1 Corinthians 3 The Passion

The Church, God’s Inner Sanctuary

¹⁶ Don’t you realize that together you have become God’s inner sanctuary^[i] and that the Spirit of God makes his permanent home in you?^{[j] 17} Now, if someone desecrates^[k] God’s inner sanctuary, God will desecrate him, for God’s inner sanctuary is holy, and that is exactly who you are.

True Wisdom

¹⁸ So why fool yourself and live under an illusion?^[l] Make no mistake about it, if anyone thinks he is wise by the world’s standards, he will be made wiser by being a fool for God!^{[m] 19} For what the world says is wisdom is actually foolishness in God’s eyes. As it is written:

The cleverness of the know-it-alls
    becomes the trap^[n] that ensnares them.

²⁰ And again:

The Lord sees right through
    the clever reasonings of the wise
    and knows that it’s all a sham.^[o]

²¹ So don’t be proud of your allegiance to any human leader. For actually, you already have everything! It has all been given for your benefit, ²² whether it is Paul or Apollos or Peter the Rock,^[p] or whether it’s the world^[q] or life or death,^[r] or whether it’s the present or the future—everything belongs to you! ²³ And now you are joined to the Messiah, who is joined to God.

COME, Saviour Jesus, from above,
Assist me with thy heavenly grace;
Empty my heart of earthly love,
And for thyself prepare the place.

2 O let thy sacred presence fill
And set my longing spirit free,
Which wants to have no other will,
But day and night to feast on thee!

3 Henceforth may no profane delight
Divide this consecrated soul;
Possess it thou, who hast the right,
As Lord and Master of the whole.

4 Wealth, honour, pleasure, and what else
This short-enduring world can give,
Tempt as ye will, my soul repels;
To Christ alone resolved to live.

5 Nothing on earth do I desire
But thy pure love within my breast;
This, only this, do I require,
And freely give up all the rest.