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Scott's Reference Library
1 Corinthians 3:16 through 1 Corinthians
3:23 (NIV)
16Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit
lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s
temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the
standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise.
19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written:
“He catches the wise in their craftiness” ; 20and again, “The Lord knows that
the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 21So then, no more boasting about men!
All things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life
or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23and you are of Christ,
and Christ is of God.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 16-17
From other parts of the epistle, it appears that the false teachers among the
Corinthians taught unholy doctrines. Such teaching tended to corrupt, to
pollute, and destroy the building, which should be kept pure and holy for God.
Those who spread loose principles, which render the church of God unholy, bring
destruction upon themselves. Christ by his Spirit dwells in all true believers.
Christians are holy by profession, and should be pure and clean, both in heart
and conversation. He is deceived who deems himself the temple of the Holy Ghost,
yet is unconcerned about personal holiness, or the peace and purity of the
church.
VERSES 18-23
To have a high opinion of our own wisdom, is but to flatter ourselves; and
self-flattery is the next step to self-deceit. The wisdom that wordly men
esteem, is foolishness with God. How justly does he despise, and how easily can
he baffle and confound it! The thoughts of the wisest men in the world, have
vanity, weakness, and folly in them. All this should teach us to be humble, and
make us willing to be taught of God, so as not to be led away, by pretences to
human wisdom and skill, from the simple truths revealed by Christ. Mankind are
very apt to oppose the design of the mercies of God. Observe the spiritual
riches of a true believer; “All are yours,” even ministers and ordinances. Nay,
the world itself is yours. Saints have as much of it as Infinite Wisdom sees fit
for them, and they have it with the Divine blessing. Life is yours, that you may
have a season and opportunity to prepare for the life of heaven; and death is
yours, that you may go to the possession of it. It is the kind messenger to take
you from sin and sorrow, and to guide you to your Father’s house. Things present
are yours, for your support on the road; things to come are yours, to delight
you for ever at your journey’s end. If we belong to Christ, and are true to him,
all good belongs to us, and is sure to us. Believers are the subjects of his
kingdom. He is Lord over us, we must own his dominion, and cheerfully submit to
his command. God in Christ, reconciling a sinful world to himself, and pouring
the riches of his grace on a reconciled world, is the sum and substance of the
gospel.