My God and My Country

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Church at Corinth

Chapter 3:10-15

10 According to the grace of God given to me, as a skillful master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon: but let every man take heed how he buildeth upon it.

11 For other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 And if any man build on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, timber, hay, or stubble,

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by the fire: and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work, that he hath built upon, abide, he shall receive wages.

15 If any man’s work burn, he shall lose, but he shall be saved himself: nevertheless yet as it were by the fire.

Related Scripture:

Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 7:24-25, 18:18; Luke 6:48; Romans 9:33; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:4

Brethren:

What else can be said? Paul has already stated, that he preaches no other gospel but that of Christ crucified and risen from the dead to be propitiation (See 1 John 2:2) for our sins. (See 1 Corinthians 1:23). This is the foundation, that Christ is the Savior/Redeemer. On this belief, we stand solidly.

Now, as Paul has written, one may lay the foundation, and another may expand upon it. Each one shall be examined by God.

“Here the apostle informs us what foundation he had laid at the bottom of all his labours among them—even Jesus Christ, the chief corner-stone. Upon this foundation all the faithful ministers of Christ build. Upon this rock all the Christians found their hopes. Those that build their hopes of heaven on any other foundation build upon the sand. Other foundation can no man lay besides what is laid-even Jesus Christ. Note: The doctrine of our Saviour and his mediation is the principal doctrine of Christianity. It lies at the bottom, and is the foundation, of all the rest. Leave out this, and you lay waste all our comforts, and leave no foundation for our hopes as sinners. It is in Christ only that God is reconciling a sinful world to himself, (See 2 Corinthians 5:19) . But of those that hold the foundation, and embrace the general doctrine of Christ’s being the mediator between God and man, there are two sorts.

Some build upon this foundation gold, silver, and precious stones, namely, those who receive and propagate the pure truths of the gospel, who hold nothing but the truth as it is in Jesus, and preach nothing else. This is building well upon a good foundation, making all of apiece, when ministers not only depend upon Christ as the great prophet of the church, and take him for their guide and infallible teacher, but receive and spread the doctrines he taught, in their purity, without any corrupt mixtures, without adding or diminishing.

Others build wood, hay, and stubble, on this foundation; that is, though they adhere to the foundation, they depart from the mind of Christ in many particulars, substitute their own fancies and inventions in the room of his doctrines and institutions, and build upon the good foundation what will not abide the test when the day of trial shall come, and the fire must make it manifest, as wood, hay, and stubble, will not bear the trial by fire, but must be consumed in it.

There is a time coming when a discovery will be made of what men have built on this foundation: Every man’s work shall be made manifest, shall be laid open to view, to his own view and that of others. Some may, in the simplicity of their hearts, build wood and stubble on the good foundation, and know not, all the while, what they have been doing; but in the day of the Lord their own conduct shall appear to them in its proper light. Every man’s work shall be made manifest to himself, and made manifest to others, both those that have been misled by him and those that have escaped his errors. Now we may be mistaken in ourselves and others; but there is a day coming that will cure all our mistakes, and show us ourselves, and show us our actions in the true light, without covering or disguise: For the day shall declare it (that is, every man’s work), because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is. The day shall declare and make it manifest, the last day, the great day of trial.

The expression carries in it a plain allusion to the refiner’s art, in which the fire separates and distinguishes the dross from the gold and silver; as it also will silver and gold and precious stones, that will endure the fire, from wood and hay and stubble, that will be consumed in it. Note, There is a day coming that will as nicely distinguish one man from another, and one man’s work from another’s, as the fire distinguishes gold from dross, or metal that will bear the fire from other materials that will be consumed in it. In that day: Some men’s works will abide the trial [and] will be found standard. It will appear that they not only held the foundation, but that they built regularly and well upon it [and] that they laid on proper materials, and in due form and order. The foundation and the superstructure were all of a piece. The foundation-truths, and those that had a manifest connection with them, were taught together. It may not be so easy to discern this connection now, nor know what works will abide the trial then; but that day will make a full discovery. And such a builder shall not, cannot fail of a reward. He will have praise and honour in that day, and eternal recompence after it. Note, Fidelity in the ministers of Christ will meet with a full and ample reward in a future life. Those who spread true and pure religion in all the branches of it, and whose work will abide in the great day, shall receive a reward. And, Lord, how great! how much exceeding their deserts!

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. Note, 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, 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. Observe, Those who hold the foundation of Christianity, though they build hay, wood, and stubble, upon it, may be saved. This may help to enlarge our charity. We should not reprobate men for their weakness: 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. This intimates that it will be difficult for those that corrupt and deprave Christianity to be saved. God will have no mercy on their works, though he may pluck them as brands out of the burning. on must be made by suffering. Because this fire is to try every man’s works, those of Paul and Apollos, as well as those of others.”

Matthew Henry - Theologian