The Building of God

The Corinthian people, in talking about Paul and Apollos, were saying, "I am of Paul; I belong over here." And another was saying, "I am of Apollos; I belong over there." That was carnality and not what God intended to be in God's Church. No, it was the Lord Jesus who was to have the supremacy. But notice in 1 Cor. 3:9, "Ye are God's building." Here we have the building of God again. It is not a physical building but a spiritual building. It is a collective thing and every believer in the Lord Jesus who professes that glorious name is part of that building.
“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." 1 Cor. 3:10. Paul says that he was especially given the truth and was the wise master-builder and laid the foundation. Notice in Eph. 2, it speaks of the foundation and says it is of the apostles and prophets— plural. So in a certain sense there are principles that we use throughout the whole New Testament, and upon those principles the Church is based. It is built on that foundation work which the apostles and prophets have laid, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. If we want to build according to God's thoughts, we cannot ignore the directions that we have in Paul's writings.
“Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." Here is an individual responsibility to everyone who is a believer in the Lord Jesus, to take heed how he is building thereon. Some real believer might think, "I'm not really a builder. Those people who get up and preach are the builders." Perhaps in a more public sense, yes, but I say everyone is a builder in one way or another. The youngest boy or girl is building, if they are a believer in the Lord Jesus.