Laborers Together With God

By Ben F. Vick Hr.

In the midst of dealing with factions who were following various men in the church at Corinth, Paul wrote, "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building" (I Corinthians 3:9). These parties had been elevating certain persons above others. Earlier Paul had related, "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ" (I Corinthians 1:12). Paul had asked three rhetorical questions which demanded a negative answer: "Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (I Corinthians 1:13). The wisdom of this world is to be followers of man and to disregard the importance of the inspired revelation. It is infantile to be attached to men to the degree that one will ignore God's word. Paul wrote, "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour" (I Corinthians 3:5-8).

Within the same discussion Paul wrote, "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another" (I Corinthians 4:6). The apostle said that he and Apollos were "but ministers by whom ye believed" (I Corinthians 3:5).

They were mere servants. The original word there in other places means to serve tables. Paul said we are merely table servers, waiters serving the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our test says, "For we are laborers together with God..."

WE. "We," not I alone, not Apollos alone, nor Peter alone. "We," meaning Paul, Apollos, Peter and all those saints at Corinth. If you and I had been at Corinth, would we have been part of that "we"? Those who had been sanctified by the gospel, because they had heard the word, had believed it and had been baptized were of the "we" (Acts 18:8). The "we" did not include those who had not been added to the church. In order to be the "we" one must be obedient to the gospel of Christ.

ARE LABOURERS. The words "labourers together" is one word in the Greek, but or our purposes, I want to key in on the English word "labourers." Jesus said "... unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38). The disciples on one occasion were concerned that Jesus had not eaten; he had been talking to the Samaritan woman. They asked him if anyone had brought him something to eat. John records, "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours" (John 4:34-38).

What was true then, is still true today. The fields are white unto the harvest; there are people in need of the truth now, just as then. Note too, that the tense of the verb is present tense. Paul did not say; We were labourers together... He said we are labourers together. Some may seem to take pleasure in what they did in the past, but they are resting on their laurels now. Brother Hardeman used to tell of a man who went to buy a horse. The seller showed the man the horse and extolled how great it had been, going on and on about it. The buyer said, "Sir, I do not want a "waser", I want an "isser." There is no retiring for the Christian in this life; it comes at the end. "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:13). We sing many songs that encourage us to work in the vineyard of the Lord: Work For The Night Is Coming, Will You No Tell It Today, To The Work, Make Me A Channel Of Blessing, I Want To Be A Worker, A Soul Winner For Jesus.

TOGETHER. Paul had stated, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase" (I Corinthians 3:6). Though one plants and another waters, they are one; that is, one in purpose, goal. That goal is reaching the lost with the gospel. Though one preaches, another invites, another brings one to the services, another makes a visit, another sends a card or makes a call, all are working together. "Many hands make light work." Whether one is encouraging others to attend our Vacation Bible School, or our gospel meeting or one of our regular services, or setting up a home Bible study, the purpose is reaching the lost (Luke 19:10).

Working "together" is fellowship. It is joint participation. Though each has his strengths, all can work together for one purpose to glorify God (John 15:8). However, people can be united in causes that are not right. For example, Ananias and Sapphira were working together in lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). Also, Pilate and Herod worked together in putting Jesus to death (Luke 23:12). Again, often the enemies of Christ work together to try to destroy God's people.

WITH GOD. Paul did not leave God out of the equation. It is God's work. It is God who gives the increase when we plant and water. All glory goes to God. We should be sure that we are laboring WITH God, not AGAINST him. Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30).