Graduate from the First Grade

Lectionary passage 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

You could call the condition arrested development. Apostle Paul pointed out that the spirituality of the Corinthians was as immature as a baby at the breast. A sweet, suckling little child can turn into a holy terror when removed from the breast. It’s quite expected from a newborn, but not from we who should have been weaned long ago. Growing up in Christ should be as natural as graduating from grade to grade in school, going on to bigger challenges and opportunities. Paul points to the division and contentiousness in people as proof that they do not understand the basics; first and foremost that Christ is our model, not any church figure, including himself. Paul’s humility mirrors that of Christ, who humbled himself to the point of death, showing us what true heroes do- serve humbly, give their lives, and grow into their gloriously humble and holy destiny.