'God's Husbandry Or 'God's Tilled Land'

by Geoffrey M. Hydon, North York, Ontario, Canada | Category: General | Aug 1995

The letter to the Church of God in Corinth contains much instruction to the saints on how to maximize the use of their spiritual gifts in orderly service.

Therefore, the use of an agricultural metaphor is most appropriate, for the farmer or gardener likewise seeks to maximize the yield he receives from his ground, by careful preparation and continuous methodical labour to protect and nurture the developing fruit. In first principle this reminds us that God 'planted a garden eastward in Eden' and placed there the man 'to dress it and to keep it' (Gen. 2:8,15). That garden was a special territory, identifiable from the common field around. It had only one entrance, a pattern for later places where God would dwell with men on earth. It was a place of divine presence and purpose. And it was necessarily a place where actions would be judged. It was a specially prepared place, entirely suitable for man to thrive and develop in communion with God; it provided man with his necessary nourishment. Such is similarly the case in respect to a church of God, which is 'God's husbandry' (1 Cor. 3:9), 'God's tilled land' (RVM), and in this place God will look for His firstfruits.

The Lord Jesus Christ set out some principles for fruitfulness in one of His parables (matt. 13), which He called 'the parable of the sower' (v.18). From this we learn that the quality of the ground has a good deal to do with the results obtained, but the quality of the seed is paramount. There can be no substitute for the Word of God. In his first letter Paul says to the Corinthians, 'I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified' (2:2). Painstakingly, throughout the chapters of the epistle, he seeks to correct their errors by application of the pure Word of God' bringing it to them with apostolic authority (e.g. 7:10) and absolute consistency. In chapter 1:10 he reminds them of the need that they 'all speak the same thing', and this mirrored his own approach to his ministry (4:17; 7:17). It was such consistent application of the Word of the Cross, in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, that had resulted in the conversion of those who first formed the Church of God in Corinth; we are reminded that Peter describes that result as being 'begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the Word of God, which liveth and abideth' (1 Pet. 1:23). It would abide in the hearts of the new born Corinthians, and would be seen to be so abiding when it brought forth fruit. So the Lord could say, teaching this truth directly, 'By their fruits ye shall know them' (Mat. 7:15-20). If there was an absence of Spirit-led growth and good fruit in the Church in Corinth it was certainly not because the seed used in their conversion had been deficient.

Paul and his fellow-workers were sowers and were careful to observe the quality of the ground in which they sowed. Their work in Corinth was among men and women surrounded by abused wealth and moral corruption; 'Corinthian' had come to be a term describing depravity equivalent to that to which Sodom lent its name. Paul must have been conscious of this, and concerned about the potential negative impact on new Corinthian disciples. It is evident from the Lord's parable that circumstances in the life of a new disciple have a great impact on the degree of fruitbearing. The lives of some will effectively come to nought, for instance, if they are left to the choking cares of the world and the deceitfulness of its false riches, or if they are left in isolation and therefore subject to the preying attacks of the evil one. Conversely, abundant fruit can be achieved if the seed, once germinated, is found in good ground. In this the Corinthian saints are seen not only as germinated seed, but as those who are planted. 'I planted', says Paul (3:6). Now from this simple agricultural analogy we may be sure that seedlings should be planted together, not left surrounded by hostile weeds. They should be planted alongside other seedlings which can then efficiently receive the nourishment all such seedlings need. This is in accordance with the pattern of Acts 2:47, where the newly saved were added 'together' (Gk. epi to auto: upon the same thing, or, with a common purpose (RVM). This, of course, necessitates an identifiable geographic location, so we find in the New Testament Scriptures identifiable companies of believers such as those in Corinth meeting in known locations (e.g. Acts 4:23; 12:12,17); veritable seedplots of growing seedlings! Thus the apostle draws a distinction between the disciples' activities in their homes and their corporate testimony as the Church of God in Corinth (11:17,22). And so also Paul, in passing, uses the illustration of the vineyard as he describes his work in Corinth (9:7), viewing that activity now as the planting of the Church as a whole. This is orderly planting, with the protection of the plants and their fruit-bearing in view. Moral problems reflecting the influence of the Corinthians' surroundings and their old nature must also be dealt with carefully, and so Paul seeks in his teaching to cut away the evident works of the flesh (Chapters 5 - 7). Later he returns to the subject of spiritual growth through the exercise of spiritual gifts in Chapters 12 and 14, and it is interesting how the need to be grounded in love is emphasized by the intervention of that teaching in Chapter 13.

As the Word of God, in the electing purposes of God, results in germination, the new birth, so it speaks to men as God calls them into service for the Son, an effectual call which leads to fruitful lives. Initially and continually,

the Word of God will be seen providing the watering so necessary for growth, and the pruning to constrain unfruitful growth. Of old God bad tenderly shown His character as a husbandman working in His vineyard saying, 'I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day' (Ps. 27:3). Apollos fulfilled the task of bringing the stimulating Word to the newly planted Corinthian saints, and his work with Paul is a worthy example of how the Lord harnesses together in service men and women after His own heart: 'Take My yoke upon you' (Mat. 11:29) results in 'God's fellow-workers' (1 Cor. 3:9) in the sense of those who are linked by God, not simply with God. No doubt the work of Priscilla and Aquila exemplified this while they were in Corinth with Paul (Acts 18:2; Rom. 16:3-5). These and other fellow-workers would seek to develop fruit-bearing lives in the Corinthian disciples, in just the same way and with the same concern as expressed by Paul when writing to the Galatians: 'I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you' (4:19). This analogy to human development is likewise true in horticulture, where the husbandman looks for the formation of the desired fruit. For this to occur in spiritual terms in the Church in Corinth would depend on the saints being rooted and grounded, and growing in love (see Eph. 3:17).

There is much to learn from this epistle about what makes for effective fellow-working in God's tilled land, if we notice it only in the corrective

ministry that the Spirit provides through Paul's letter. In this respect we may highlight the work of the Adversary in seeking to divide the saints by dividing the leaders, with resultant divided loyalty and a developing party spirit, which is evident from the opening chapter (vv. 12,13) and from the apparent challenges to Paul's apostleship (9:1). But Paul brings before the Corinthians the example of true fellow-workers, seen for instance in chapter 4 in the faithfulness of stewardship (v.2), the humility of discipleship (v.6), the patience of servanthood (v.12) and the concern of fatherhood (v.15). Paul implies that in contrast the Corinthians displayed pride ('puffed up', 4:6,18,19; 5:2; 'glorying', 5:6), selfishness (10:24; 11:21) and childishness (14:20). Even in his closing words, Paul is concerned to remind them to be in subjection to those who help in the work and who labour (16:16). Fruit-bearing trees often have to be trained, through pruning and feeding, to grow in the most beneficial way. Obviously, those who are responsible for such training must be united in their objectives and compatible in their methods. God's husbandry requires careful, committed, compatible vine-dressers, all using the Word of God rightly to ensure the growth and development of healthy plants who will bear fruit after their kind.

The fruit-bearing analogy is also seen in the epistle when Paul takes up the example of firstfruits. Firstfruits in the things of God are first in quality as

well as first in the sequence of things (Ex. 23:19). This is perfectly true in Christ, who in connection with the matter of resurrection is described as the firstfruits (1 Cor. 15:20-23), but it is also true in relation to disciples of Christ. The questions arise: What had the Corinthian disciples themselves sowed and reaped (Gal. 6:7,8)? What was produced from the fruit of this tilled land? Was it of firstfruit quality? There is no doubt that purity in the things of God is essential (see 3:16,17), and this requires the exercise of discernment by spiritual leaders and judgement by spiritually-minded saints (6:5; 5:3,12). The thought is reminiscent of the teaching of John 15; God will indeed take away the branches that do not bear fruit. But the epistle leads to a positive conclusion: labour in God's husbandry 'is not vain in the Lord' (15:58). This must have been typified by the household of Stephanas, devoted men who were noted for their upbuilding and refreshing ministry among the saints; they were firstfruits (16:15).

Geoffrey M. Hydon, North York, Ontario, Canada | Aug 1995
General