God, and only God can give the Increase!

God gives His Word power, and Increase; Not men, nor Men’s version of what they say!

1Corinthians 3:1-11 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (2) I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (3) For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (4) For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

The Apostle Paul was a man of God that walked with God daily in his walk. Paul could have spoken wisely, on all spiritual things with these men, but they were entangled with the things of this world far more than they cared about the things of God, and Paul knew this by their actions and lives. These men talked a good game, they spoke of how they followed the men of God, and acted as the men of God did; but their hearts were not true to God but to themselves. It is all said in one small line in verse 3; For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Sounds like most Christians today! So many Christians today say they do great things, and yet their lives do not truly show they serve God but themselves.

The most important line among this section of scripture is so complete and simple; Where Paul says, and gives all the glory to God, and Him alone, in verse 6:

(6) I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

If you have understood this at all so far you would realize that Paul is saying that he and Apollos has shared the things of God with others, who are weak, and have little understanding; where one spreads the Word of God with them, and the other comes in behind and continues to add to more of God’s Holy Word with them. It is not wise words from their mouth’s, but words from God, and about God, and how we are to change and act I this world, to have fruit and benefit the Kingdom of God to further it, not the things of men.

The rest of this passage elaborates and enhances what Paul said!

(7) So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. (8) Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. (9) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. (10) According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. (11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Folks there are many things here, but do notice that the Kingdom of God is all about Jesus the Christ and nothing else. That we are the building, Not a Building as some want to make it but the building itself for we are a congregation of like minded believers in Christ!! Christ as other scriptures bring out is the corner stone of the Kingdom of God! And only God can make anyone understand this or see this, and so it is God that gives the Increase not any man, or woman!

There is no word of any man that can regenerate, or save a soul from hell, or educate them in the ways of God unless God gives it power to do so! To God belongs the Glory!