For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3
Christ Himself, in His person, works, and words, constitutes the cornerstone of the foundation of the church. The Old Testament Prophets and the New Testament Apostles make up the rest of the foundation of the church. We must take great care about the church so that we remain true to this foundation. To do otherwise would be to contribute to something that cannot endure. This applies, in some way, to all Christians, for all God’s people have a role to play in the growth and maturing of the church as we are fit together as living stones in the Lord’s spiritual house. However, Paul’s words in our verses today have particular application to the elders and teachers of Christ’s church. In equipping the people of God for the work of ministry, church leaders have a great impact on the body of Christ—for good when they follow Jesus and for ill when they sin. Paul reminds us that a day is coming in which our construction efforts will be evaluated. He speaks of different building materials that can be used—“gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw”—before noting that fire on the last day will be used against our building efforts and materials, with only the worthy and sound things remaining. The Apostle’s basic point is that some things, the things of great value, will pass through judgment just fine, perhaps even being refined, while others will be burned up and destroyed. Some builders—those who build with the fine things that last—will be rewarded. The others who build with perishable goods, with methods not true to Christ, will still be saved, but they will have no additional reward. The church is rightly built only when Christ alone is set forth for righteousness, redemption, sanctification, wisdom, satisfaction and cleansing; in short, for life and glory. All other efforts, including the self-seeking factionalism of Christians in first-century Corinth and today, cannot survive. Let the knowledge that God will evaluate our service encourage us to do works that will last.
Source: S C Ball October 24, 2023
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