God Gives The Increase

"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." (I Cor. 3: 5-7)

Paul is clearly talking about the experience of conversion in these verses, about how sinners are converted into Christians, about how unbelievers are made into believers.  "Ministers" of the gospel are instruments, in the hand of God, "by whom you believed."  This is confirmed in many other verses of scripture.  Notice these:

^"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."  (John 1: 6, 7)

^"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word."  (John 17: 20)

^"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"  (Rom. 10: 14, 15)

Clearly the "believing" that Paul has under consideration, in I Corinthians 3, is that believing which is effected by the preaching of the gospel.  Not even the Hardshells can deny this plain fact. 

But, the "believing" is also said to be the result of an act of God in conjunction with the preaching and planting of the apostle.  People believe because God "gave to" them.  "Man" is not in the original.  Those who God directed his "giving" work to were the ones who believed.  What is the nature of this divine giving?  Paul says that God "gives the increase," that is, he is the reason for its success, for its productivity or germination.  This recalls the testimony of the Psalmist who said:

^"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."  (Psalm 127: 1)

Except the Lord bless the preaching to a particular heart, there will be no success.  Solomon said that "safety (victory) is of the LORD."  (Prov. 21: 31)  "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich," also testified Solomon.  (Prov. 10: 22)  The blessing of the Lord is the reason for success. 

Thus, the credit is given to the Lord for the success of preaching in making believers.  Some reject this teaching because they think that to give all the credit to the Lord for the success necessarily means that he likewise receives all the blame for the lack of success in preaching.  But, this argument could only have weight if it were proven that God were under obligation to do for all what he does only for some.  But, God is under no obligation to cause the preaching of the gospel to succeed with everyone.

The Hardshells are good Calvinists to constantly affirm that "faith is the gift of God," what is effectually given to all the elect when they are called to life and salvation.  The problem they have, with this verse, however, is the fact that the faith that is "given" in this verse is clearly faith that comes by the preaching of the gospel.  And, they do not believe that "gospel faith" is sovereignly and effectually given to all the elect when they hear the gospel.  They do not believe that gospel faith is "given" of God to the elect in the same way that "seed faith" is given in "regeneration."  When they argue with Arminians they will affirm that "faith is the gift of God," meaning it is effectually given, being by "irresistible grace."  But, when their attention is called to these words in I Corinthians 3, they will forget all their argumentation against the Arminians and now argue that this giving of gospel faith does not mean that it is effectually given.  Thus, "the legs of the lame are not equal."  They do not see that "conversion" is as much the work of God as is "regeneration."  But, the real old Baptists did not divorce conversion from regeneration, and saw the giving of faith, by the gospel, to be an effectual calling.