God’s Church, God’s Way

Wilson Lim
2 days ago
9 min read

What comes to your mind when you think of church? Quiet pews and a solemn altar? A large gathering with vibrant worship and a dynamic preacher? A warm, loving community? A place to worship God? All of these may be good, but here’s the real question: Are our views shaped by Scripture—or simply by our preferences, traditions, and past experiences?

Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for thinking about church in a worldly way (v1–4). Their attitudes, expectations, and measurements were shaped more by culture than by Christ. And if we’re honest, the same danger confronts us today. Church must never be built by the standards of this world. It must be built by God’s standards. God’s way.

Now imagine what church looks like when it is built God’s way. Where love isn’t a vague, sentimental “50 shades of grey,” but the rugged, sacrificial love of Scripture. The kind of love that gives, serves, and lays itself down as Jesus did on the cross. Where community isn’t a slogan but a lived reality—practiced, experienced, and strengthened through real relationships. Where godliness and righteousness aren’t just Bible study words, but deep desires of the heart—pursued with humility, shaped through challenges, refined through hardship, and proven genuine even in suffering.

God’s Church, built God’s way, isn’t flashy. It isn’t trendy. It’s authentic. It’s holy. It’s pleasing to Him. There are many aspects to God’s way of building His Church, but from 1 Corinthians 3 we will focus on three essential elements—three foundations that help us build God’s Church, God’s way.

WHEN WE HONOR HIS BODY

1 Corinthian 3:16-17 (NIV) “¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

Paul makes a massive statement here—but most of its force is lost unless we understand the Old Testament backdrop. His entire argument rests on the sacredness of God’s dwelling place. In Moses’ time, God’s presence wasn’t an abstract idea. It was visible. Tangible. Awe‑inspiring. A pillar of cloud by day. A pillar of fire by night. The glory of God filling the Tabernacle so powerfully that even Moses could not enter without permission.

Exodus 40:34–38 describes this vividly. When the cloud settled on the Tent of Meeting, “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Israel moved only when God moved. They stopped only when God stopped. His presence determined everything. Later, when Solomon built the Temple, the same thing happened. 1 Kings 8:10–11 says the priests could not even perform their duties because “the glory of the LORD filled his temple.”

The message was unmistakable. Where God dwells is holy. Untouchable. Weighty. Sacred. Only priests could enter. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place—and only once a year. Anyone who entered wrongly was struck down. This is the level of holiness Paul is invoking.

Now, the Church—God’s people—is His temple

Why does Paul bring all this up? Because now, the Church—God’s people—is His temple. His Presence no longer dwells in a tent or a stone building. He dwells in His people. In us. Among us. The Holy Spirit lives in every believer. The Spirit dwells in the gathered church. God’s presence marks us as sacred.

So the Church is holy. Sacred. Precious to God. Because His very Presence is in the Church. 1 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV) If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. God gave a stern warning, “Don’t touch My Church. Don’t harm My people. Don’t dishonor My dwelling place.”

If we revere God, we must revere His Body the Church. If we honour God's Body, we must honour His people who make up the Church.

Because the Church, His Body is so holy. Because it is so sacred. Because it is God's dwelling place. We must honour His Church. Do not treat it with disdain. Not with indifference. Not with carelessness. If we revere God, we must revere His Body the Church. If we honour God's Body, we must honour His people who make up the Church. Give them respect that is due them as people who belong to God. For His Presence dwells in them too.

If we revere God, we must honour our own bodies as well.

If we revere God, we must honour our own bodies as well. We are to keep ourselves holy precisely because He dwells in us. When we sin, we sin against God. When we sin with our bodies, we sin against God and His temple! Sexual sin especially sins directly against God's temple. How can we read or fill our minds with lust, pornography and immoral entertainment whether it’s “50 shades of grey” or anything else? It totally dishonours God! We cannot claim to honour His presence while feeding our flesh with what grieves His Spirit.

If we have sinned against our bodies or against the Church, we must repent, confess, seek forgiveness and cleansing. Otherwise, we slowly damage God’s temple—His Church, His people, ourselves—“by a thousand cuts.”

Let us honour God, His Body, His people. May it elevate our perspective about God’s Church, that we may give it the honour it deserves in our hearts and in our actions.

WHEN WE SERVE IN GOD’S HOUSE

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Paul confronts the Corinthian church for their immaturity. They were saved, but still thinking and behaving like the world—full of jealousy, quarrelling, and personality-driven loyalties. Some said, “I follow Paul.” Others said, “I follow Apollos.” Paul’s response is sharp: “Are you not acting like mere men?”

They had turned God’s servants into celebrities. Paul, Peter, Apollos—great leaders, yes. But Paul insists they are only servants. Instruments. Vessels. Not spiritual superstars. Not personalities to fight over. We live in a world obsessed with celebrity culture. People argue endlessly about who is the tennis GOAT—Djokovic, Federer, or Nadal. Or who is the greatest female performer—Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, or Beyoncé. If we’re not careful, we can treat preachers, worship leaders, or Christian influencers the same way. But Paul dismantles that mindset completely.

God grows His Church—but He chooses to work through us.

Paul says, “I planted. Apollos watered. But God made it grow.” The message is unmistakable. Only God can produce spiritual growth. Yet—amazingly—He chooses to involve us. Not because He needs us. Not because we are impressive. But because He delights to work with us and through us. God grows His Church—but He chooses to work through us.

Some respond to God’s call. Some ignore it. But God uses the willing. Reinhard Bonnke the German evangelist who was used greatly by God in Africa, once shared that God told him he was not the first choice, nor the second—just the one who said “yes.” God uses the responsive.

God allows our faithfulness—or lack of it—to affect the growth of His Church.

This is astonishing. God allows our faithfulness—or lack of it—to affect the growth of His Church. It’s like giving our children chores at home. We don’t assign tasks because we can’t do them. We do it so our children learn responsibility, gain ownership, develop skills and grow in maturity. Even when the children don’t do it well, we don’t give up. We persevere, hoping our children grows into the responsibility. In the same way, God invites us into His work—not because we are perfect, but because serving grows us. God opens the doors of His House wide. He invites every believer—regardless of background, personality, or ability—to participate.

Pastor Bayless Conley, founder of Cottonwood Church in California, once shared a powerful story. A mentally challenged young man in his church would often regularly though awkwardly greet him. One day, the young man brought a beautiful young woman to church. She responded to the altar call and gave her life to Jesus. It turned out she was a former Miss California. When Pastor Conley asked how this happened, the young man simply said: “You always told us to invite someone. I asked God who to invite. He pointed her out at the beach. So I invited her.” The young woman, with tears in her eyes, explained that she was going through a terrible season and had cried out to God in desperation, “God if you are real, send someone to me and invite me to church. Then this young man came up to me at the beach with a big shy smile and said Hi! Do you know Jesus? Can I invite you to church? So I had to come and I am so glad I did.”

God used the least likely person—because he was willing. This is how God builds His House.

Serving doesn’t start with a title. It starts with a willing heart. Serve in your small group. Bring lunch. Help someone. Don’t just consume—contribute. Join a ministry. Offer your hands, your time, your gifts. As you serve faithfully God will reward you. You will grow. You will mature. Your service will rise to God like a fragrant offering—just like the Old Testament sacrifices. God grows His Church. But He invites you to be part of the miracle.

WHEN WE INVEST IN HIS FAMILY

1 Corinthian 3:10-15 (NIV) “¹⁰By 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. ¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³his 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. ¹⁴If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. ¹⁵If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”

Paul didn’t casually build churches. He built intentionally. Skillfully. Faithfully. He invested his best into God’s people—because he knew the Church belonged to Christ.

To illustrate this, think of a master craftsman. I once watched a glassblower in Murano, Italy create a stunning glass horse. He pulled a glowing blob of molten glass from the furnace, shaped it with breath and precision with a pincher, pinched out legs, formed a neck, bent a head, sculpted hooves, and flared a tail—all in under two minutes. Yet every movement was deliberate. Every touch was purposeful. You could feel the love and mastery in the work. You can always tell when something is made with care.

The same is true in the Church. When we invest our time, our heart, our skill—people can see it. God sees it even more. Investment always reveals what we value. We invest in what matters to us. A baker invests love into every cake. A parent invests in their children’s growth. A craftsman invests in every detail of his creation. In the same way, my wife and I invest deeply into people’s lives. We invest financially into our church building and Kingdom projects—not because we have to, but because we believe in what God is building. Investment is a declaration of value.

God is not only interested in what we do, but how and why we do it.

God cares deeply about how we build His House. Jesus taught this in Matthew 25. Each servant received talents to invest. Some multiplied what they were given. One buried it. The master rewarded them accordingly. The point is this. God watches how we invest what He has entrusted to us. Right motives produce lasting fruit. Wrong motives produce empty results. Faithful investment brings eternal reward. Neglect brings loss—even if we are still saved. God is not only interested in what we do, but how and why we do it.

Lai Ling and I had the privilege of seeing the ceiling of Sistine Chapel. It is simply a marvel of art. It is said that once someone noticed Michelangelo painting away in a little corner of the ceiling and said to him, “Why do you bother to spend so much time on a corner that no one will notice?” He replied, “But God will see it!” That is the heart of true investment. We don’t serve for applause. We don’t give for recognition. We don’t build for human approval. We invest because God sees. We invest because God values His Church. We invest because Christ is the foundation.

Paul challenges us: “Be careful how you build.”

So the question becomes:

• Will we invest our time?

• Will we invest our talents?

• Will we invest our treasures?

• Will we invest through tithes and offerings?

• Will we invest in people, relationships, discipleship, the next generation?

CONCLUSION

When we invest in God’s Church, we are investing in what is eternal. Gold, silver, costly stones. Not wood, hay, and straw. May we build in a way that lasts. May we invest in God’s family with love, excellence, and faith—because His Church is worth it. Let’s build God’s Church, God’s way.