All things are yours

"All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death or the present or the future-ALL ARE YOURS, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God." 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

All things are yours!

Hold on wait...say that again...

ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!!!

What does this mean? all things are ours. Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, present, future...they are ours.

WHY?!?!?

Becasuse YOU are of Christ, and Christ is of God!


I don't know about you but this is mindblowing stuff. why haven't i been told this in the 20 years i've been going to church?!? i've been told that i need to read my Bible, that i can't run in church, i was even told once that i shouldn't be chewing gum in church, or heaven forbid i miss church on a sunday, or that i need to tithe 10% of my income....but i was never told "hey Ty, did you know that because you are of Christ that ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!!" i mean, if i heard that earlier and began to understand what that implies, i might have lived quite a bit different and might have thought that my journey in Christ wasn't quite as boring and burdensome as i thought it had to be.

i still don't fully know what this implies but let's look at the text here:

so Paul is writing to this Church in Corinth. Corinth is a happening city, full of parties, women, money, highly educated people talking about the latest ideas and philosphies. it was a port city and was probably very cultured. maybe much like LA or new orleans today. but Paul is writing to the Christians in this city who in this particular chapter are getting hung up on who to follow, who has the better "idea" or "style" of living...Paul? Apollos? or Cephas? he goes on to tell them they are pretty much foolish for trying to figure this out or even debate it by saying...

v. 20-21 "and again, "the Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile. so then, no more boasting about human leaders! all things are yours"

earlier he stated that "the Lord has assigned to each his task...for we are God's CO-WORKERS, God's field, God's building"
v. 5+9

We all have our own tasks but we are together WORKING WITH God to advance His kingdom. So all this stuff about God not needing us...it's bogus. He probably could do it without us but He won't! He WANTS to use us!! We play a role in his plan to redeem this broken world! that's AMAZING!

But the fact that he finishes this whole thought in this chapter by saying "ALL THINGS ARE YOURS" pretty much imples that:

(paraphrased):

"ok guys, stop trying to figure out who is the better leader. those qualities that Paul has, they are yours. those qualities that Apollos and Cephas have, they are yours. Those qualities of the world/nature that are good (beauty, creativity, life, etc), they're yours. ALL the qualities of God, they are yours. Boldness, it's yours. Compassion, it's yours. Peace, it's yours. They are all in you because Christ is in you! We are in this together, so stop your foolish debating and realize that IT'S ALL YOURS!!"

Let it well up within you! You are nothing, I am nothing-BUT God says we are something. And since Christ is in us-THE TRUTH IS IN US and therefore we have a role to play. So play it; live it. WHOLEHEARTEDLY and PASSIONATELY!


Christ is in you! Let that fact change the way you live! Following Christ is not boring and mundane, it's life to the FULL!

AMEN!