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.