This passage from 1 Corinthians discusses the proper foundation for faith and spiritual growth. Paul explains that some in the Corinthian church were still immature and divisive, arguing over whether they followed Paul or Apollos. However, Paul and Apollos are merely ministers who planted and watered the seeds of faith; ultimately, God causes the growth. The only sure foundation is Jesus Christ. All other foundations built on human works, righteousness, or traditions will fail. Believers should build on Christ alone through faith, not on their own goodness or spiritual accomplishments.

2. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you
as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as
to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk
and not with solid food; for until now
you were not able to receive it, and even
now you are still not able;

3. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
3 for you are still carnal. For where there
are envy, strife, and divisions among you,
are you not carnal and behaving like
mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of
Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are
you not carnal?

4. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos,
but ministers through whom you
believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God
gave the increase.

5. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
7 So then neither he who plants is
anything, nor he who waters, but God
who gives the increase. 8 Now he who
plants and he who waters are one, and
each one will receive his own reward
according to his own labor.

6. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you
are God’s field, you are God’s building.

7. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
10 According to the grace of God which
was given to me, as a wise master
builder I have laid the foundation, and
another builds on it. But let each one
take heed how he builds on it.

8. 1Corinthians 3:1-11
11 For no other foundation can
anyone lay than that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ.

10. I was
baptized by
Apollos!
I was
baptized
by Paul!
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or
“I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of
Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1Cor. 1:12,13

11. 1Corinthians 3:11
For no other foundation
can anyone lay than that
which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ.

12. • Foundations men lay
• Their own goodness

13. Luke 18:9-14
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who
trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two
men went up to the temple to pray, one a
Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with

14. Luke 18:9-14
himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like
other men—extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I
fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I
possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing
afar off, would not so much as raise his

15. Luke 18:9-14
eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,
‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell
you, this man went down to his house
justified rather than the other; for everyone
who exalts himself will be humbled, and he
who humbles himself will be exalted.”

16. Luke 18:9
Also He spoke this parable to
some who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and
despised others….

17. Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own
understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

18. • Foundations men lay
• Their own goodness
• Their own works + Christ’s
works

19. Acts 15:5
But some of the sect of the
Pharisees who believed rose up,
saying, “It is necessary to
circumcise them, and to command
them to keep the law of Moses.”

20. Galatians 5:1,2
1 For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore, and do not submit
again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you
accept circumcision, Christ will be of no
advantage to you.

21. • Foundations men lay
• Their own goodness
• Their own works + Christ’s
works

22. • Foundations men lay
• The foundation God laid

23. 1Peter 2:4-6
4 As you come to him, a living stone
rejected by men but in the sight of God
chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves
like living stones are being built up as a
spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to

24. 1Peter 2:4-6
God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands
in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be
put to shame.”

25. Isaiah 28:16
…therefore thus says the Lord GOD,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a
foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

26. Acts 4:10-11
10 let it be known to you all, and to all
the people of Israel, that by the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified, whom God raised from the
dead, by Him this man stands here

27. Acts 4:10-11
before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone
which was rejected by you builders,
which has become the chief
cornerstone.’

28. Acts 4:12
Nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by
which we must be saved.

29. • Foundations men lay
• The foundation God laid
• Why no other can be laid

30. Hebrews 1:3
…who being the brightness of His glory
and the express image of His person,
and upholding all things by the word of
His power, when He had by Himself
purged our sins, sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high…

31. Hebrews 4:14,15
14 Seeing then that we have a
great High Priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our
confession.

32. Hebrews 4:14,15
15 For we do not have a High Priest
who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without
sin.

33. Hebrews 5:8,9
8 …though He was a Son, yet He
learned obedience by the things which
He suffered. 9 And having been
perfected, He became the author of
eternal salvation to all who obey
Him…

34. • Foundations men lay
• The foundation God laid
• Why no other can be laid
• What shall we do?
• Ask: What foundation are you
building on? Our works or Jesus?

35. Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like
filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.

36. Philippians 3:7-11
7 But what things were gain to me, these
I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet
indeed I also count all things loss for the
excellence of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and count them as

37. Philippians 3:7-11
rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be
found in Him, not having my own
righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ,
the righteousness which is from God by
faith;

38. Philippians 3:7-11
10 that I may know Him and the power of
His resurrection, and the fellowship of
His sufferings, being conformed to His
death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to
the resurrection from the dead.

39. • Foundations men lay
• The foundation God laid
• Why no other can be laid
• What shall we do?
• Ask: What foundation are you
building on? Our works or Jesus?