Of What Sort It Is, Part 2

We continue our meditation on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. This passage deals with the work of those who preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It describes the work of the ministry as building on the foundation of Jesus Christ. The works that can be built on this foundation are described as gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble. Every man’s work will be tried by fire to determine of what sort it is. Those whose works abide the fire will receive a reward. Those whose works are destroyed by the fire shall suffer loss. Obviously, it is works that bear the character of gold, silver, and precious stones that abide the fire. The works that bear the character of wood, hay, and stubble shall be burned. We left off last time with this question: How can we know what kind of works are gold, silver, and precious stones, and what kind of works are wood, hay, and stubble?

In answering this question it is important to bear in mind that the foundation that gospel ministers lay is Jesus Christ. All true gospel ministry begins with setting forth the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind. This is laying the foundation. As we pointed out in our last meditation, this is how Paul began his ministry at Corinth. Now everything that is built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ should agree with Jesus Christ. The foundation and the building upon it should all be of one kind. No work should be built upon Jesus Christ that does not have His authorization. After all, the building rests upon Him. Therefore, any work a minister builds upon Christ needs the authority and approval of Christ.

An examination of the Great Commission given by Christ to His ministers will shed light on this.

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The initial teaching that ministers are commissioned to do is to preach the gospel, the glad tidings of the person and work of Jesus Christ in the salvation of sinners.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The first work to be built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ is believer’s baptism, according to the pattern given in the New Testament for a proper baptism. Then after believers are baptized, they are to be taught “to observe all things whatsoever” Christ has commanded. And, of course, those commandments are recorded for us in His written word. If the works built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ are such works as He has commanded, then they are gold, silver, and precious stones. If the works built upon the foundation are such as proceed from the blind zeal and fancies of men without the authority of Christ, they are only so much wood, hay, and stubble.

When speaking of good works, The Philadelphia Confession of Faith said it well:

Good works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy word, and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men, out of blind zeal or upon any pretence of good intentions.

Commenting on our passage, Matthew Henry wrote this:

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.

Think of all the many programs and activities that ministers are teaching their congregations to observe, so many so-called ministries that have not an ounce of Scriptural authority for them. Indeed, building is going on. One can see a structure rising up from the foundation. But it is a building of wood, hay, and stubble. It is so much time and energy lost on something to be burned at last. For example, at this time of the year churches have a round of activities to celebrate the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ, something He never commanded us to observe. He told His ministers to teach His disciples to “observe all things whatsoever” He commanded them to do. Nowhere did He command any celebration of His birth in the manner we see at this time of year. When I was a Methodist, our church held a service at Christmas time in which all the participants held a small candle. There was a candle burning on the altar. Someone lit a candle off of the candle on the altar and then lit his neighbour’s candle with his candle and so on from person to person until everybody was holding a lighted candle. Now this was supposed to symbolize the sharing of the light of Christ. Oh, it looked and felt so lovely, so warm and fuzzy as we stood there in a dark room lighted by so many candles and sang Silent Night. But as I recall this my soul cries out: BOOK, CHAPTER, AND VERSE!!! Where was ever such a thing authorized by the Son of God for a church to observe? I rather think a more fitting symbol for this service (?) would be that this work we were doing was like the candles we held in our hand, just so much stuff to be consumed by the fire! And on and on we could go with example after example, but I trust you get the point.

So I would return to the admonition I gave you last time. Examine the ministry that you follow, the work that you are taught to do. Of what sort is it? Does it have the authority of Him Who is the foundation of all true gospel ministry, even our Lord Jesus Christ? Or it is so much stuff to be burned in the end?