Opening illustration: We must use the right building materials if we want our ministries to stand in the day of His visitation.
Every state in this country has strict building codes. You can’t just buy a piece of land and throw up a structure any way you choose. Local governments have standards for foundations, floors, drywall, roofs, exhaust systems, water heaters, wiring, lighting and sanitary drainage. In some neighborhoods you can’t even erect a shed in your backyard without a permit, and an inspector will always drop by unannounced to make sure you followed the rules.
These codes are important in Iowa where we live. You don’t want to discover during a hurricane that your contractor used shoddy plywood or defective concrete when he built your house or condo. Bad construction just might send your roof into a neighbor’s yard!
It’s ironic that our society does not tolerate sloppy building, yet in the body of Christ we place little emphasis on code enforcement. In fact, in our freewheeling movement we celebrate the independent spiritual contractor who uses questionable materials and answers to no one. Much of our movement during the past 30 years has been built like this - and today we are discovering that what we thought was sturdy was actually stuck together with cheap nails, substandard wood, thin glue and duct tape.
That creaking sound you hear is the sagging of rafters. The Lord has entered our crooked house with His holy plumb line and a clipboard - and He is not pleased.
Did you know that God has a building code? Paul says Christ will inspect our buildings using the ultimate test - the fire of His holiness. I am challenging Christians today to prepare for a building inspection. If we ignore God’s codes our churches and ministries will not stand in the day of His visitation.
Let us turn to God’s Word and check out the building codes for the ‘Body of Christ.’ Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 3: 9 – 17.
Introduction: Because Apostle Paul cared deeply for the believers in Corinth, his heart broke when he learned of their division, bickering, and loss of focus. To ease them back on track (and not always so gently!), Paul confronted a series of issues that had divided and distracted them and encouraged the Corinthians to reunite based on the only sure foundation - Jesus Christ.
Today’s church, also often divided and distracted, has much to learn from First Corinthians. Paul was very concerned largely about the church unity and dealt with this issue without any inhibition.
How to build the ‘Body of Christ’ (church)?
1. Building on the Foundation [vs. 9 – 11]:
(a) First, as in our translation, that they were co-workers with God; engaged with him in his work, that he and they cooperated in the production of the effect; or that it was a joint-work; as we speak of a partnership, or of joint-effort among people. It gives a special sacredness to the work of the ministry, and indeed to the work of the farmer and the vinedresser. There is no higher honor than for a man to be engaged in doing the same things which God does, and participating with him in accomplishing his glorious plans. It is literally, not we are his co-partners, but we are his fellow-laborers, that is, fellow-laborers in his employ, under his direction - as we say of servants of the same rank they are fellow-laborers of the same master, not meaning that the master was engaged in working with them, but that they were fellow-laborers one with another in his employment.
(b) The architectural figure is here continued with some striking additions and illustrations. By the “grace of God” here, Paul probably means his apostleship to the Gentiles, which had been conferred on him by the mere favor of God, and all the wisdom, and skill, and success which he had evinced in founding the church. Paul; he was the wise or experienced architect which God used in order to lay the foundation; to ascertain the essential and immutable doctrines of the Gospel - those alone which came from God, and which alone he would bless to the salvation of mankind. Vast evils are constantly occurring in the church for the lack of proper instruction to young converts. Many seem to feel that provided the foundation be well laid, that is all that is needed. But the grand thing which is needed at the present time, is, that those who are converted should, as soon as possible, be instructed fully in the nature of the faith which they have embraced. What would be thought of a farmer who should plant a tree, and never water or trim it; who should plant his seed, and never cultivate the grain as it springs up; who should sow his fields, and then think that all is well, and leave it to be overrun with weeds and thorns? Piety is often stunted, its early shootings blighted, its rapid growth checked, for the lack of early culture in the church. And perhaps there is no one thing in which ministers more frequently fail than in regard to the culture which ought to be bestowed upon those who are converted - especially in early life.
© No true church can be reared which does not embrace and hold the true doctrines respecting him - those which pertain to his incarnation, his divine nature, his instructions, his example, his atonement, his resurrection, and ascension. The reason why no true church can be established without embracing the truth as it is in Christ is, that it is by him only that people can be saved; and where this doctrine is missing, all is missing that enters into the essential idea of a church. The fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith must be embraced, or a church cannot exist and where those doctrines are denied no association of people can be recognized as a church of God. Nor can the foundation be modified or shaped so as to suit the wishes of people. It must be laid as it is in the Scriptures; and the superstructure must be raised upon that alone.
Illustration: In 1174 the Italian architect Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: A separately standing eight-story bell tower for the Cathedral of the city of Pisa. The tower was to be eight-stories and 185-foot tall. There was just one "little" problem: builders quickly discovered that the soil was much softer than they had anticipated, and the foundation was far too shallow to adequately hold the structure! And sure enough, before long the whole structure had begun to tilt... and it continued to tilt... until finally the architect and the builders realized that nothing could be done to make the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again. It took 176 years to build the Tower of Pisa and during that time many things were done to try and compensate for the "tilt." The foundation was shored up; the upper levels were even built at an angle to try to make the top of the tower look straight. Nothing worked. The tower has stood for over 800 years, but it leans 18 feet away from where it should be (10 degrees from the vertical, for all the engineers). One day, experts say, it will fall all because it wasn’t built on the right foundation.
2. Testing the Building [vs. 12 – 15]:
The main discussion doubtless, has respect to the teachers of the faith. Paul carries forward the metaphor in this and the following verses with respect to the building. He supposes that the foundation is laid; that it is a true foundation; that the essential doctrines in regard to the Messiah are the real basis on which the edifice is reared. But, he says, that even admitting that, it is a subject of vast importance to attend to the kind of structure which shall be reared on that; whether it shall be truly beautiful, and valuable in itself, and such as shall abide the trial of the last great Day; or whether it be mean, worthless, erroneous, and such as shall at last be destroyed.
Material used while building on the foundation ~
(i) Gold, silver - On the meaning of these words it is not necessary to dwell; or to lay too much stress. Gold is the emblem of that which is valuable and precious, and may be the emblem of that truth and holiness which shall bear the trial of the great Day. In relation to the figure which the apostle here uses, it may refer to the fact that columns or beams in an edifice might be gilded; or perhaps, as in the temple, that they might be solid gold, so as to bear the action of intense heat; or so that fire would not destroy them - So the precious doctrines of truth, and all the feelings, views, opinions, habits, practices, which truth produces in an individual or a church, will bear the trial of the last great Day.
(ii) Precious stones - By the stones here referred to, are not meant “gems” which are esteemed of so much value for ornaments, but beautiful and valuable marbles. The word “precious” here means those which are obtained at a “price,” which are costly and valuable; and is particularly applicable, therefore, to the costly marbles which were used in building. The figurative sense here does not differ materially from that conveyed by the silver and gold. By this edifice thus reared on the true foundation, we are to understand:
(iii) Wood - That might be easily burned. An edifice reared of wood instead of marble, or slight buildings, such as were often put for up for temporary purposes in the East - as cottages, places for watching their vineyards, etc.; see my note at Isa_1:8.
(iv) Hay, stubble - Used for thatching the building, or for a roof. Perhaps, also, grass was sometimes employed in some way to make the walls of the building. Such an edifice would burn readily; would be constantly exposed to take fire. [Errors and false doctrines, such as will not be found to be true on the Day of Judgment]
The time is coming when every one’s work shall be made manifest: for the day of the Lord, that great and final day, shall declare it - To all the world. For it is revealed - What faith beholds as so certain and so near is spoken of as already present. By fire; yes, the fire shall try every one’s work, of what sort it is - The strict process of that day will try every man’s doctrines, whether they come up to the scripture standard or not. Here is a plain allusion to the flaming light and consuming heat of the general conflagration. But the expression, when applied to the trying of doctrines, and consuming those that are wrong, is evidently figurative; because no material fire can have such an effect on what is of a moral nature. And therefore it is added, he who builds wood, hay, or stubble, shall be saved as through the fire - Or, as narrowly as a man escapes through the fire, when his house is all in flames about him. He shall receive a reward - A peculiar degree of glory. Some degree even the other will receive, seeing he held the foundation; though through ignorance he built thereon what would not abide the fire.
Consequences ~
He shall suffer loss - He is saved, because he intended well, but is barely saved, like one who escapes from a burning house where all his property is consumed.
(i) He shall not be elevated to as high a rank and to as high happiness as he otherwise would. That which he supposed would be regarded as acceptable by the Judge, and rewarded accordingly, shall be stripped away, and shown to be unfounded and false; and in consequence, he shall not obtain those elevated rewards which he anticipated. This, compared with what he expected, may be regarded as a loss.
(ii) He shall be injuriously affected by this forever. It shall be a detriment to him to all eternity. The effects shall be felt in all his residence in heaven - not producing misery but attending him with the consciousness that he might have been raised to superior bliss in the eternal abode - The phrase here literally means, “he shall be mulcted.” The word is a legal term, and means that he shall be fined, that is, he shall suffer detriment.
But he himself shall be saved - The apostle all along has supposed that the true foundation was laid 1Co_3:11, and if that is laid, and the edifice is reared upon that, the person who does it shall be safe. There may be much error, and many false views of the faith, and much imperfection, still the man that is building on the true foundation shall be safe. His errors and imperfections shall be removed, and he may occupy a lower place in heaven, but he shall be safe.
Yet so as by fire - This passage has greatly perplexed commentators; but probably without any good reason. The apostle does not say that Christians will be doomed to the fires of purgatory; nor that they will pass through fire; nor that they will be exposed to pains and punishment at all; but he “simply carries out the figure” which he commenced, and says that they will be saved, as if the action of fire had been felt on the edifice on which he is speaking. That is, as fire would consume the wood, hay, and stubble, so on the great Day everything that is erroneous and imperfect in Christiana shall be removed, and that which is true and genuine shall be preserved as if it had passed through fire. Their whole character and opinions shall be investigated; and that which is good shall be approved; and that which is false and erroneous be removed.
The idea is not that of a man whose house is burnt over his head and who escapes through the flames, nor that of a man who is subjected to the pains and fires of purgatory; but that of a man who had been spending his time and strength to little purpose; who had built, indeed, on the true foundation, but who had reared so much on it which was unsound, and erroneous, and false, that he himself would be saved with great difficulty, and with the loss of much of that reward which he had expected, as if the fire had passed over him and his works. The simple idea, therefore, is, that that which is genuine and valuable in his doctrines and works, shall be rewarded, and the man shall be saved; that which is not sound and genuine, shall be removed, and he shall suffer loss.
We may observe here ~
(a) That this passage does not necessarily or naturally give any idea of the one saved to be lost because of building on ill ground. The interpretation stated above is the natural interpretation, and one which the passage will not only bear, but which it demands.
(b) The idea of danger and peril is, indeed, in this text; but the idea of personal salvation is retained and conveyed. Neither does it give any idea of the dead being saved by the prayers of the living.
Illustration: Story of Peter Abraham’s family
3. Result of Corrupt Construction [vs. 16 – 17]: (Consequences of defiling the BOC)
From other parts of the epistle, it appears that the false teachers among the Corinthians taught unholy doctrines. Such teaching tended to corrupt, to pollute, and destroy the building of the body of Christ, which should be kept pure and holy for God. Those who spread loose principles, which render the church of God unholy, bring destruction upon themselves. Christ by his Spirit dwells in all true believers. Christians are holy by profession, and should be pure and clean, both in heart and conversation. He is deceived who deems himself the temple of the Holy Ghost, yet is unconcerned about personal holiness, or the peace and purity of the church. [Not the tabernacle but the temple]
This is to be understood of the community of Christians, or of the church, as being the place where God dwells on the earth. The idea is derived from the mode of speaking among the Jews, where they are said often in the Old Testament to be the temple and the habitation of God. And the allusion is probably to the fact that God dwelt by a visible symbol - “the Shechinah” - in the temple, and that His abode was there. As He dwelt there among the Jews; as He had there a temple - a dwelling place, so he dwells among Christians. They are His temple, the place of His abode. His residence is with them; and He is in their midst. This figure the apostle Paul several times uses, 1Co_6:19; 2Co_6:16; Eph_2:20-22. A great many passages have been quoted by Eisner and Wetstein, in which a virtuous mind is represented as the temple of God, and in which the obligation to preserve that inviolate and unpolluted is enforced. The figure is a beautiful one, and very impressive. A temple was an edifice erected to the service of God.
The temple at Jerusalem was not only most magnificent, but was regarded as most sacred:
(i) From the fact that it was devoted to his service; and,
(ii) From the fact that it was the special residence of Yahweh.
Among the pagan also, temples were regarded as sacred. They were supposed to be inhabited by the divinity to whom they were dedicated. They were regarded, as inviolable. Those who took refuge there were safe. It was a crime of the highest degree to violate a temple, or to tear a fugitive who had sought protection there from the altar. So the apostle says of the Christian community. They were regarded as his temple - God dwelt among them - and they should regard themselves as holy, and as consecrated to his service. And so it is regarded as a species of sacrilege to violate the temple, and to devote it to other uses, 1Co_6:19; see 1Co_3:17.
Dwells in you - As God dwelt formerly in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple, so His Spirit now dwells among Christians - The expression means:
(a) That the church is the seat of His operations, the field or abode on which He acts on earth;
(b) That His influences are there, producing the appropriate effects of His agency, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, etc.; Gal_5:22-23;
(c) That He produces consolations there, that he sustains and guides His people;
(d) That they are regarded as dedicated or consecrated to Him;
(e) That they are especially dear to Him - that He loves them, and thus makes His abode with them.
Illustration: Fate of Solomon’s Temple due to the rejection of Christ? Is God concerned about your happiness or holiness? Holiness refers to our separation from sin (the blood of Christ on the cross) and being completely devoted, loyal and sold out to God.
Conclusion:
1. The sustenance of any temple depends upon the material of the foundation it has been built.
2. A person can “defile the temple of God” by doing the things for which Paul rebukes the Corinthians.
3. A person can “defile” or “destroy” the temple by failing to perform their part in its construction.
4. We defile the church when we do not build on the foundation of the apostles, or when we fail to build well.
5. The mandatory test comes when it has to go through the fire even if it doesn’t like it. That will determine whether it had aligned itself with Biblical teachings and led a Godly holy life.
6. Disunity and divisions are destructive and defiling to the church, and thus a most serious matter.
Are you ready for your inspection? May God give us the grace to renovate the areas of our lives, our churches and our ministries that have not been built according to His standards.
If you’re not on guard against evil in the BOC, you’ll be influenced by evil.
