Published: 02 October 2010 Written by Bob Stone
They are made in His image—Gen. 1:27; 9:6; James 3:9
They are valuable—Matt. 6:26; 10:30-31; 12:12; John 3:16
They are eternal—Matt. 25:41,46
We are new creations: v. 17—"The old is gone and the new has come"
We are reconciled to God—v. 18a
We have our sins forgiven and forgotten—v. 19a
Evangelism: going (i.e., initiative is needed)
Establishment: baptizing (i.e., initiation is mandatory)
Equipping: teaching to observe—v. 20a (e.g., instruction)
3. The Promised presence—v. 20b.
Follow the pattern of Christ and the apostles—Matt. 4:18-22; Mk. 1:14-20; Lk. 4:18-19; Eph. 2:19-22; Acts 1-6; 2 Tim. 2:2.
1 Corinthians 3:5-17
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (See I Cor. 8:1; 14:12.)
Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, [Peter means rock.] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades [Or hell] will not overcome it.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. (See Eph 4:11-16.) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Jude1:20
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 13:10
This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. (See also Col. 2:18; Acts 16:5; 20:32; 2 Cor. 10:15b-17; 2 Pet. 3:18.)