1 Corinthians

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1 Corinthians 3 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on 1 Corinthians 3 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 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?

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

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.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

BOM: 1 Nephi 22:17

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy."
If you defile the temple of God, God will destroy you.
Does hell exist?

The temple of God is one's body. The author of the SAB interprets “destroy” as God shall not cast him in hell, but shall remove his existence. The word destroy does not really mean to blot out one's existence. But taken in the context, the word destroy means here that God shall destroy or corrupt —as it usually is translated— his temple; cast his body and soul into hell. See also the meaning of the Greek word used here.

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

(3:18-19) "If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise."
Christians who want to be wise must become fools. But then they'll have a problem since fools shall not stand in the sight of God (Ps.5:5)
Is it good to be foolish?

The apostle doesn't say this to all Christians, nor to all Christians who want to be wise. He addresses those that “seemeth to be wise in this world.” As the apostle says in the next verse: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”
The Bible just reverses the positions that count in the world. The apostle Paul is not urging people to become fools in the Biblical sense. The the wise of this world say (Ps. 14:1): “There is no God,” But God counts them as fools. Also the Biblical fools are workers of iniquity says Ps. 5:5.
Of course Paul doesn't urge people here to become sinners or deny God's existence. The apostle is urging everyone to seek true wisdom, not to become fools. He is urging them to become wise in the eyes of God, by becoming fools in the eyes of the world.

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.