1 CORINTHIANS 3
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilledmaster builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 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. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
1 CORINTHIANS 3 WORKS TESTED THROUGH FIRE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Each believer is given a gift to build up on Jesus’ foundation
Every saint is responsible to grow what was given to them
The work that each one contributes is counted in and then evaluated
It goes through the testing by fire and if it survives, it will be rewarded.
When one builds a house or any building, the foundation is crucial. Without good groundwork, the building or home may eventually collapse. This is why we need architects and engineers to work together with the client so that their lifestyle and functions will be considered in the design and stability of the structure. When contractors who are hired by the clients compromise the architect’s design and the engineer’s counsel, we are going to expect maybe a disaster or delay in the project. The project manager is also a crucial part of the project because if no one oversees it, it can easily become a money pit for the clients or worse, can be a nightmare when some unforeseen things happen.
Paul talks about the importance of a believer’s work for the kingdom of God. He reminded them that Jesus laid a firm foundation that they can build up on. If they added precious work to spread God’s kingdom, it will be tested by fire. In other words, each person is expected to grow the kingdom according to how many gifts were given to them accordingly. Romans 12:6-8 enumerates the various gifts of the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION
- What gifts were you given to add up on Jesus’ foundation for his church?
