In 3:10 Paul urges us to take heed how we build upon Christ as the unique foundation. The believers in Corinth were not to build with their Greek culture, philosophy, or makeup. To build in that way is to build with wood, grass, and stubble, not with gold, silver, and precious stones. What does it mean to build with these precious materials? We may say that it is to build with Christ Himself. But we need to go further and see that Christ is the embodiment of the Triune God. With the Triune God we have God the Father as the gold, the redemption of God the Son as the silver, and the transforming work of God the Spirit as precious stones. As we have pointed out, in experience the precious stones are the totality of gold and silver. This means that the Spirit transforms us by means of the divine nature and the cross of Christ. To experience the transforming work of the Spirit is to undergo a metabolic change by the divine life within us.
Once again I wish to point out that chapters one, two, and three of this book are very deep. These chapters are not primarily doctrinal, but experiential. Paul did not compose these chapters with doctrine or theology as the basis. Rather, he composed them according to the actual situation and condition of the church in Corinth. We need to be deeply impressed with the fact that the situation among the believers there was that their living was pervaded by Greek culture, philosophy, and wisdom. They were altogether living according to the Greek way of life. Therefore, Paul was burdened to show them that this is not the way to have the Christian life, the church life, or the Body life. In God’s economy the center must be Christ and Christ alone. We have been called into the fellowship of Christ, the Christ who is theirs and ours. This means that Christ is our unique portion, the portion of all those who believe in Him and call upon His name. Since Christ is our only portion, we should not have our own choices or preferences. We should not exalt anyone or anything other than Christ. Christ is the unique portion given to all the saints, and He is everything to us for our living. Christ is wisdom to us from God, our daily righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This is the central thought concerning Christ in these few chapters.
In 2:10 Paul says, “For God has revealed them to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” Christ is God’s depths, the depths of God’s being. These depths can be realized and discerned not by our philosophical mind, but only by our regenerated spirit indwelt by the Spirit of God. By means of the mingled spirit alone can we discern the depths of God, the different aspects of Christ as our portion for our enjoyment.
Based upon the revelation given in chapters one and two, Paul in chapter three points out to the Corinthians that God’s goal is to have a building, the temple, for His habitation. It is not God’s intention to have a group of wise men or philosophers. God’s goal is to have the church. This church must be a building, called the temple, for God’s habitation. In order to reach this goal, God must have the church first as a farm to grow the materials for the building. Through the process of growth on the farm, the building comes into existence. This building is God’s temple.
In chapter three Paul seems to be saying, “You Corinthian believers should no longer seek to be wise. Instead, you should be plants growing on God’s farm. There is no need for you to philosophize so much. You should be simple and know nothing except Christ. Then you will grow in Him and with Him, and you will even grow Him. Eventually, in your growth, you will be transformed and become the gold, silver, and precious stones as the materials for the building up of God’s temple. Your urgent need today is not to philosophize—it is to grow. It is not to exercise your mind so much, but to remain continually in your spirit, where the Spirit of God dwells. Here, in the spirit, you will absorb Christ. Christ will then become your nourishment, and you will grow with Him and become precious materials for God’s building. You don’t need to philosophize—you simply need to grow and build. But when you build, do not lay another foundation. Christ, the unique foundation, has already been laid. You should not make Paul, Cephas, or Apollos or any aspect of Greek culture or philosophy your foundation. Put all these persons and things aside, and simply build on Christ as the unique foundation. I have ministered Christ to you, and now you need to build upon Him. But you need to build with gold, silver, and precious stones, not with your nature, your being, or your doings.”
Wood refers to our nature, our natural makeup, grass to our being, and stubble to our doings. We should never use our nature, our being, or our doings to build the church. Instead, we must renounce all these things and reject them. For the proper building we need to enjoy, experience, and possess the nature of God the Father and the redemptive work of the Son. As we experience the Father and the Son in this way, we shall be in our spirit with the Spirit of God. Spontaneously the outcome, the issue, will be precious stones. If we build with gold, silver, and precious stones, we shall build with the proper materials on Christ as the only foundation.