“Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Not only are we to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, but how we build is just as important. What good is it to have a good, solid foundation if in the end that is all there is? Houses not built to withstand a hurricane are left with only the bare foundation; everything else is gone. Paul had laid a good foundation; now he admonishes the Corinthians (and all Christians) to build on it well.

Sectarianism does not make a good building, even when there is a solid foundation. The church at Corinth was in shambles, like a house blown away by a hurricane, with only the foundation left. Yet the Christians there were quite proud that they were holding faithful to the teaching of this person or that. But as a church they were weak and ineffective in living out God’s mandate to make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20).

The Corinthians were depriving themselves of the whole counsel of God. Building a thatch house on a cement foundation may be easier and cheaper than building one of solid fireproof construction, but strike a small match and see what happens. For a while it looks nice and meets needs, but time will tell how well it will last. The Corinthians were seeing firsthand the disaster in their church-life experience: divisions, rampant sexual immorality, greed, judgmentalism, and spiritual elitism.

Not only is the welfare of the church at stake, but the Christian’s reward for service is at stake. Notice, his salvation is not at stake. Even if a person goes through life building in a wrong way on the foundation of Christ, the foundation still holds. Paul says, “[H]e himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” In other words, a person can be saved and secure, having the foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, but have nothing to show for it when he stands before the Master. There may be no reward of hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). There may be no crowns to lay at the feet of Him to whom all glory must flow (Rev. 4:10-11). What a tragedy to not fulfill the purpose for which we were redeemed, to be “His workmanship…for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

Lord, I confess the “wood, hay, and stubble” construction of my service for You. Help me to focus on the gold, silver, and precious stones of ministry.