1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are laborers together with God: you are God's husbandry, you are God's building. I. ITS FOUNDATION. A wise builder is always most attentive to this, because the stability of the structure can only be secured by that of the foundation (Matthew 7:24). We are thus prepared to find the Church of Christ represented as built upon a rock, i.e., Christ. In His complex nature He becomes, by His obedience and death, the ground on which guilty men are brought to stand and live again in the favour of the Almighty (Acts 4:11, 12). II. THE EDIFICE. 1. The Church of Christ is an edifice composed of rational and immortal beings, brought out of a fallen state, to stand in an intimate relation to Him, and to God through Him. They are all united to Him in their hearts by faith, and meet together in that union. This Church hath both an outward form, and an inward grace. The visible Church is composed of all in every place, who make an open profession of faith in Christ. But many of these make this profession in the absence of any Divine principle of faith in their hearts. These are only nominally of the temple of God. They live upon a name. "Thou hast a name, that thou livest, but art dead." The profession of the rest, however, is that which results from the principle within: for "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness," &c. These are the true and real temple, "builded together for a habitation of God, through the Spirit." As the practised eye of the jeweller discerns the real gem from the artificial resemblance, and uses means to make the difference manifest, that the precious may be separated from the vile, so does Christ distinguish those in His Church who are really partakers of "like precious faith," from those who have the appearance of it only. 2. Such is the analogy to be traced between the spiritual temple of God upon earth, and a material sacred edifice. As far, however, as heavenly things exceed earthly ones, they are incapable of being fully represented by such, e.g. — (1) No stone moves itself to the foundation. It is taken from the quarry and carried to it to be placed upon it, without the possibility of its own concurrence. But here there is a principle of spiritual life, in consequence of which the individual goes to Christ to be redeemed unto God by Him and made to live in His sight. "Unto you that believe, Christ is precious; to whom, coming, as unto a living stone, ye also," &c. (2) Every stone in this Divine fabric is immediately united to the Foundation, and all of them that are equally near to it. This cannot be the case with a material building. But the souls of all believers in Christ are equally intimately united to Him by their own personal faith.(a) The faith of the parent cannot save the child, nor that of the husband the wife.(b) Neither have we any saving connection with Christ by an outward union to His Church and participation of its ordinances. "Being in the Lord" is a constant phrase of the New Testament in describing a state of salvation. (3) Every portion of spiritual building makes increase of itself and the whole by the addition of other parts. This is out of question with respect to any erection of man. (J. Leifchild, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.WEB: For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's farming, God's building. |
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