The Blog

In verses thirteen to fifteen, Paul talks about an individual’s contribution. Two sure ways to destroy a building are to damage the foundation or building it with inferior materials. The church must be built on Christ, not any person or principle. God will evaluate each person’s contribution to the life of the church, and the day of judgment will reveal the sincerity of each person’s work. God will determine whether or not they have been faithful to his instructions. Good work will be rewarded; unfaithful work will be discredited. Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that they were a unified assembly. They were not to see themselves as a body of competing interests, but as believers united in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:13-17
13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.