1 Corinthians 3:9-11

The Church is God's Building

Then, Paul and Apollos were workers together under God. The field they worked in, which literally could be translated "tilled land," was God's. To further illustrate, Paul called the church God's building (1 Corinthians 3:9). So, the glory belonged to God, as the Psalmist said, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, and because of Your truth" (Psalms 115:1).

Paul had used his spiritual gifts to lay the foundation God wanted laid. He warned those building on that foundation to be careful how they built upon it because it was God's foundation (1 Corinthians 3:10). In the Galatian letter he wrote, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6-9).

Christ is the rock foundation of the church. He told his disciples he would build his church on the foundation fact that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-20). Peter told the members of the Sanhedrin, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:11-12; Ephesians 2:20). Controversy over whether Peter is the "rock" of Matthew 16:1-28 ends in Paul's statement in (1 Corinthians 3:11).