper presentation of the person of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

You remember when Shimon Petros answered to the Lord Jesus the Messiah when he was asked, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? You remember in Matthew chapter 16 at Kessaria in Philippi, in the land of Israel there. It was Simon Shimon petros who gave a proper answer he said to Yeshua Simon Peter answered and said thou art the Messiah the son of the living God thou art the Christ the son of the living God and you notice what Yeshua said to him the Lord Jesus the Messiah said he answered he said blessed are thou Simon bario now for flesh and blood does not reveal it unto thee but my father which is in heaven and i say unto thee that thou art Peter petos and upon this rock i will build my assembly my ecclesia my church my kehila and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it what was that rock that Yeshua was speaking about the rock was the testimony that Shimon Peter gave when he said concerning the Lord Jesus the Messiah that the Lord Jesus that Yeshua thou art the Messiah the son of the living God and everything is built upon the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah who is the Mashiach.

The anointed one but he is the eternal son of God and therefore beloved brothers and sisters we must build as the Corinthians were challenged we must build on the right foundation and the right foundation is none else but the person of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah this is verses 10 and 11 of first Corinthians chapter 3 but you notice that Shaul Paul continues and he says not only that we must build on the right foundation but we also must build with the right material not carnal sinful fleshly material but godly material in other words you will notice not to build in the power of the flesh but to build in the power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God that's the point that we learn here and so verses 12 to 17 Shaul Paul charged the Corinthians that they must build that temple that spiritual house of God with the right material not in the flesh not in this sinful old nature that we have but under the guidance of Ruach HaKodesh Ruach HaElohim the Holy Spirit of God.

And so he's saying in verse 12 he said but if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stone then he doesn't stop he continue wood hay and stubborn every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire that shall try every man's work of what sort it is if any man's work abide which he has built thereupon he shall receive every word if any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer laws but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire so you notice and that's what we read in verses 12 13 14 and 15 and he will continue later on and he will show the importance of knowing that they collectively are the temple of God that's why it says in verse 16 and 17 know ye know that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you collectively if any man defile.

The temple of God him will God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple known as ye are collectively not only your body is the temple of the holy Spirit but you collectively brothers and sisters in any locality but the universal church the universal assembly is the temple where God is dwelling in the midst of his people living stones not stones of a regular building not cement not wood not metal not glass no but people are the household of God so you notice the apostle Paul says in verse 12 building with the better choice of material meaning if any man build upon this foundation in other words if you build upon the person of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah you have six kind of material that i mentioned here in verse 12 gold silver precious stones that's one group of material that has value gold has a lot of value silver a little bit less value precious stone they have value they will stand the test of fire because they are.

Precious material but then on the other hand we have another kind of material such as wood hay and stubble that's very interesting because the wood and the hay and the stubble will remind us beloved brothers and sisters of material that really is not some material that will be able to last for too long notice that when you have gold when you have silver or precious stone you will put them under the test under fire they will last because they are valuable maybe you will take out of the gold some of the dross but the gold will remain it will melt but will remain same thing with the silver and the precious stone but notice with the other three types of material these are materials that are really not so much material that will last because to have simply a wood and and then hay and then stubble you might have a lot of wood and hay you can make mountains of that and then if you just put it under fire it will not.

Take too long but the wood will burn the hay will burn and the stubble will burn and there will remain nothing for God so we learn here the importance of valuable material and in the spiritual life we will say we learn here about valuable that which is spiritually valuable for God you know sometimes we do something and we claim we do it for God and we really do it for the flesh we do it in the power of the flesh things that seems to be so great we accomplish so much and everyone look at that and they see and they said wow look what he look what she is doing how great things they are doing and yet in the sight of God it has no value when the test will come these great outward appearance of activity it will come to not the wood the hay the stubble will burn in a moment even though when you place them one beside the other it looks it.

Gave an appearance of a huge amount of activity and doings in the lives of those who claim to build for God but on the other hand you have those that build for God in humility with godliness under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God and they are building on the foundation on the knowledge of the person and the work of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah they build some things that have value gold, silver, costly, precious stones that which is valuable and eternal and that is so important that Paul, Shaul is saying listen, building with the better choice of material is very important why and here beloved brothers and sisters Shaul Paul gives us the answer as to this why according to verse 13 because every man's work shall be made manifest see everything that you and I are doing in our lives if we don't do it for Yeshua for Jesus, for Christ and if we only do it in the power of the flesh and not with the right attitude and motive.

And building the with the right material it will not be pleasing God because one day every man's work shall be made manifest you see there is a judgment that is yet to come upon God's people and we must understand that there is what is known to be the judgment seat of Christ of the Messiah and the judgment seat of the Messiah will be only for believers the Corinthians were believers and as we read here every man's work shall be made manifest that mean every believer's work will one day be made manifest at the judgment seat of Christ second Corinthians 5 and verse 10 said For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Mashiach, of the Messiah.

Paul said, For we must all, we, meaning Paul, and you and I, and all believers. The judgment seat of the Messiah is only for believers, and the purpose behind that is to evaluate what kind of life we lived on earth, with what material we built here, the house of God. If we build the temple, the spiritual temple of God with that material that is honoring to the Lord, the right choices that we made in our life. Now there will be other judgment. As we read in Revelation 20 and verse 11 to 15, the judgment of the great white throne judgment, there will be only unbelievers. And they will be judged and will be cast to the lake of fire.

But the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 10, is only for believers, and it is not with respect to our salvation. No, because our salvation was already paid for by Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. When we believed on him and accepted him, we are forgiven for time and for eternity. But the Lord will evaluate what kind of life as believers we lived on earth, as the Corinthians' life was, as yours and mine, and He will reward us at the judgment seat of the Messiah. After He will remove that which was contrary to His will, then He will remove it, and He will reward us for that which we have done for Him.

That's why in verse 12, Paul is saying, Now if any man build upon this foundation, either gold, silver, or precious stones, good material, or wood, hay, and stubble, which is temporary material with no value, cheap material with no quality, He says, every man's work shall be made manifest, verse 13. Listen to this. For the day, verse 13b, the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, it is necessary for each and every one of us to ask ourselves the question, oh God help me search my heart help me to desire to build this spiritual house this spiritual temple with material that is suitable that is honoring to thee and the material meaning that i will be guided under the guidance of the holy Spirit of God doing works that are pleasing to honoring God here in our lives why because if we build with material that is only showy and external material not really sincere every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because the apostle tell us because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is and notice when it comes to verses 14 and 15 we read if any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward notice that any man any woman any brother any sister any redeemed person anything that you and.

Would do if we build thereupon we will live for God under the guidance of the holy Spirit of God a godly life on earth and serving the Lord in sincerity and truth building this house of God in a right way under the leadership of the Spirit of God on the basis of the foundation of the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah if we have built thereupon if it will abide if it will remain if the Lord will be honored by that notice what we read he shall receive a reward God is going to reward us and these rewards will be used for the messianic kingdom when we will come and reign with the Messiah who will restore his earthly people Israel here on earth who will restore the world and establish a messianic kingdom we who are part of the heavenly company the assembly the church will be rewarded so we will use the reward doing the messianic kingdom for the honor of God and for our own blessings but notice what we do read on the other hand in verse 15.

If any man's work shall be burnt that means that anything that we have done according to the flesh and not for the Messiah not for Christ will have to be burned such as according to verse 12 wood, hay and stubble maybe it sounds great maybe it has a great appearance to men but God knows the heart beloved friends and whatever we do we must do all things to the glory of God to the honor and the glory of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah whatever we do to remind you later on in 1 Corinthians 10 31 Paul will say to them whatsoever therefore ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all this to the glory of God in Colossian he will tell it to the Colossian believers as well whatever you do do for the glory of God not for the glory of yourself not for you to be receiving the glory then it is not for God and therefore if any man's work shall be burned if.

It is done in accordance with the flesh according to the self-will and not for the glory of God it will be burned and notice that verse 15b he shall suffer loss the he here or the she is believers that lived life or have done certain works in their life that were not honoring to the Lord and whatever we did that is not honoring to the Lord it will be burnt it will not be useful for the Lord the only thing that has value before God is whatever we done for Christ, for the Mashiach so he or she will suffer loss notice verse 15b but he and I will end but himself or herself shall be saved yet so as by fire that means that the works will burn the works that were done for the flesh for the world, for Satan that will be burned but the believer himself the brother or the sister who are already forgiven they as we read here he himself shall be saved or delivered yet so as by.

Fire and that is so important to understand and this gives us also beloved brothers and sisters comfort to understand that our salvation is not dependent upon the performance in our life in other words there may be people who might do many good things there will be kind people there will be loving people there will be helpful people there will be serving others there will be givers there will be doing many good things and that is beautiful but it doesn't redeem a person what shall wash away our sins nothing but the blood of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In other words, only faith in the person and the work of our Lord Jesus the Messiah provides salvation. But now that we are saved, our works are important not for salvation, but because of our salvation. I hope we understand this, beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters. This is so important to grasp because it will help us in understanding that our salvation is secure and has nothing to do with works, but it has everything to do with the finished work of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Let me read you a verse from Titus chapter 3. It says in verse 4, But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, through Yeshua HaMashiach, our Moshiach, our Savior.

And then notice, in the next following verses, in verse 8, the Apostle Shaul Paul continued to tell to Titus, this is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou will affirm constantly the day which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men notice our salvation is not by works but now that we have been redeemed forgiven and saved our works is because of the salvation that we already have and therefore when the people of God each one of us individually will stand before the judgment seat of Christ for we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah that every man notice this in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and there the apostle Paul emphasizes 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 10 for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done whether it be good or bad so the believers will appear at the judgment.

Seat of the Messiah which will happen in heaven after the rapture but it's not there the judgment in relationship to our salvation not at all but it is in relationship to the rewards that the believers will receive when they have served God and they build here the spiritual house of God with material which is valuable such as gold silver and precious stone and these materials simply apply to the attitude in our life to the behavior in our life to the motives in our life it has to do with the spiritual value rather than material value and that is very important to understand do we build with spiritual valuable material or with carnal unvaluable material that will ultimately be burned and will not stand the test when we will stand one day before the Lord and so Shaul Paul continue now in verses 16 and 17 as he emphasizes the necessity to build with the right material in verses 16 and 17 Paul reminding the Corinthians that God's people are.

God's temple collectively know ye not that ye and I would like to emphasize this beloved brothers and sisters it's not now your body that he will mention in first Corinthians 6 but of course our body as the temple of God is to live we have to live godly in our life in our bodies but when our bodies are recognized that it is the temple of God now our behavior with one another will take an effect and that's why he's saying in verse 16 know you know that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you you know that the holy Spirit of God is not only dwelling in the body of every believer but the holy Spirit of God is dwelling in the local assembly among the believers together collectively that's why there is the danger to quench the Spirit of God first Thessalonians tell us quench not the spirit why because when we don't conduct ourselves with the right attitude towards one another other believers we are liable to quench to take the.

Liberty away from the Spirit of God to work among the the local assembly the believers in the local assembly that's why Paul said quench not the spirit this is in relationship to the a local assembly in relationship to the whole house of God collectively but we also read grieve not the Spirit of God in the book of Ephesians because the Spirit of God can be grieved individually in our life and that's why we are always in danger to grieve the Holy Spirit of God and we are called not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God beloved brothers and sisters because the Spirit of God is a person and when the person is being grieved he we don't give him the liberty that he needs that he desires to have in the individual life of each and every one of us as well so it is important to see to distinguish between the collective and the individuals beloved brothers and sisters we do read in Ephesians chapter 1 in verse 13 in whom.

Ye also trusted after that ye heard of the word of the truth of the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye have believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and then in chapter 4 of Ephesians and verse 30 we read, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. So, Ephesians 1.13, Ephesians 4.30 is in relationship to the body of every one of us, to the temple. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. But in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, here, beloved brothers and sisters, it is collective. The Spirit of God, according to verse 16 know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you if any man verse 17 defile the temple of God him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple ye collectively are you corinthian and you beloved friends in your local church local assembly local congregation collectively we are the temple of God and one must be very.

Careful and cautious to build the spiritual house of God with the right spiritual material that honor the Lord because every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is now as we are moving along to verses 18 19 and 20 here's the third point that Shaul Paul is emphasizing to the Corinthians that we who are the house of God the temple of God where the Messiah is dwelling in the midst of his own where the Spirit of God is in the house of God among the believers collectively, we must also build according to the plan of God.

Don't make your own plan. Don't have your own agenda, Paul is saying to the Corinthians and to you and I as well. But listen to the plan and the program of God. And so you notice in verse 18, 19, and 20, Paul charged the Corinthian to build according to the right plan. In verse 18, Paul said, Do not be deceived. Don't be deceived. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become full that he may be wise. In other words, don't deceive yourself, he's saying to the Corinthian. In verse 19, he's reminding the Corinthian that the world's wisdom is foolishness.

Don't you try to build God's house like the world, in the power of the flesh, trying to be occupied and to conform, to be conformed to this world. Verse 19, Paul says, for the wisdom of the world is foolishness. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. Beloved brothers and sisters, the building that we as believers are called to build, the temple, the spiritual house of God, is to be built not according to the wisdom of the world. You remember what John said in 1 John 2, You remember what Paul said to the Romans in Romans chapter 12. He said to every believer, he said to them, Don't be conformed to this world.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable servant, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For you individually, but when it becomes for us individually, it will be used by the Lord in the collective aspect. In other words, when God's people live in godly life individually, when they gather together around the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, it is evident among the collective local assembly. And that was the problem at Corinth.

They have allowed all the human wisdom, all the philosophy from where they came from at Corinth, paganism, godlessness, idolatry pride and arrogance they brought it into the local church the local assembly and that's why there was envying and strife and divisions he said to them are ye not carnal in verse 3 of chapter 3 that's why he is saying Paul listen do not deceive yourself you must build this spiritual house according to the plan of God not according to the plan of the world because the world can so easily come in and when the local assembly behave in a bad way they behave like the world you know brothers and sisters sadly that's why there are so many divisions in the professing church today in the days of the Laodicean days that's why the church is so divided why because there is envy there is strife there is division there is carnality there is lack of building upon the foundation of the person and the work of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah there is a false doctrine creeping in there is godlessness creeping.

Into the assembly and to the church and it's so easy for us they sin that so easily beset us and lo and behold slowly but surely the professing church the assembly the church the congregation become like the world that's why Paul is challenging the Corinthians not to be deceived verse 18 to recognize that the world wisdom is foolishness with God verse 19 and the Lord do not think as men think God has his own plan notice that I'm reading verse 20 and again the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are vain you see when we are wise in our own imagination and we are bringing into the collective assembly the collective church, congregation the thoughts of the world, worldliness what happened?

The Lord knows the thought of the wise those who are wise in themselves that's why he's saying to them in verse 18 let no man deceive himself if any man among you seems to be wise in this world let him become fool that he may be wise all beloved brothers and sisters this is exactly what the apostle already wrote in the first chapter to the Corinthians you remember what he wrote in the earlier verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 1 he said in verse 18 for the preaching of the cross to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach the Messiah crucified, unto the Jews is a stumbling block, but unto the Greeks is foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, the Messiah, Christ, Christos, is the power of God and the wisdom of God. And so what we read, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 18, 19, and 20, that we must build in that spiritual house according to the right plan, not to allow ourselves to be deceived by the world and its foolishness, but to build the spiritual house in accordance with the plan of God.

God has a plan. God has a plan. There is a verse in Philippians 2, verses 12 and 13, where we do read, Wherefore, my beloved brethren, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling in other words work out the salvation that you already have with fear and trembling the fear of God the reverence towards God for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure God works in you God works in me God working us to do his own pleasure we must seek for God's wisdom and not to depend upon man's wisdom in first Corinthians 3 and verse 18 19 and 20 we must build according to the plan of God and not to allow ourselves to be influenced by the wisdom of this world let no man deceive himself if any man among you seem to be wise in this world let him become fools that he may be.

Wise and then verse 20 and again the Lord knows the thoughts of the people who think they are wise that they are vain and so beloved brothers and sisters in the last three verses of first Corinthians chapter 3 verses 21 22 and 23 Shaul Paul points to the fourth important way whereby the believers must build the house of God there must be a right motive in your heart and mind as we are serving the Lord here in this word so we must build with proper right motives so we read in verse 21, 22 and 23 therefore let no man glory in men for all things are yours don't glory in men, don't glory in Paul don't glory in Apollos don't glory in Cephas in Shimon Petro don't glory in men, don't glory in yourself, don't glory in any other man only glory in the Lord when we glory in men we find ourselves that men fail us beloved brothers and sisters men we all fail one another and others failing us that's why we are never to glory in men.

God said to our own people Israel Years ago by the prophet Jeremiah Jeremiah chapter 9 And verse 23 and 24 Thus says the Lord Let not the wise men glory in his wisdom Neither let the mighty men glory in his might Let not the rich men glory in his riches But notice verse 24 God said to Israel To his earthly people years ago But let him that glory, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, this is chesed, grace, judgment, mishpat, and righteousness, tzedakah, that which is right, in the earth. For in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

Don't glow in men. Don't glow in men's wisdom. Don't glow in men's power. Don't glow in men's wealth. But glory in me. Glory in the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. So verse 21. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours. Verse 22, whether Paul, Paul is yours, whether Apollos, Apollos is yours, whether Cephas, this is Shimon, Petros, he is yours. In other words, these are servants that God raised to serve you. But don't glow in them, they are yours, all of them. Because they are servants. And then he continued in verse 22, or the world, or the earth, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours.

You know, brothers and sisters, God's servants belong to us. The whole world belongs to the believers. Life, even death belongs to us, because death for the believer takes us and ushers us immediately to the presence of God, absent from the body, present with the Lord, 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 8. Or things present or things to come all things are yours the apostle Paul said to the corinthian and notice he continued and he closed this chapter by saying in verse 23 and ye are messiahs or Christ's and Christ is God you belong to the Lord Yeshua ha-Mashiach and he the anointed one the Mashiach, Christ, he belongs to God because he is God the Son, whom the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of this world.

So God sent his beloved Son, the Messiah, Yeshua, to save us, to pay for the sin of this world. And we now who are saved, we belong to him. And all things belong to us, Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the earth, life, death, Things present, things to come, all belong to the Corinthians, all belong to the believers, all belong to those that have accepted the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. This is fascinating, beloved brothers and sisters. We read in 2 Corinthians 2 and verse 16, To the one we are the Savior of death unto death, and to the other Savior of life unto life, And who is sufficient for these things?

2 Corinthians 3 and verse 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Everything we have and everything we are, our sufficiency is of God. And we belong to our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 3, verse 9b to verse 23, Shaul Paul emphasized the need that we are to build this house of God, the spiritual temple of God, with the goal is to have good quality of material to build this house. We must build upon the right foundation. We must build with the right material. We must build according to the right plan of God. And we must build with the right motive.

Our motive should be to honor God and to be a blessing for the people of God. So, beloved brothers and sisters, may God encourage us and help us to continue on and to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah that we will build in such a way that it will be honoring to the Lord because the church is God's temple God's building ye are the house of God well God bless you beloved brothers and sisters may the Lord bless his word until the next time we say to you all shalom shalom