277 Fellow Workers with God and One Another: Toward a Pauline Theology of Mission DAVID E. BRIONES Reformation Bible College Sanford, FL 32771 Abstract: What does the phrase θεοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν συνεργοί (1 Cor 3:9a) mean? In his seminal article, Victor Paul Furnish argues that this question is “virtually unanswer- able” on lexical and grammatical grounds, but that when one examines the immediate context, it either means “fellow workers with God” or “fellow workers in God’s service.” He opts for the latter. In this article, however, I argue that the dichotomy he presents is false. By examining the broader and more immediate context of the key texts in this discussion (1 Cor 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1; 1 Thess 3:2; etc.), I contend that Paul is a fellow worker with God and others in the advance of the gospel. In other words, he operates from a triangulated relationship, in which God advances the gospel through the Pauline apostolate to others. This missional relationship contains vertical and horizontal dimensions. Though narrow in its scope, this both-and reading of the rele- vant texts carries broad implications for a Pauline theology of mission, one that rightly envisions God at the fore of gospel advancement. Key Words: Paul • 1–2 Corinthians • coworking • fellow workers • relationships • mission Victor Paul Furnish wrote an infuential article on 1 Cor 3:9 in which he dealt with this question: “when Paul writes, θεοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν συνεργοί, is he think- ing of the relationship which exists between the apostles and God (‘fellow workers with God’) or of the relationship which exists between apostles (‘fellow workers I wish to give thanks to John K. Goodrich for providing rich insight and critical feedback on an earlier draft of this article.