10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the sanctuary of God, God will destroy him, for the sanctuary of God is holy, and that is what you are. 1 Corinthians 3: 10-17 LSB
1 Corinthians 3: 10-17
V. 10 I laid a foundation, and another is building on it - Paul was the master builder, the planter, the one who not only made first contact, but helped them establish what a church structure looked like, in the case of the Corinthians this was in person for 1.5 years. He sowed the seed of the gospel, which took root in the soil which the Holy Spirit had tilled. The apostles were also foundational beyond what we know as church planting today, in that they also scribed the canon which is the foundation for our teaching in every age. Paul was using his gifts as an Apostle, an evangelist, to glorify Christ. Apollos came and further built upon this foundation, not contradicting the floor, but further enhancing their understanding through his gift of teaching.
…10As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you.… 1 Peter 4: 10-12
11Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.” 12And Hiram added: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son with insight and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. 13So now I am sending you Huram-abi, a skillful man endowed with creativity.… 2 Chronicles 2: 11-13
Vs. 10b-11 Each man must be careful how he builds on it - The Bible is clear that it is a single coin, one side is a man's life and the other his doctrine. I have grown up in churches and witnessed many kind, generous, and intelligent men, who seemed orderly in both family and business, yet taught things contrary to the word of God. The foundation is Christ, and that is what Paul laid and Apollos continued building with, but there are some who don't take the same care. People pleasers, the fun guy, easy going girls, all steer away from the foundation in order to stay in people's graces. They come up with schemes to get people into the church, to fill seats, and then must come up with even bigger schemes to get them to remain in those seats. The model is already set for us in Paul taking the gospel out to the world, and then Apollos watering that seed towards maturity. We never read of their programs, pizza parties, concerts or yoga classes, those things are all man focused and here we see the very foundation of the church is Christocentric. "For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
…13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.… 2 Corinthians 11: 13-15
1Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. 3In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.… 2 Peter 2: 1-3
…11This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 13When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.… Acts 4: 11-13
Vs. 12-13 The fire itself will test the quality of each man's work - In order to get the purest gold and silver you must put your prewashed nuggets or dust into a crucible, which is a container designed to handle high heat. When you heat up the gold it releases it's contaminants into a scum we call dross, that forms at the top of the metal. Once all the dross is removed you have pure gold. If what you built with was tested by fire and it came out as pure gold then you stayed with the Designer's intent, your work was good, but on the other end of the spectrum we have hay or straw, which would leave nothing. By not sticking with the original plans you gave people what they want, made a spectacle of yourself, and may have filled many a seat, but all that's left is a smudge, a carbon stain, a work done in vain.
1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. 2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. 3And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.… Malachi 3: 1-3
…17You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.… Revelation 3: 17-19
…8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them. 10We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.… Hebrews 13: 8-10
…1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.…
…4Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. 5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.… Psalm 1: 1-6
Vs. 14-15 But he himself will be saved - How wild a thought, but the language is very clear. There are some who have stated the simple gospel most plainly, and I do think believed. I heard the gospel as a young boy from men who would later go on to preaching careers that looked more like motivational speakers, Ted talks, going on about their golf game or flattering themselves with their use of big words. Because you are saved does not mean you won't be tempted, and there will always be a host of people encouraging you to water down the message, to pack straw upon the foundation. That foundation is tested though, indestructible, so everything else will burn up that isn't Christ, including those of your congregation who trusted in your hay rather than the Cornerstone.
Matthew Henry - In that day, There are others whose works shall be burnt, whose corrupt opinions and doctrines, or vain inventions and usages in the worship of God, shall be discovered, disowned, and rejected, in that day-shall be first manifested to be corrupt, and then disapproved of God and rejected. The great day will pluck off all disguises, and make things appear as they are: He whose work shall be burnt will suffer loss. If he have built upon the right foundation wood and hay and stubble, he will suffer loss. His weakness and corruption will be the lessening of his glory (ED: HENRY APPARENTLY SEES PART OF THE "REWARD" AS DEGREES OF GLORY WHICH IS POSSIBLE), though he may in the general have been an honest and an upright Christian. This part of his work will be lost, turning no way to his advantage, though he himself may be saved. Those who hold the foundation of Christianity, though they build hay, wood, and stubble, upon it, may be saved....for nothing will damn men but wickedness. He shall be saved, yet so as by fire, saved out of the fire. He himself shall be snatched out of that flame which will consume his work.
Burned up (2618)(katakaio from kata = intensifies meaning of verb + kaio = to burn) means to burn up, to consume or destroy by fire. The word denotes a violent consuming heat. 11 NT uses - Matt. 3:12; Matt. 13:30; Matt. 13:40; Lk. 3:17; Acts 19:19; 1 Co. 3:15; Heb. 13:11; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 8:7; Rev. 17:16; Rev. 18:8
Suffer loss (forfeit) (2210)(zemioo from zemia) means to affect with damage or to do damage to, to suffer injury, to suffer loss, to sustain damage, to forfeit or to fine. It means to experience the loss of something, with implication of undergoing hardship or suffering. Zemioo was a business term meaning to "punish by exacting a forfeit" (Vincent). 6x in NT - Matt. 16:26; Mk. 8:36; Lk. 9:25; 1 Co. 3:15; 2 Co. 7:9; Phil. 3:8
But he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire - Salvation is secure, but rewards are not guaranteed.
MacArthur writes that "It is easy to fool ourselves into thinking that anything we do in the Lord’s name is in His service, just as long as we are sincere, hardworking, and well meaning. But what looks to us like gold may turn out to be straw, because we have not judged our materials by the standards of God’s Word—pure motives, holy conduct, and selfless service."
Brian Bell - Picture a man escaping a burning building, he has his life…but no possessions. - Precept Austin
7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded. 9Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.… 2 John 1: 7-9
…10“I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. 11“Some of you I overthrew as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. 12“Therefore, that is what I will do to you, O Israel, and since I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!… Amos 4: 10-12
16These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage. 17But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ 18when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”…
…19These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.…
…22And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh. 24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—…
25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen. Jude 16-25
19treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,” 21which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all.… 1 Timothy 6: 19-21
Vs. 16-17 Do you not know that you are the sanctuary of God - The building is not the church, the people are, and the foundation is Christ. Encourage your ministers to use the right materials for they will be held accountable. Also carry yourself as such. Would the sanctuary of God ever choose to pollute itself? Would it try to move off the foundation? That would be disastrous.
…2Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? 3Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.… Romans 6: 2-4
18Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.… 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20
If any man destroys (phtheiro in present tense) the temple (naos) of God, (now he gives a "prophetic promise" so to speak) God will destroy (phtheiro) him - Many commentaries suggest things like false doctrine, false teachers, Jewish legalism, "moral corruption (see Wuest's paraphrase above)," (and we know there was some of that defilement but that comes later in the letter in chapters 5-6), etc, and of course each of those things can destroy a church. However what has Paul mentioned specifically as that which would be destructive to the church in Corinth? Here is a prime example of the rule that context is king in interpretation and the corollary axiom - Read the text in context before you read the comments in the commentaries! In context, Paul is speaking of the church and the deadly effect of internal strife and division on the Body (1 Cor 1:11+, 1 Cor 3:3+) (See Ralph Earle below). Division between saints can easily progress to division of (split of) a Church (and if you have been a Christian a few decades, you have likely witnessed this tragic scenario of an established church splitting). To be sure fleshly saints (1 Cor 3:1-2, 3+) are the primary instruments by which a church is divided, the ultimate author of that division is Satan, whose very name devil is the Greek word diabolos, which in turn is from dia (through or between) and ballo (thow). This etymology of diabolos gives us a perfect word picture of Satan's cunning as he wages ceaseless attacks seeking to devour and divide God's spiritual entities, be they a Christian church, a Christian marriage, a Christian ministry, etc.
THOUGHT - Let's be brutally honest. We all have had times when we have strongly disagreed with something in the politics of a church we were attending. Now do not misunderstand, I am not referring to teaching which is questionable or even false, because we are called to disagree with such teaching. I am speaking of opinions (color of the rug in the sanctuary, who should do the most preaching, etc, etc). So Paul's solemn warning applies to every man or woman who would dare to incite division in the church, whether by gossip, innuendo, accusations, etc. Paul's strong warning to be a cause to pause for all of us! If it becomes intolerable and you cannot hold your tongue, you should seek godly counsel with the elders or pastor and if you are still unresolved in your heart, it may be time to move on to another church. As sad as that would be, it would be better to mover on than to destroy the church and in turn be destroyed! - PA
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