ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO BE A FELLOW-WORKER WITH GOD?

Dearly Beloved,

ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO BE A FELLOW-WORKER WITH GOD?

“For we are God's fellow-workers; you are God's field, God's building” (1 Corinthians 3:9 NIV).

First Corinthians 3:9 has been the popular key verse of the Baptist Women Missionary Union of Nigeria. It is evident that the verse is not only applicable to the Baptist women that have made it their slogan. It is applicable to every true believer in Jesus Christ. However, who is qualified to be a fellow-worker with God? Can you really say you are a fellow-worker with God?

Being a cosmopolitan church in a city full of immorality, paganism, and Greek philosophy, the early church in the town of Corinth was a crisis-ridden church. Apostle Paul had to write to address these crises. One of the crises, division in the church, led to the popular verse. A closer look at the verse will help us understand what Paul really meant in the verse and thereby deduce the qualifications of a fellow-worker with God from the rest of the chapter. There are two pronouns in the verse from the popular English versions of the Holy Bible. Who were the “we” and who were the “you”? Undoubtedly, the Corinthian Christians were the “you”. Paul and Apollos were the “we.”

This simple interpretation will help bring out the qualifications of a fellow-worker with God from the whole chapter. One, a fellow-worker with God must be spiritually mature not like the Corinthian Christians that were mere infants in the faith because of rancour and jealousy (verses 1-3). Two, a fellow-worker with God must be Christ-centred, not people-centred (verse 4, cf. Hebrews 12:1-2). Three, a fellow-worker with God must be an instrument in the hands of God (verses 5-6) who will be “…useful to the Master and [be] prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 NIV). Four, a fellow-worker with God must be purposeful (verse 8). Five, a fellow-worker with God must be a careful builder (verse 10). Six, a fellow-worker with God must be God’s temple (verse 17) that will daily “…present [his or her body as] a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1 NKJV). Lastly, a fellow-worker with God must be ready to a “fool” (verses 18-20, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

God desires people to be His fellow-workers in His vineyard. Are you ready to be one? Are you qualified based on the qualifications above to be a fellow-worker with God? You cannot work for God or serve Him if you do not have these qualifications. God bless you!

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

NB
This is an abridged version of an article delivered during the annual leadership retreat of a church. If you want the full text of the article, write me. God bless you!