1 Corinthians 3:10-15: a reflection

10According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. 11For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. 14If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. 15If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

Paul, having laid the foundation of Christ, warns those who build on it to build with care, for the quality of their work will be tested. No one can lay any other foundation than Jesus Christ, he says; but on that foundation, one may build with gold, silver, and costly stones, or with wood, hay, and straw. And the Day will test each one's work with fire, revealing what sort it is: the enduring will remain, the perishable will be burned up. Paul calls each to be careful how he builds, for the quality of what we build on the foundation of Christ matters and will be tested; we are to build with what will endure, not what will be burned away.

Notice the call to build carefully, with work that will endure. The foundation is settled, Christ himself; but how we build on it varies. We may build with the enduring, gold and precious stones, or with the perishable, wood and hay and straw; and the fire of God's testing will reveal which. Paul calls us to build with care, conscious that the quality of our work will be tested, and that only what endures will remain. It matters how we build on the foundation of Christ; careless or perishable work will not survive the testing, while what is built to endure will remain. We are to build with what will last, not what the fire will consume.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are to build carefully on the foundation of Christ, with work that will endure the testing. We can build carelessly on the foundation of Christ, with perishable work, work of little lasting value, not thinking about how it will hold up; but Paul calls us to build with care, for the quality of our work will be tested by fire, and only what endures will remain. It matters how we build. Do not build carelessly on the foundation of Christ, with perishable work; build with care, with what will endure the testing. Build carefully on the foundation of Christ, with work that will endure the testing of fire rather than perishable work that will be burned away, as Paul warns each to be careful how he builds and that the Day will test each one's work; for the quality of what we build on the foundation of Christ matters and will be tested, and we are to build with what will last.

Lord, Paul, having laid the foundation of Christ, warns those who build on it to build with care, for the quality of their work will be tested. No one can lay any other foundation than Jesus Christ, he says; but on that foundation, one may build with gold, silver, and costly stones, or with wood, hay, and straw. And the Day will test each one's work with fire, revealing what sort it is: the enduring will remain, the perishable will be burned up. Paul calls each to be careful how he builds. Show me the call to build carefully, with work that will endure. The foundation is settled, Christ himself; but how we build on it varies. We may build with the enduring, gold and precious stones, or with the perishable, wood and hay and straw; and the fire of your testing will reveal which. Paul calls us to build with care, conscious that the quality of our work will be tested, and that only what endures will remain. It matters how we build on the foundation of Christ; careless or perishable work will not survive the testing. Take that to my heart, for I am to build carefully on the foundation of Christ, with work that will endure the testing. I can build carelessly, with perishable work, work of little lasting value, not thinking about how it will hold up; but Paul calls me to build with care, for the quality of my work will be tested by fire. It matters how I build. Keep me from building carelessly on the foundation of Christ, with perishable work; help me build with care, Lord, with what will endure the testing, as Paul warns each to be careful how he builds.