When I was in college, I was part of a National Christian Service Fraternity (Sigma Theta

Epsilon) and our motto was I Corinthians 3:9. The translation that we used had part of

this verse as ‘fellow workers with God.’

This verse really speaks to me in the sense that as the baptized children of God we are

called to be fellow workers with God as we seek to do God’s will ‘on earth as it is in

heaven.’ Within the context of I Corinthians, Paul is writing to the people of Corinth and

is calling for them to work together as one. It seems like within the church in Corinth,

there were different fractions of people (‘I belong to Paul’, ‘I belong to Apollos’) and that

these groups may not have necessarily gotten along. One saw themselves as better or

more important than another.

Paul is encouraging them to see themselves not as different groups with agendas, but

rather as the whole body of Christ—all servants of God—and that because of this we may

do different things, but everything should be geared towards God and his will.

Paul uses the analogy of the growth of a plant. And it seems like within this church in

Corinth, there were groups trying to say that their role was the most important part of

what was happening at that time. Paul takes a completely different view. He uses this

image and says, ‘I planted’ and ‘Apollos watered’—however it is God who gives the

growth. While planting and watering are important tasks to a plant’s life—the reality

is it is God who is the one who causes the plant to grow. If we translate this to the

Christian life—there may be many people who help others know about God and assist

people within their walks with Christ, but ultimately it is God who is the one who gives

the growth to Christians. Thus, nobody can therefore brag about their part—for it is in

reality about God and what God is doing. We are only fellow workers or servants of

God.

And our role as these fellow workers or servants is to work together and not against each

other. For only by working together and seeing our tasks as complimentary to the real

work that God is doing, we will be able to complete the work that God has set before us.

Within the church, we need to be able to put aside our differences and see ourselves

and others all as the same—fellow workers with God. When this happens, we may be

astonished with the power of God that is unleashed and the transforming power of God

within our own life and the lives of others.