1 Corinthians 3:10–15

Even the apostle loved to tie his work and his office to the grace of God rather than to bare authority. That instinct has so faded from Christendom that ministry has become a merely human thing and has even taken on a worldly character. The loss to the church is beyond words, and the dishonour to the Lord is most serious... Here we have the responsibility of the one who ministers. The apostle's place stands, but so does responsible service, and that is a serious thing.

Others are builders too, but only as instruments. Paul calls himself a "wise master builder," or better, an "architect," because he laid the foundation of the assembly well. That foundation is Christ.

Jesus Christ must be the foundation. If He is not, then what is built is not the assembly of God... The foundation is the teaching that believers have received into their hearts. When Paul first came to Corinth he preached "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." That was the foundation, and every other part of the building should take its character from it.

In the same way today, whoever the workmen may be, no one can lay any foundation but Jesus Christ. The Lord said, "on this rock I will build my church." For his part, the apostle Paul did this same work as a wise master builder. He laid that same foundation, so no one has the right to lay another.

Paul, as a wise master builder, laid the foundation. When others build, he warns them not to build with wrong materials — wood, hay, straw — which will be destroyed. The building work was put into man's hands as a responsibility, and so it came under judgment. "On this rock I will build my church" gives me Christ's building, and that is still going on; it is not finished yet... All that is Christ's work, what men call the invisible church, and so it is. But on the other hand, "let each one take care how he builds upon it" — that is, on the foundation Paul laid. There you have man's work as a responsible instrument.

The work of Christ in building His Church must be perfect... But, as this passage in 1 Corinthians teaches, He also entrusts the work of building to His servants, and He holds them responsible for the character of their work.

Each builder must keep the character of the foundation in mind. It should control how he builds and also what materials he uses. In verse 10 the Apostle stresses how we build; in verse 12 it is what we build. The builders' motives must fit Christ, and so must the methods and principles that guide them.

Builders may raise very different material on that foundation. Some of it is precious, like the great, costly stones of the temple. Some of it is worthless and vile. And here man's judgment fails. No doubt many a believer at Corinth had prized the hay and straw of human wisdom and looked down on the gold and silver of apostolic truth. So there is need of another day, and of the Lord's own discernment.

It is only in a secondary and relative sense that the apostle can call himself a founder... God's building rests on one eternal truth: the person of Christ. He is now "declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead." That truth is essential and life-giving. Receiving it by faith sets the believer in his place as a stone of God's building.

Jesus Christ must be the foundation, otherwise what is built is not the church of God. There are many other kinds of institutions in this world... but only what rests on the foundation of Jesus Christ is God's church. The foundation is the doctrine received into the hearts of those who have believed, and when Paul first came to Corinth he preached "Jesus Christ and him crucified." That was the foundation, and every other part of the building should take its character from it.

As to Peter being the foundation, except as a mighty instrument in God's hands, I do not believe it for a moment, because Paul says, "no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."... I could not trust my soul to any foundation but Christ. None has died for me but He. None is the truth but He... Besides, if Peter was the foundation, how can the pope be so now? The foundation of the church cannot be laid now.

Are you thoroughly satisfied with God's foundation? Or are you trying to add something of your own? Your own works, your prayers, your church rituals, your vows and resolutions, your religious duties? If so, if you are trying to add the smallest bit to God's Christ, you may be sure you will be put to shame. God will not allow such dishonour to be offered to His tested, chosen, precious cornerstone... He is enough for God, and He may well be enough for us.

That foundation must be divine, the work of God's Holy Spirit. Thank God for that. We begin with an unchangeable, eternal foundation. The work in the soul of the believer must be on the basis of the work accomplished at Calvary for God's glory and our eternal salvation. That foundation can never, thank God, be destroyed.

The house that Christ builds in grace is permanent and eternal. What man builds in responsibility is another thing altogether. The one is unfailing, the other utterly failing, and so it will be judged... Paul laid the true foundation; no other could be laid. Other builders might build "gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw." Fire would test everything. Whether the work lasted depended on the materials. The teaching of the servants brought in souls according to its own character.

But in 1 Corinthians 3 we have human builders, and a temple or building which is then in existence. As a wise master-builder, Paul had laid the foundation; the work was well done; but here man's responsibility comes in. Every man must take care how he builds on it. A builder may put wood, hay, or straw into the building. Then the work comes to nothing, though the builder himself is saved — saved only as through fire. A third case is also mentioned: the man who corrupts the temple of God, and God will destroy him… Now in all this we have a temple whose state depends on builders or corrupters. Man's responsibility comes into it, and the state of things depends on his faithfulness. So the building may be built badly, or corrupted. This cannot be where Christ builds.

The foundation, as he says, is Christ — the truth about Him which the first inspired teacher communicated. All later building is by teaching. That teaching shapes and forms everyone who accepts it. So building and building people up are the same thing — in the original, the same word. The care was to be about the material used: "gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw" (v. 12). So these materials refer first of all to doctrines.

Gold, silver, and precious stones will survive the fire. In fact the fire will make them shine more brightly. The gold speaks of the glory of God. What has been done for His glory will receive a reward. Silver speaks of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. What has been done out of appreciation for His sacrifice will receive a reward. Precious stones speak of the fruit of the Spirit reflected in the believer, and this too will receive a reward.

It is putting wood, hay, or straw on the foundation instead of gold, silver, or precious stones. That is, it is bringing souls into the assembly of God who have no divine life. This can happen in two ways. The first is the preaching of false doctrines. Such doctrines overturn the truths of Christianity. They set aside, for example, the need for the new birth, or the need for cleansing by the precious blood of Christ. Teaching like that brings natural men into the Church — men who do not have the Spirit of God. The second way is openly bringing into the assembly people who are not saved through faith in the Lord Jesus.

A man may teach sound doctrine, or he may teach what is worthless. And the images used — "gold, silver, precious stones" — suggest that the doctrines taught differ in value. In the same way, "wood, hay, straw" suggests that some errors are worse than others.

Men may build very different material on that foundation. Some of it is precious, like the great and costly stones of the temple. Some of it is worthless and vile. And here man's judgment is at fault. No doubt many a Corinthian believer had prized the hay and straw of man's wisdom, and looked down on the gold and silver of apostolic truth. So we need another day, and the Lord's discernment.

Gold, silver, and precious stones do not make nearly as great a show as wood, hay, or straw. What a great pile of hay we may gather, boasting of how much we have done! But what anguish of heart when the fire tests it and it all burns up.

The "day" (v. 13) always has to do with judgment. It is the day that tries the work; it is simply and entirely judgment. The day will be revealed in fire, and that fire will test people's work. No doubt this will happen when Christ is revealed... The work might be tested any day. But when that day comes, God will bring to light the purposes of their hearts, for they are stewards of the mystery of Christ.

The day of trial will test the work of each one... Anything built with wood, hay or stubble will not stand the fire of judgment. Souls may be held together for a time with false doctrine, as we see on every hand in Christendom, but such work will not stand the fire.

In 1 Corinthians 3:13 he had told us that "each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it." Here we have THE DAY when God's opinion will be heard. This is MAN'S DAY, when people insist on making their opinion heard. That day is completely against the Apostle and everyone who thinks like him. The opinion of "man's day" was a very small thing with Paul.

At the judgment seat of Christ, the fire of infinite holiness will test everything. It will destroy all that was not the fruit of the Spirit. Notice, that "the fire will test what sort of work each one has done." It does not say "how much it is." The question is quality, not quantity. That day will destroy a vast amount of so-called Christian work, but all that has truly been for Christ will stand the test.

Rome has famously built one of its main proofs of purgatory on this passage. But that idea is itself a sample of the rubbish the apostle warns against... a day of sifting judgment is meant and not some intermediate state now after death. Fire is a picture of His judicial action, which burns up all dross. It is not punishment for the spirit or soul separated from the body, and it is not a process of purifying it... Besides, the fire tests the work of each one. It tests the apostle's work as surely as the work of his critics. Gold, silver, and precious stones go into the fire just as much as the material that burns.

No doubt we will review our whole path here in the light of that judgment seat. All that has been of the flesh will be loss then... Fire signifies the trial of the judgment of God. "Our God is a consuming fire." "Everyone will be salted with fire." But this applies to the Christian's ways and work, not to the Christian himself.

Whatever is "of faith" will both stand and be unerringly appreciated in the coming day. All that is not of faith, though acceptable in the eyes of men, will surely disappear before the face of Him who is as a consuming fire to the flesh. But until that day comes, no one can settle the quality of much that is done, day after day, in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the claimed interest of truth... Christian opinion is not fire; nor is popularity an unerring proof of worth.

In 1 Corinthians 3, the wood, hay and stubble are not sins. He is speaking of preaching and teaching. A man may be a real Christian on the foundation, and yet all his labour may be bad labour, because he taught nonsense and empty ideas — even if it was not heresy. When trial tests it, it all goes. He is not lost, but his work is, and he is badly shaken. Paul is speaking of his own work, or the work of Apollos or others — not of their sins.

First, if a man's work survives, he will receive a reward (v. 14). The man is saved, and his work stands... Second, if a man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, only as through fire (v. 15). The man is saved, but his work is all lost. There is no reward. Suppose I have been busy building something up, and in the day of the Lord I find it was all a mistake. What loss I will suffer!... Third, if anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him (v. 17). The man is lost, and his work is lost.

It is well known that Rome has built on this passage one of its chief proofs of purgatory... But clearly the faithful in general and their ways are not in question here. Ministers and their teaching are. And the day meant is a day of sifting judgment, not some in-between state after death. Fire is the picture of God's judicial action, which burns up all the dross. It is not punishment for the spirit or soul on its own, and it is not a process of purifying it. "Saved, but only as through fire" marks how hard the escape is... Besides, God tests each man's work this way — the apostle's work as surely as the work of the men who ran him down. The fire tests gold, silver and precious stones no less than the material that burns... The real danger is bringing rubbish in where the true foundation is owned — not fundamental error or teaching against Christ, but airy notions and loose rules about practice, which the day of trial would expose and destroy.

They will be saved, but only as through fire. Think of Lot, who escaped out of Sodom. His righteous soul was tormented there, and everything he had built up in Sodom burned. But a believer's salvation does not depend on his service and work.

The believer is saved because the foundation under him cannot be destroyed. But how sad that so much of what filled his time should be destroyed in judgment, and that fire should be his salvation. The question here is not eternal salvation through the atoning work of the cross. It is salvation under God's government — rescue from the tangles that would keep the soul out of its inheritance.

The work of some stands, and they receive a reward straight from the hand of the Lord who was once pierced for their sins at Calvary. Others will see their work burned up. They "suffer loss," which means they lose the promised crown. They are saved, but only as through fire. They just get into heaven, and that is all. There is no rich welcome for them. It was the rock under their feet that saved them.

We should seek to make a holy use of these verses by keeping pressure on our nature in all its vanities, lusts and tempers. That is how the Lord meant us to use them. He never meant us to use them in a legal way, to shake our confidence in Christ and His full salvation... The deepest sense of grace, and the clearest grasp of our perfect justification as sinners, will never weaken our sense of how solemn the judgment seat of Christ is.