Originally posted by Rajk999
[Group 1] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
[Group 2] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
[Group 3] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:13-17 KJV)
I put in those group #s.
1. Reward
2. Judgment and punishment but still saved
3. Destruction
There are two ways a person may destroy the church (which cannot really be destroyed
(Matt. 16:18) ).
First he may be an unbeliever attempting to persecute the Christian church.
Secondly he may be a believer who attempts to build the church things of the old man and not of Christ's redemption. These inferior materials mar, defile and deface the church.
The context of
First Corinthians 3:14 favors the Paul is mainly warning those Christians who may be saved, yet lose a reward because of inferior building materials.
Watch how seamlessly these passages go together:
"For we [the apostles] are God's fellow workers'; you are God's cultivated land, God's building".
According to the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds upon it. But let each man take heed how he builds upon it.
For another foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
But if anyone builds upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble, the work of each will become manifest, for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each one's work, of what sort it is.
if anyone's work which he has built upon the foundation remains, he will receive a reward.
If anyone's work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and such are you." (1 Cor. 3:9-17)
1.) The linking of
"God's cultivated land [or farm]" with
"God's building" strongly means to BUILD the building is a matter of Christ GROWING in the believers.
2.) The result of the precious materials or BUILDING
gold, silver, precious stone must be the result of Christ well growing in the Christians.
3.) The result of the inferior building materials signified by
"wood, grass, stubble" must be the result of the failure for Christ to grow in the Christians. They are still attempting to build the temple of God with the OLD MAN.
4.) Growth will be rewarded. And failure to grow will be punished.
4.) Receive a reward is associated with materials that can stand the fire of Christ's examination when it comes time to dispense reward of discipline to Christians.
5.) To
"suffer loss" is to not be rewarded. But such are saved anyway yet so as through fire.
6.) The seamless progression from this warning into the exhortation the those who destroy the temple of God which they ARE must meant that the destruction has to do with the suffering of loss.
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys the temple of God. God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and such are you.'
The Holy Spirit dwelling in the spirit of the saints needs to grow with the growth of God so that Christ is wrought into all of their soul for the building of the church with the proper materials which can stand up remaining at the judgment seat of Christ. They suffer loss for marring, defiling and almost (if possible) destroying the holy church of God.
28 Jun '17 09:43
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