Paul is defining and explaining who the Christian leaders are. By announcing the word of the cross of the Messiah, Paul as God’s co-worker, is laying the foundation. Apollos as God’s co-worker is watering and building on that foundation. Paul then adds a condition or qualification. ‘But each one should be looking how he builds on it, 11 because no one is able to put in place a different substructure alongside the one that is being set, which is Jesus the Messiah. 12 If anyone is appropriately building on the basis of this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 the work of each will become apparent, because the day will make it clear, because it is revealed and brought to light within fire, and the work of each, what sort it is, the fire itself will test to demonstrate what is good. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will be given back to. 15 If anyone’s actions come to be burned up, he will experience the payment of loss, but however he will be rescued in this way – in the manner of being rescued through fire’ (I Corinthians 3 v 10b -15). Paul actually introduced this qualification back in verse 8 where once again he was speaking about Christian leaders – ‘they will each be given back to according to their own labour’. Different Christian leaders may have different gifts, abilities and qualities but one thing is essential – they are not to negate the foundation of Jesus the Messiah. It is essential that they don’t bring in any other form of teaching and practice, either alongside Jesus the Messiah or as a substitute or replacement for Jesus the Messiah. No one is able to put in place an effective replacement or substitute for Jesus. They must not establish or build on a different foundation.
IF Christian leaders appropriately build on the foundation of Jesus as God’s anointed deliverer, according to their different skills and gifts, their labours having various values and qualities,
THEN each work will become clear.
Some of the labours of Christian leaders are like precious stones whilst others are like hay and stubble. No Christian leaders are perfect, pure or infallible. Whatever the work of these Christian leaders is like, whatever quality it is, the day will make it clear. This seems to be a reference to the ‘Day of the Lord’, the commencement of the Millennium Reign and the first resurrection.
But why will the Day of the Lord reveal the quality of the work of Christian leaders? Paul tells us right away – ‘because it, [the work built on the foundation of the word of the cross of the Messiah], will become disclosed within fire’. ‘Fire’ is usually a metaphor for God’s judgement. The coming near of the Messiah – the ‘parousia’ – will see Jesus take up the mantle of King of kings to rule the nations with an iron rod. This will commence with an outpouring of the fire of God’s passionate wrath ‘and the work of each, what sort it is, the fire itself will test to demonstrate what is good’, (verse 13b).
If what has been built survives,
Then the builder will be rewarded.
If anyone’s labours and actions come to be burned up,
Then he (the leader/builder) will experience the payment of loss,
But he will be rescued in this way – in the manner of being rescued through fire’
Labours of insufficient or insubstantial quality will be burned up, (verse 8, 14, 15). A Christian leader may spend considerable time and effort in promoting certain kinds of teaching and practice, and in constructing various projects within a fellowship. But if these labours are of poor or unsubstantial quality, such as wood, hay or straw, then the fire of God’s judgement will consume what he has manufactured and that Christian leader/builder will suffer loss. His efforts will not incur a reward – indeed, he will suffer loss. That Christian leader/builder, because he is a Christian who has been brought forth by God, will indeed be rescued, but he will be like one escaping naked from a burning house without any of his clothes or possessions.
Christian 2 Christians 