God Causes Growth

November 4th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

1 Corinthians 3:4-7 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

In 3:5, Paul downplays his role and the role of Apollos as the former pastors of the church in Corinth. He says that they were just “servants” (diakonos), sometimes translated “deacon.” This word describes both a person and an office (cf. 1 Tim. 3:12-13) within the church. But outside the office, it refers to a simple waiter. So while the church was arguing over who was the better pastor, Paul says they were nothing but waiters. In v. 5, “servants” concerns carrying out the commands of another. In this case it concerns Paul and Apollos carrying out the commands of God to both preach Christ and to help Christians grow in their maturity, or walk, with Christ.

Note two functions of God’s servants in v. 6. First, Paul says that he “planted” (phuteuō), a term used in the NT for sowing seeds. Metaphorically, Paul uses the term to illustrate his role in bringing the Corinthians to Christ, sowing the gospel seed of Christ through preaching. Paul thus proclaimed Christ to the Corinthians, explaining to them the character of Jesus as the Christ, His life, His death, and His resurrection from the dead. This is the gospel, and preaching it is like planting seeds in soil and waiting for them to emerge from the ground fruitful and full.

Apollos, on the other hand, having come to Corinth to serve as pastor after Paul, watered the gospel seed that Paul had planted there. Apollos came in as Christ’s servant and helped the seed that Paul planted to grow by continuing to preach Christ and educating the Corinthians. It is apparent that some preferred Paul while others preferred Apollos. Though understandable, these preferences, instead of being seen as separate gifts of God, led to the divisions in Corinth.

Now in spite of the faithfulness of Paul and Apollos, neither of them were important at all, for “God was causing the growth” (v. 6). In other words, seeds can be planted by anyone, and those same seeds can be watered anyone. These tasks are menial and simple. Neither task, however, can cause the seeds to grow. Only God can do that! This analogy clearly refers to the process of how one person might share Christ with someone and stir their thinking. Later, another teacher comes, preaches the gospel again, and that person converts. The latter man who watered the seed may see the conversion and may appear more prominent. Yet it is God who causes the growth. He does not help people to grow, He causes growth. Whether one brings the gospel or prompts a conversion, both are mere servants (v. 7). Everything about the conversion process is about God who causes the growth. God, and only God, is to receive the glory.

Food For Thought
God is an amazing God in every way. He calls miserable sinners into His grace because He chooses to. That in itself goes beyond what man can comprehend about mercy. But God goes further in that He allows His people to be called His “servants.” As servants of God we have a task: tell others about Jesus Christ and teach them to obey all that He commanded (Matt. 28:19-20). We Christians actually get to play a part in the salvation of others through planting and watering. How ridiculous it is when the planters and the ones watering begin to squabble over who is greater! Since God is responsible for the outcome, we servants can only serve faithfully.

Remind yourself today that as a child of God you are privileged to be such and that you can only be such. God does all the work, and He gracefully allows us to partake in His overall plan. Do not take yourself too seriously; you’re just a servant! God alone is to be glorified.