By the Rev. Ed Ganus

In I Corinthians 3:3-11, The Apostle Paul writes to the church at Corinth about working together.

The principle works in the church, business, government, family and any project or task undertaken.

First, there is pleasure in working together, Paul points out that there were divisions among those in Corinth.

In verse 3, he says, “.. .For where there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

V.-4, For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” The idea he presents is that each one wants to be a little more important than those around him or her. It is a selfish attitude which will always lead to less than the best results in reaching a common goal.

In verse 5, Paul ask, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man.?

V.-6,1 have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

V.-7, So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watererth; but God that giveth the increase.”

He points out that each has something to accomplish that is important to reach the goal and all are working to reach that same goal and the one of importance is God who created heaven and earth and all that was created including us.

The pleasure comes as we focus on the goal and see that it is only accomplished with greatest results by each one doing his best and recognizing how important others are to reach the goal.

Second, there is progress in working together. In verse 8, Paul says, he that planteth and he that watereth are one and that each shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

I remember when I was about twelve years old one of the farmers in our community became very sick just after he had planted his crop.

The community came together and cultivated his cotton, corn, peanuts and all of his crop.

His sickness became worse by harvest time and the community harvested the crop for him and he died because of the sickness.

Because the community worked together his family made it through the hard times of sickness.

Progress comes by working together.

Third, there is power in working together.

Church buildings are built by the power of the members working together.

Sunday Schools and other ministries grow by the power of the members working together.

My father taught us that if you take a stick and put on enough pressure it will break and maybe two or three together will break, but they are harder to break and if you get enough sticks together you will not be able to break them with out an outside power.

If enough work together much can be accomplished.

In verse 9, Paul said, “For we are laborers together with God.”

Here is the way to the best results, if we fit into God’s eternal plan and work with Him we will get the best results.