October 24, 2004

TAKE HEED HOW YE BUILD!

1 Corinthians 3:1-23

   This is an admonition and caution to the Corinthians as to their part in the building of the church in Corinth . Paul had been used of God to bring the gospel there for the very first time and through his ministry God had established a large group. Yet they had problems.

   Paul said they were still babies. He had fed them with spiritual milk at the beginning, but now, years later, they were still babes. Their infantile behavior expressed itself in many ways; envy, strife, and divisions. They walked "as men" yet were spiritual babies (3:3). He showed how he and Apollos (and all the other workers) were "one," not divided at all! Their ministries differed only in the ways God had gifted them, but they worked in harmony and unity with one another under God's direction and "God gave the increase."

   After using the illustration of husbandry he changed figures to a building. As God had given grace, Paul, as a "wise master-builder... [chief architect] had laid the foundation." Others were to "take heed how they built" on it (3:10)! The Bible lists other foundations, but this one was different and newly given by the risen Lord to Paul. God would not have him build on another man's foundation (Rom. 15:20), not that of Moses, nor David, nor John the Baptist, Peter, nor even the Lord's earthly ministry (Mt. 16:18). And "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (3:11). This is the only foundation for God's builders today!

   Paul's foundation is Jesus Christ "according to the revelation of the mystery" (God's sacred secret in Rom. 16:25). And just as God will "judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel" (Rom 2:16), so God will judge the work of all His builders during this dispensation of grace as to whether or not their work rests squarely on Paul's foundation. The day and the fire will declare it! If the work meets this standard, "gold, silver, precious stones," the builder will receive a reward. But if the work is not according to Paul's foundation, "Jesus Christ...according to the revelation of the mystery," just as wood, hay, and stubble, it will go up in smoke and they will suffer loss. Will your work for the Lord meet this standard?

Ivan L. Burgener