The wisdom of God is revealed in His written Word. Believers are to take the time to consider because it is most profitable to the human soul. Faith in God’s Word is the beginning of wisdom. And appropriating God’s wisdom makes one wise unto salvation, understanding the things in the spiritual realm that impact the physical realm. The things that make for true peace and joy in the heart surpasses the blind accumulation of riches for mortal security.

The Apostle Paul quotes Job 5:13 “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.” The admonition is that God’s people be wise in the things of God. To take hold eternal life through salvation in Jesus Christ. To put aside the wisdom of this world and to take the time to imbibe the wisdom of God.

The Apostle Paul speaks of the body of Christ, the household of God, the saints as the temple of God in Ephesians 2:19-22 too. Each person individually as together as a building wherein God dwells, built upon Jesus Christ as the foundation.

Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Believers are to live holy lives because they been made clean of all their sins by Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross through faith. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers. They are the temple of God. But if believers having been freed from the bondage of sin chooses to go back to the filth of sin, defiling themselves, God will deal with such ones.

The Apostle Paul exhorts God’s people to be actively serving their Lord Jesus Christ. Upon Jesus, this sure foundation we are to build. He enlightens us in 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. He especially charges those in the ministry – pastors, preachers, missionaries to be watchful how they will serve. Unless Jesus Christ is assimilated in their lives and in their teachings the name of Christ is exalted, their ministry will surely suffer loss.

There is only one way by which man can be saved. It is faith in Jesus Christ. This is the sure foundation that will stand the severest test. The only true foundation in which we receive spiritual life and the perpetual sustenance of it. This is the message of the gospel that the Apostle Paul preached, the same message we learn to preach.

The Apostle Paul shares the secret of his success. He is doing the will of God and so God endows him with wisdom and favour to build-up spiritual lives compared here to a building project. The word “master-builder” literally means “architect”. He speaks of God helping him to preach the gospel and enabling those in Corinth to believe. He laid a good foundation for their faith to grow. But he was not the only one labouring. There is another servant of God Apollos who continued the work where he left off. His concern for the church in Corinth did not cease when he left Corinth to carry on God’s work in other places. He is keenly aware of the strife and division in the Corinthian church and he is writing to defuse that animosity amongst brethren.

The Apostle Paul presents to the believers a proper understanding of God’s servants. They are fellow workers of God cultivating the crops in God’s vineyard. The vineyard belongs to God. The church belongs to God. The believers are God’s people. God’s servants are working together to accomplish God’s will and purpose for the salvation and edification of His church. He alone must receive the glory. With such an understanding, all division and strife will cease. Notice the emphasis of the verse on “God”, repeated three times in the “genitive” signifying “ownership”.