Of What Sort It Is, Part 3

Today we conclude our series of meditations on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Recall that the passage deals with how God’s ministers build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Of what sort are their works? Are their works gold, silver, and precious stones that will abide the trial of fire? Or are they works of wood, hay, and stubble that will be burned?

Recall from the first meditation that we established that God is concerned with what sort or kind of work His ministers are building rather than with how much they are building. Now it is very interesting to notice that Paul describes the works by comparing them to substances like gold, silver, and precious stone, which abide the fire; and wood, hay, stubble, which do not abide the fire. However, there is something else very striking about this description. Wood, hay, and stubble are far more plentiful in nature than gold, silver, and precious stones. This would indicate, therefore, that there is a lot more of the wrong kind of building being done upon the foundation of Jesus Christ than of the right kind of building. Indeed, there are many works going on that claim to be founded upon Jesus Christ. And yet those works have no authorization from Jesus Christ in His word. Doesn’t it strike you as inconsistent to profess that a work is based on Jesus Christ that has no commandment from Jesus Christ to support it? As we showed last time, these works are wood, hay, and stubble. Again, there are many such works. In fact, there are more of these kinds of works than the works that are gold, silver, and precious stones. So we must not judge the value of a religious work by how much of it there is. As you consider the works being built by ministers upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, bear in mind that there is more of the wrong stuff being built than of the right stuff. And if you want your service to Jesus Christ to be of enduring value, be sure you have the authority of Jesus Christ for it. Make sure that you are doing His work, His way, for His reasons!

Lastly, note that the works that a minister builds upon the foundation of Jesus Christ have no bearing on his eternal salvation. If his works are burned up, “he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” But although he will himself be saved, his works will be destroyed and he shall suffer loss. Now if a minister truly loves the Lord Jesus Christ as he ought, he does not want his works in Christ’s name to be good for nothing but to be burned. He wants the things he does in service to Christ to be of lasting value. He wants his service to have an impact on generations to come, to be serviceable in the furtherance of God’s kingdom in this earth. He wants to hear the Lord say to him at the last, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” And if you, believer, desire your works to count, then be sure to check out your minister’s teaching and example by the word of God. Otherwise, you, too, shall suffer loss.

Today’s meditation is a short one. But, then, it is not how much I write that is of chief importance. Rather, it is of what sort it is.

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?

Of What Sort It Is, Part 1

In my daily Bible reading today I read 1 Corinthians 3. I was struck again by the words I have highlighted in the following passage from that chapter.

1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

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

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

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

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

In the larger context of this passage, Paul is dealing with the work of gospel ministers. He had referred to himself and Apollos. With respect to the church at Corinth, Paul had planted and Apollos had watered, and both Paul and Apollos would each receive “his own reward according to his own labour” (1 Corinthians 3:6-8). Then Paul describes himself as a wise masterbuilder who laid the foundation and that foundation was Jesus Christ. In the next chapter Paul informs us that these things of planting, watering, and building are a figure he is transferring to himself and Apollos.

1 Corinthians 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

So Paul is dealing with ministers and their work in this passage.

When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Lord responded by saying that “upon this rock I will build by church” (Matthew 16:18). This faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is the foundation of the church. There is no other foundation for Christian ministry as Paul says in our passage: “Other foundation can no man lay.” As a wise masterbuilder, Paul laid this foundation at Corinth, when he first began to minister there.

Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;….

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Paul’s message was Jesus Christ. He first presented it to the Jews. When they rejected it, he took it to the Gentiles, who believed it. Writing to these Corinthians regarding his initial ministry among them, Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Therefore, Paul had laid the foundation of Jesus Christ. And upon that foundation the church at Corinth was built. After Paul laid that foundation at Corinth, Apollos came to them and continued to build upon that foundation (Acts 18:24-28). And this gave occasion for this instruction as to how men build upon that foundation.

Paul warns in this passage that every man’s work is going to be tried by fire to reveal “of what sort it is.” The word sort means kind. Observe that God is looking for what kind of work ministers build upon the foundation of His Son. He is far more concerned with what kind of work they do than with how much work they do. They can build never so many works upon Christ, but if those works are not the right kind of works, they will all be burned up.

Paul describes the kinds of work that can be built upon this foundation as gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble. Gold, silver, and precious stones can withstand the fire. But wood, hay, and stubble are destroyed by the fire. Now the question is this: are the works that a minister builds works that will withstand the trial of fire or are they works that will be destroyed? Of what sort is his work? God cares about how ministers serve Him, about what kind of work they do. That is why Paul gave the admonition: “Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

Now this text should give pause to all of you, who follow the teaching of a professed Christian minister. You say you have been baptized upon confession of your faith in Jesus Christ. But of what sort is your baptism? Is the baptism that minister gave you a baptism of gold that will withstand the fire? Or is it a baptism of wood that will be burned and thus be proved to have been no baptism at all? You serve in a local church under the leadership of a pastor. Are the works that pastor teaches you to do works of silver that can withstand the fire? Or are they works of hay that will be burned? Alas, many ministers are going to find out that their works are worth nothing, that they are just so much lost effort. So doesn’t it make sense, believer, to be careful whose ministry you attend to and follow? Many professing Christians are wasting their time and effort in works, programs, and so-called Christian ministries that are only so much wood, hay, and stubble to be burned.

Now the question arises, how can we know what kind of works are gold, silver, and precious stones, and what kind of works are wood, hay, and stubble? God willing, we shall address that question in the next meditation.

The Power of "No"

I was struck today by a profound statement made by Bishop Fulton Sheen in an article he wrote detailing the ills of the so-called “Sexual Revolution.” Here is the statement:

It is the tremendous power of the word “no” which gives so much thrill to the word “yes.”

If one never says “no” to sex, then much of the thrill of sex will be lost. This is not only true with respect to sex. It is true of life in general. The more we are denied something, the more thrilling it is when we are permitted to enjoy it.

I experienced this firsthand with one of my daughters, when she was still living at home with us. My daughter wanted to have her ears pierced. Each year around her birthday she would ask if she could have her ears pierced. And year after year I would say “no.” Then one year she asked again and I said “yes.” You should have seen the look on her face. She was shocked and, of course, quite thrilled. You see, the many times I said “no” imparted thrill to that “yes.”

As I thought on this statement by Bishop Sheen, I thought of how many times God says “no” to things. Just consider the Ten Commandments. With the exception of one, the commandment to honour father and mother, every commandment is expressed as a negative. We are being told not to do something. We are commanded not to have other gods, not to make graven images to worship, not to take the Lord’s name in vain, not to work on the seventh day, not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to bear false witness against our neighbour, and not to covet. And this is just a sampling of the things to which our God says “no.” The Bible is full of such negatives. It might seem as if God is a killjoy. But the exact opposite is the case.

In the light of Bishop Sheen’s statement, God says “no” to so many things not to deny us pleasure, but rather to enhance our pleasure. Take the pleasure of sex as an example. The only form of sex with another person that God allows is sex within marriage between a man and a woman. But in this area where God says “yes,” He grants to the married couple liberty to enjoy that experience in any way that they find mutually satisfying so long as it is between them without the involvement of others. In the Song of Solomon, which sets forth pure marital love in terms of oriental imagery, this charge is given to the married couple:

Song of Songs 5:1 …eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

The married couple is invited to enjoy their sexual pleasure abundantly. One cannot read the Song of Solomon attentively without sensing the thrill this couple experienced in their relationship. But take this experience of sex outside of marriage, and it becomes marred with guilt, the pain of betrayal, the risk of detection, or the risk of venereal disease. Although the pleasure of the moment may be intense, in the end it yields a bitter fruit.

It is sad to see children today so inundated with toys and entertainment. I once saw two of my grandsons get so many presents for their birthday that the thrill of receiving them diminished as they continued to open one present after another. Parents spoil the fun of life for their children when they always say “yes” to their demands. You will increase the thrill of “yes” by learning to say “no” more often.

I love a large bowl of buttered popcorn every Friday night. It thrills me to eat that bowl of popcorn. I look forward to it throughout the week. But a lot of that thrill would be lost if I had it every night. You will increase the thrill in your own life if you say “no” to yourself more often. Then when you finally do say “yes,” how sweet it will be! So do you want me to write more today? The answer is “no.” Enjoy!