October 29, 2023
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
“Lasting Foundation”
Service Overview: What we build our church and upon will eventually be revealed for what it is; either solid and timeless or finicky and futile. The foundation of our ministry and life matters.
Memory Verse for the Week:
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV)
Background Insights:
- This is a judgment of service, not salvation. This is the judgment seat of Christ for believers (2 Cor 5:10), not the great white throne judgment of unbelievers (Rev 20:11-15). This judgment will be impartial and perfect. This judgment involves the quality of our work, not its quantity. This judgment will evaluate both actions and motives (1 Cor 4:5). (Daniel L. Akin, 1 Corinthians, 64)
- When Paul came to Corinth, he determined to preach only Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:1–2). He laid the only foundation that would last. In more than thirty years of ministry, I have seen “churches” try to build on a famous preacher or a special method or a doctrinal emphasis they felt was important; but these ministries simply did not last. The Corinthians were emphasizing personalities—Paul, Peter, Apollos—when they should have been glorifying Christ. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 53)
- Historically, this passage has been the single most important New Testament text used by traditional Roman Catholic theology to support the doctrine of purgatory. But modern Catholic scholars are increasingly recognizing the illegitimacy of this interpretation. Nothing in the text refers to any process of purgation that would last beyond Judgment Day. (Craig L. Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 107)
- [Paul’s] main line of argument in chapter 3 no longer focuses on the cross. Instead, he relentlessly emphasizes that the church belongs to God: God brought it into being, and God will judge it. The human instruments that God has used to raise up the church are merely servants of God’s larger purpose. Therefore it is foolish for the Corinthians to choose sides and pit one leader against another. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 50)
- After using the field and sower image to emphasize the Corinthians’ desperate need for guided spiritual growth toward maturity, Paul suddenly changes metaphors and describes the Corinthian church as a building. This image stresses the quality they should strive for in constructing their spiritual structure. He escorts them through each stage, from laying the foundation, through the actual construction, and on to the final inspection. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 60)
- 3:11. Jesus Christ alone was the foundation, the basis of salvation (Acts 4:12).But others had come to Corinth and preached a different gospel (2 Cor.11:4). Perhaps such a one was present in Corinth when Paul wrote this letter. (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 511)
What’s Paul’s message to the church here?
- Founding one’s faith on anything other than Christ will always prove faulty.
(vv. 10-11 | Ps. 118:22; Is. 28:16; Mat. 7:24-27; Eph. 2:20; Heb. 11:10; 1 Peter 2:6)
The foundation of the church—of all believers—is Jesus Christ. Nothing and no one else will do, wrote Paul. A building with no foundation, or one poorly constructed, will not last. The finest materials used to construct a home quickly rot and fall apart if they are resting on the ground. And a building is only as solid as its foundation. (Grant R. Osborne, Life Application Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians, 49)
The foundation is the most important part of the building, because it determines the size, shape, and strength of the superstructure. A ministry may seem to be successful for a time, but if it is not founded on Christ, it will eventually collapse and disappear. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 53)
- What is built on one’s foundation will be tested.
(vv. 12-13 | Deut. 8:2; Ps. 11:4-5; Isaiah 48:10; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 12:11; James 1:3)
After returning to his role and emphasizing again the heart of his gospel—Jesus Christ (v. 11), [Paul] then uses the imagery in striking fashion to urge them to build with imperishable materials (vv. 12-13) because there will come a day when each person’s work will be tested and his/her reward thereby determined (vv. 14-15). (Gordon D. Fee, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: 1 Corinthians, 136)
A cataclysm is coming that is going to test the structural integrity of our construction work, so we should build with great care. Our building should not be hasty, nor just for show; we must build our community solidly from the ground up in a way that is designed to endure. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 53)
The quality of the foundation could not be disputed, but the state of the building depended on what was erected on this foundation. (F. F. Bruce, The New Century Bible Commentary: 1 and 2 Corinthians, 44)
- God rewards quality builders.
(vv. 14-15 | Jer. 17:10; Mat. 16:27; 25:21; Luke 12:33-34; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 2:10)
But isn’t it wrong to be motivated by reward? No, it isn’t. If it were wrong, Christ wouldn’t offer it to us as a motivation. Reward is His idea, not ours. (Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle, 39)
The day of judgment is when Christ will judge the quality of His servants’ work (2 Cor. 5:10). It is not a question of salvation which is a gift (Rom. 6:23), or a matter of individual deeds (Eph. 2:8-9), but of service which is judged on the basis of quality not quantity. (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, 512)
Conclusion… How does a passage like this challenge us in living counter culture?
A. By challenging us to reflect on the quality of our lives.
(Eph. 6:8; Col. 3:23-24; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Hebrews 11:6; James 1:12; Revelation 22:12;)
Faith is shown as genuine when it is brought to completion by our actions. (Thomas Schreiner, Faith Alone, 193)
Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again – until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. (William Booth, The Founder’s Messages to Soldiers, Christianity Today, October 5, 1992, 48)
Are you building on Him? That is the important question for the believer. When you came to Christ, you came with no works. You came bringing nothing to receive everything! You were put on that Rock which is Christ. Now you can build on that. This is where good works come in. (J. Vernon McGee, 1 Corinthians, 44)
B. By challenging us to reflect on the quality of our church.
(Acts 20:28; Rom. 12:5; Eph. 2:20-22; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:24-25)
God is concerned that we build with quality. The church does not belong to the preacher or to the congregation. It is God’s church. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 53)
How we work in and for the church matters. Why we work in and for the church matters. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 62)
The supreme test for a building in a hellenistic city was fire. In the same way, the test of our ministry is the durability of its work— does the community which it builds survive or “burn up.” (William Baird, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 18)
C. By calling us to re-tool now for spiritual success.
(Proverbs 16:3; Jeremiah 17:7; Matthew 16:26; Romans 12:2; Galatians 5:22-23)
God is our greatest treasure, and our lives will count on earth only when we invest them in His kingdom for eternity. (David Platt, Counter Culture, 41)
Paul warns that the quality of each builder’s work will be tested by fire (3:13-15). In Paul’s writings, “the day” most often refers to the coming day of judgment at the return of Christ (1 Thes. 5:4; 2 Thes. 2:2), when Christ Himself will take His seat and judge believers for their works—not as a basis for salvation, but as a basis for rewards (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10). Like the works of the Corinthians, our own works one day will be tested—not to decide who has merited salvation, but to determine the rewards a believer receives. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 61)
Gospel Connection…
Jesus came to not only to save, but to build, and calls all who trust in him to build that which will last.
(Matthew 7:24; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Ephesians 2:19-22; Jude 1:20-21)
The church is that assembly of people who belong to the Lord, who are gathered together for Him. The gospel of Jesus Christ calls individuals out of the world of sin and death and into eternal light and life; it takes people who were no people and turns them into a special people for God (1 Peter 2:9-10). That’s what the church is. It’s the assembly of people living under the rule of Jesus and committed to each other in the faith. (Thabiti Anyabwile, Don’t Call it a Comeback, 203)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- What role has the Lord given you to serve the church? Are you serving in that role well?
- Should Christians be motivated in ministry by the reward(s) God promises? Why or why not?
- How can motives contribute to whether a person builds the church with permanent/valuable materials or temporary/cheap materials? What might be some examples of valuable vs. cheap building materials in the Christian faith/life?
- What difference does it make that God judges Christians for the quality of their work, not the quantity?
- How can knowing that each person will be judged for his or her work help you fight against jealousy and rivalry?
Quotes to note…
The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones. (Henry Ward Beecher)
Godliness is more than Christian character. It covers the totality of the Christian life and provides the foundation upon which Christian character is built. (Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, 7)
Good deeds are such things that no man is saved for them, nor without them. (Thomas Adams, A Puritan Golden Treasury, 127)
As the apple is not the cause of the apple tree, but a fruit of it: even so good works are not the cause of our salvation, but a sign and a fruit of the same. (Daniel Cawdray, A Puritan Golden Treasury, 127)
Throughout this chapter, two fundamental points must be kept clearly in view. First, Paul thinks of the church not as an institution with a hierarchy and a certain formal structure but as a concrete community of people in a particular locality. Thus, when he says, for example, “you are God’s temple,” he is referring not to a building but to the gathered people of God. Second, Paul’s metaphors all refer to the community viewed corporately: the building that is built by the apostles and tested by fire is not the spiritual life of the individual believer, but the church community as a whole. The latter point may be especially hard for some Protestant congregations to keep in focus, because the tradition of individualistic reading is so entrenched. But if this point is not grasped firmly, Paul’s whole meaning will be missed. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 51)
We can build Godlike character only upon the foundation of a whole-hearted devotion to God. God must be the very focal point of our lives if we wish to have godly character and conduct. This point cannot be overemphasized. Too many of us focus on the outward structure of character and conduct without taking the time to build the inward foundation of devotion to God. This often results in a cold morality or legalism, or even worse, self-righteousness and spiritual pride… Godly character flows out of devotion to God and practically confirms the reality of that devotion. (Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, 54)
The fire will test what sort of work each subcontractor has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive his pay; but if the work of anyone is burned up, he will be fined; the subcontractor will be saved, but only as through fire. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 56)
This does not mean that I cannot desire to be blessed by my service to God. In fact, God promises to bless our obedience according to His loving purposes, and in some measure He uses these blessings to encourage us to honor His standards. The point is not that His blessings should never motivate us at all, but they cannot be the driving force of our service. His blessings are the oil that helps the machinery of obedience operate, but love for God and desire for His glory are the pistons and wheels. (Bryan Chapell, Holiness by Grace, 31)