God Gives the Increase 1 Corinthians 3:6

Paul the apostle asked the Corinthian church members, “who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?”, and in chapter three and verse six of First Corinthians, Paul shared how he “planted” and “Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” where we read:

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

The verse begins, “I have planted, Apollos watered;” Paul began with the words, “I have” which means “Paul had” “planted” which literally means “to set out in the earth” and figuratively means “to instill doctrine”, “Apollos” whose name means “given by Apollo” and was “a learned Jew from Alexandria and mighty in the scriptures who became a Christian and a teacher of Christianity”, “watered” which literally means “to give or furnish drink or irrigate” and figuratively means “to imbue or saturate one's mind”. Paul “instilled doctrine” in the Corinthian church members, and Apollos “saturated their minds” with God's word.

The verse goes on to say, “ but God gave the increase”. Paul continued with the word, “but” which means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “gave the increase” or “caused to grow and augment”. God Almighty is given the credit by Paul for the “increase” or “growth” of the church members.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see the “ministry” or “service” of Paul and Apollos. Paul “planted” or “instilled doctrine” into the church members, and Apollos “watered” or “saturated” their “minds” with the “gospel”, however, it was God who produced growth in their faith in Him. God is the one who is in charge of “salvation of souls” and growth in faith in Him, and he uses people to “plant” and “water” His idea of the “good news”. Jesus Christ came to pay the price for our sins, and because He did, we may inherit “eternal life”. This is the “gospel” of God, and when we are given opportunities to “plant” or “water” in God's kingdom, let us remember, God is the one who who “grows” or “gives the increase”.

Next time Paul shares how “neither is he that plants any thing, neither he that waters”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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