All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future– all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God (1 Corinthians 3:23).

OK, remember that this whole passage started with the idea that we shouldn’t follow mere men as leaders.  

You do remember that, right?  Please nod.  Thank you.

People were claiming to follow Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Frank, or whomever, and they were pitting their guy against the other guys like it was Mixed Spiritual Arts or roller derby or something.  Paul has spent several verses making it clear that men are, at their best, instruments of God.  They plant, they water, they work, but ultimately they have no power.  The power is all God’s.

And that power is at work in you, because you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Now if I remember my eighth-grade algebra, the transitive property states that when a=b and b=c, then a=c.

If I got that wrong, feel free to keep it to yourself.

The point, if I may be so bold, is that if we are one with Christ, and Christ is one with the Father, then…

You do the math.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.