Be Careful As You Build

Introduction

Paul switches from an agricultural metaphor in vss. 5-9 to an architectural metaphor in vss. 10-15. The transition takes place at the end of v. 9 [READ]. Paul uses these metaphors as he continues to address the Corinthian’s problems of divisions over their preferred teachers. Also, in vss. 10-15, Paul continues to addresses teachers and leaders of the church. No longer servants in a field, he compares them to what we would call subcontractors, those who labor in construction after the foundation has is completed.

ILL: My family does not like the shows I watch. They find them boring. I found an app that allows me to access all the “This Old House’” from the 1st season in 1979 to the present. To my family, this is the epitome of boring, but I love watching Norm frame in a sliding glass door or hang some cabinets. But by watching that show or participating in building, one understands the importance of the foundation to a structure. If the foundation is bad, everything else will be affected. Also, every part of the building is tied to the foundation. And, the foundation of a structure determines the dimensions and scope of everything that is built.

In Paul’s new metaphor, the building under construction is the church, and all who build the church or teach are to anchor their labor to the foundation. And each builder’s work will be revealed and inspected. Through fire, each builders work will be tested and all that survives bring a reward to the one who builds.

TRANS: Paul begins by pointing out the foundation of the church.

I. The Only Foundation of the Church (vss. 10-11)

Let’s skip to v. 11 - “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ. By this he means the doctrines or teachings concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ. By Paul saying, “Jesus Christ,” he’s using a form of shorthand, like in 2:2 [TURN]. Both times he’s referring to the gospel, the doctrines delivered by the apostles concerning the Person and Work of Jesus. This is the foundation of the church.

TRANS: When Paul came to Corinth, he laid this foundation. In v. 6 he said he was the one planted, that is did the work that spread the truth of the gospel.

A. The Foundation Laid By Paul (v. 10a)

He Performed this Work “by the Grace of God” - “According to the grace of God given to me...” Paul gives all glory to God for the result of his labor. He is not being arrogant but showing any work he accomplished was a result of God’s grace working through him.

What an Amazing Turn Around!

This was the chief persecutor of the church. Before, he labored to silence the teaching concerning Jesus, but God graciously appeared to him and called this one-time destroyer of the church to be a master-builder of the church. Paul would be an apostle, one who would lay the foundation of the Christian church.

TRANS: Paul also says...

2. He Was a Wise (Skilled) Master-Builder (v. 10) - This Greek word is where we get the word “architect.” We use that word to refer to one who draws the plans for a building, and I think we have part of that meaning here. However, Paul’s use refers to him being the builder with authority and greater skill than the other builders.

Paul performed this work in Corinth, Ephesus, and other places. God appointed the apostles to establish the doctrines of Jesus on which the church was to be built. In Eph. 2:20 Paul writes the Ephesian believers were

Ephesians 2:20 ESV

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Paul shows he is not the foundation. The Corinthians elevated their teachers to an unhealthy status. Paul, Apollos, nor Peter were foundation of the church; they were builders. And, Paul laid the foundation which is Jesus Christ (Prior, 46).

TRANS: Paul also declares...

B. No Other Foundation Can Be Laid (v. 11)

No other teaching can replace the foundation that was laid, and no other foundation can be laid alongside the one given by Paul (Robertson, 96).

ILL: Remember when this new auditorium was being remodeled? In order to construct it, we had to first expose the foundation. Now, picture a builder seeking to lay another foundation, next to this one and start to build on the new foundation. That’s a separate building entirely. God’s church cannot be built on any other foundation other than the one that had been laid.

APP: It could be some teachers wanted to come alongside what Paul had established and lay a different foundation, a different set of doctrines influenced by worldly wisdom. They wanted to build but not on what Paul had delivered.

Many still attempt to build an entirely different foundation. They may affirm belief in “God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit,” believe humans should do good deeds. They may believe Jesus serves as a pattern to live by, and yet, they have constructed a different foundation by not affirming the purpose for Jesus’ coming. The gospel laid down by Paul says Jesus came to earth to be the sacrifice and substitute for sinful man. Many “churches” reject this, as they desire a God who unconditionally accepts everything about them and who will not judge them for their behavior. They construct a foundation that describes a God who isn’t wrathful toward sin but who is accepting of everything about humans. They construct a foundation that rejects any notion of the need of saving.

APP: By rejecting the gospel, they are not a community of those being saved but a community of the perishing (1 Cor. 1:18). They are constructing and entirely different building, not the building of God.

TRANS: However, those who are attempting to build on the foundation delivered by Paul are also addressed. And we find poor construction can occur on the foundation Paul had laid.

II. Continued Building on the Foundation (vss. 10-14)

Paul shows other builders or teachers would continue to build on what he delivered (v. 10). This again shows that God brings certain men to a ministry for a specific time and that He’s appointed a precise task to each.

TRANS: Paul instructs all subsequent teachers by giving them 3 instructions for how to build the church. First,...

A. Anchor Your Teaching to the Only Foundation (vss. 10,14)

The foundation left by Paul is the only secure foundation. It is not weak; it is solid. It will never fail. We dare not seek to build on human wisdom.

APP: Teachers, anchor your teaching to the gospel. What you teach should align with what has been delivered.

EX: When teaching imperatives given in the NT, like “forgive one another” or “don’t do this,” or “do that,” always show how following those commands in no makes one right before God. Only His work on the cross can cause one to stand as righteous before God. But also show how God saved us, not so we would remain the same, but to change us! Show how He is working in us and one-day, when we are glorified, He will truly make us like Christ. Anchor all of your teaching to the foundation. Also...

B. Use the Right Materials (v. 12)

There has been a lot of discussion as to how to interpret the elements listed. Most commentators divide these materials into 2 groups: things that are incombustible or those that can combust.

ILL: Most ancient buildings were constructed of stone. Fire has always been a threat, but this was especially true in ancient times. The great fire of 64 AD destroyed 71% of Rome. We are to build the church with those materials that will not be burned. We should strive to use materials that are...

Incombustible (Imperishable) - 3 materials that will not combust: gold, silver, and precious stones. These are elements of high quality, impervious to fire. They will endure.

They are of the same quality and consistency as the foundation. In 1 Cor. 4, Paul was assured of the message he delivered. Those things he delivered had been imparted to him by the Holy Spirit (2:10).

Our teaching must be consistent with with the foundation. It must be according to the wisdom of God, what the apostles delivered.

APP: Teaching that exalts in Christ is gold. Teaching that calls us to turn from evil and turn to holiness is silver. Teaching that calls us to dedicated service is a precious stone. These teachings are of the same stuff as what Paul delivered.

TRANS: We are not to build on the foundation with materials that can burn.

2. Combustible (Perishable): wood, hay, straw. There are teachers who may affirm the gospel, but they seek to build on it using materials (teachings) inconsistent with what Paul established. They build using different materials.

Q: So, you may ask, what are these lesser quality materials? An example from our context would be the teaching that resulted in divisions in the church and not unity. Such teaching would be considered to be wood, hay, and straw - those teachings didn’t correspond to the gospel but to worldly wisdom.

TRANS: We don’t need to look far to see teaching of the same quality and consistency as “wood, hay, and straw” in the modern church. I can’t list every example, but 3 jump out.

Health and Wealth Teaching - Again, these examples are from teachers who don’t necessarily repudiate the foundation laid by the apostles, but their teaching does not correspond to what was delivered. Health and wealth teachers say all who are in Christ are now “children of the king,” and as His children, it is our right to, on this earth, to partake of the eternal promises now. That is, they say, health and wealth are our inheritance now. And all believers must do is have enough faith and name and claim their rightful inheritance. And, they say, the only thing from stopping us from possessing that inheritance is our lack of faith.

This teaching is wrong for a number of reasons, but it wrongly understands and applies faith. Also, Christ showed financial prosperity is no sure mark of God’s favor and suffering is no sure mark of his displeasure. In fact, the NT shows suffering is often a mark of blessing (Mt. 5:10; 1 Pt. 3:14). Those who build with these materials are using wood, hay, and straw.

Another type is what has been described as the “Old-Time Religion Teaching” - teaching that centers on reclaiming or preserve a past form of religion.

ILL: I recently listened to a preacher who said he got a postcard from a church near his house. The card invited him to attend one of their services. At the bottom of the card it said, “old-fashioned, fundamental,” singing old hymns. That is how they chose to defined themselves. This was their rallying cry, their focus. No one had to guess that their primary goal was preserving a specific culture of religion. Shouldn’t they primarily identify as people saved by grace?

Now before someone says “amen” too quickly, the same problem exists in what I’m calling the “Anti-Tradition Churches” These are churches filled with people who have a deep aversion to the “old religion,” and so the teaching and culture centers on not being like the traditionalists. The preacher cannot look traditional, and the teaching and methods of delivery are focused on being hip. This is the same problem as the “Old Time Religion Teaching.” It’s teaching centers on culture and presentation, not on what Paul had delivered.

TRANS: Though v. 12 centers on the materials or type of teaching in building, Paul also shows how the builders work will be evaluated as well.

C. Take Care In How One Builds (v. 10)

1 Corinthians 3:10 (ESV)

...Let each one take care how he builds upon it.

APP: You can use the right materials and still exhibit poor craftsmanship. You can use the best of materials and not rightly assemble them. Also, I think a teacher’s teaching can be of quality but he can use it in the wrong manner.

ILL: Over the past couple years I’ve seen 2 men in particular, whose teaching and preaching was consistent with what Paul delivered, but they were teaching it as a means of pursuing sin. They traveled the world, proclaiming God’s truth, while using their platform as a means of pursuing sin. Those who seek to build the church must also take care how they are building.

TRANS: Paul shows that there will be a future inspection to our labor. There will be a day when what we’ve built will be tested.

III. The Future Inspection of Our Work (vss. 13-15)

A. Our Work and Labor Will be Exposed by Fire (v. 13)

1. A Test of Fire (v. 13) - “Each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire.”

TRANS: There has been a lot of bad teaching about this verse, and so I want to clarify somethings.

Fire is not a means of punishment - The Roman Catholic teaching of purgatory uses this section to support the idea of purgatory. RC’ say those who are saints, really good, go to heaven. Those who are really bad go to hell. Most people, they say, are somewhere in the middle and will end up in purgatory, a place of temporary punishment. There, they will experience extreme punishment through burning, but only for a while. When they’ve paid for those sins, they will eventually go to heaven. And, they use these verse to support this idea. But this is a very wrong interpretation.

Work will experience fire, not people. V. 13 shows that which is revealed by fire is the quality of the work and resources used. 1 Cor. 3:13

1 Corinthians 3:13 (ESV)

each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

The fire is a means of revealing, not a means of punishment. Romans 8:1 says

Romans 8:1 (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Mazak says, “Fire does not test the man; it tests the work.”

And yet, there will be time when those who are “in Christ” will stand before God. And, what they built will be tested. In context, Paul is telling the teachers, those building the church, that their teaching and ministry will also be tested. God will light on fire, and the materials and work consistent with the foundation will remain. Those labors inconsistent will be burned up.

TRANS: This testing will take place on the...

2. Day of the Lord - “The Day” in v. 13 refers to the same event mentioned in 1 Cor. 1:8

1 Corinthians 1:8 (ESV)

who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the day of judgment that will take place at Jesus’ return. It’s the time often referred to as “the Judgment Seat of Christ,” which is a judgment only for believers. This is not the Great White Throne judgment which is for those not in Christ. The Judgment Seat will occur when God evaluates the faithfulness of His followers. In that moment, our works and our ministry will face a testing.

B. What Remains Will Be Rewarded (vss. 14-15)

God will take our works or ministry as it were and set them on fire. Fire will consume some and all that remains will prove to the worth of the materials used.

TRANS: And so as those who build and labor, we must...

Conclusion

There is a Day approaching. V. 15 is very clear that on this day, those in Christ need not fear eternal judgment. All who stand at this judgment will be saved. However, their labors will be judged.