--- title: "Follow Christ, Not Man" description: "A fresh look at why divisions and personality cults are distractions, and how to build a life that actually lasts when everything is tested by fire." image: "" book: "1 Corinthians" bookId: "1CO" testament: "new" startChapter: 3 startVerse: 1 endChapter: 4 endVerse: 5 coversChapters: [3,4] aiTitle: "Why We Need to Stop Idolizing Leaders and Start Focusing on the Foundation" aiDescription: "A fresh look at why divisions and personality cults are distractions, and how to build a life that actually lasts when everything is tested by fire." hasAiStory: true location: "" persons: ["Paul","Apollos","God","Jesus","Peter"] hashtags: ["faith","servanthood","stewardship","judgment"] genre: "epistle" readingTime: 3 type: "adaptive" slug: "1CO/follow-christ-not-man" canonicalId: "1CO.3.1-4.5" chronologicalOrder: 1611 relatedSlugs: ["HEB/much-to-say-about-this","2CO/hardships-and-gods-grace","EPH/unity-in-the-body","JHN/the-promise-of-the-holy-spirit","1PE/the-living-stone-and-chosen-people","1PE/suffering-for-righteousness-living-for-gods-glory-suffering-as-christians-instructions-to-elders","1CO/prophecy-and-tongues","JAS/the-wisdom-from-above","2CO/ministers-of-a-new-covenant","1CO/call-for-unity-in-the-church","GAL/freedom-in-christ","TIT/heirs-of-grace-avoid-divisions-final-remarks-and-greetings"] prevSlug: "1CO/spiritual-wisdom" nextSlug: "1CO/do-not-be-proud" --- It is time for a reality check in our community. We have been acting like children, choosing sides and treating our leaders like sports team mascots. People are shouting, 'I follow [Paul](/persons/paul)!' or 'I follow [Apollos](/persons/apollos)!' as if these figures are the main event. Let’s be clear: they are just workers. One person might plant the seed and another might water it, but the credit for any real growth belongs entirely to [God](/persons/god). We need to stop looking at leaders as if they are the masters of our lives. You are the field, and you are the building. The real work is what happens inside you. Think of your life as a construction project. There is only one foundation that matters—[Jesus Christ](/persons/jesus). Everything you add to that foundation after that is what you are building your legacy with. Are you using gold and silver, or are you just piling up wood and hay? The truth is, a day is coming where everything will be put to the test. If your work is built on something hollow, it won’t survive the heat. This goes beyond just individual projects; it is about our identity as a collective. We are a living temple, and the Spirit of God is actually dwelling in us. That is not something to take lightly. If we keep acting like the 'wise' people of this world, we are missing the point. The world’s version of wisdom is just a shortcut to nowhere. Real wisdom often looks like foolishness to the status quo, but it is the only kind that holds water. So, here is the bottom line: stop boasting about human figures. Whether it is Paul, Apollos, or any other personality, they are here for you, not the other way around. Your life is not a ladder to climb; it is a gift that you already own. You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. That is the only hierarchy that matters. When it comes to those of us leading, do not worry about human approval or internal critics. I don’t even judge myself. At the end of the day, the only review that counts is from the Lord. He is the one who sees the hidden motives in the dark and brings them into the light. Until that time, stop the infighting, stop the judging, and focus on the foundation. ### [God](/persons/god)’s Fellow Workers Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in [Christ](/persons/jesus). I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man? For when one of you says, “I follow [Paul](/persons/paul),” and another, “I follow [Apollos](/persons/apollos),” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. ### Christ Our Foundation By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames. ### God’s Temple and God’s Wisdom Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or [Cephas](/persons/peter) or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. ### Servants of Christ So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

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