A Wise Masterbuilder

The church at Corinth was divided, some following Paul, Apollos, Peter or Christ. Paul urged them to be united in Christ (1 Cor. 1:1013). He wanted to speak to them as spiritual people, but they were carnal, or worldly. They were behaving like ordinary men (1 Cor. 3:1-3). Paul said that he and Apollos were simply ministers, table servants, by whom they had believed. Paul and Apollos were the messengers. That is all. Paul said, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God giveth the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6-7.)

All need to keep in mind that preachers are servants, planting and watering God’s husbandry or farm. Planting and watering must come before a true increase. When that increase comes, it is God who gives it, not man. In too many places the growth of a congregation, or lack thereof, rest upon the shoulders of the preacher. If the church is not growing, some want to get rid of the preacher. You know the saying, “A new broom sweeps clean.” However, if the preacher is faithful in word and deed, brethren need to hold up his hands. I say these things not because there is any problem here along that line, but some preachers want to take the credit if there is an increase in attendance or the contributions. However, if there is lack of either, they want to blame others for the decline. A preacher must preach the truth, but the attendance and/or contributions may have more to do with the hearts of his audience than with the preacher.

Paul continues his discussion of the growth of the church by saying:

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. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

1 Cor. 3:10-15

Earlier Paul had referred to the church at Corinth as being “God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9). He then pointed out that he had laid the foundation and another built upon it. He then gave a stern warning, “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” Preachers need to be careful how they build; that is, they need to preach the truth.

Paul makes it clear that Christ is the only foundation: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:11.) Gospel preachers are not to build God’s house on themselves, but on Christ. Other foundations will not stand (Matt. 7:24-27).

When a man builds on the foundation of Christ the material may be of gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or stubble. This has reference to a man’s work (3:13), that is, his converts. His converts will be of these different materials, not because he has preached to some the true word of God and to others erroneous doctrines. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it” is not a reference necessarily to the final judgment day. In addition, the statements “and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” and “if any man’s work shall be burned,” do not refer to hell fire. They refer to the trials of life. Some converts, described as gold, silver and precious stones, through the fiery trials of life would abide, or remain faithful; other converts, depicted as wood, hay or stubble, would be burned or fall away. When the latter happens, the wise masterbuilder suffers loss, but he can still be saved as if he had escaped the fire.

The preacher suffers loss, not of his soul, but of his converts. John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (III John 4.) But the converse of that is also true: There is no greater sorrow than to learn that one’s children, or converts, have fallen away from the Lord.

This passage is not about a man who might convert others to error and then later, he might learn the truth and obey it. He, then, could be saved, but not his converts. That is not in the context. Paul would certainly have fit in that category because before his conversion he was exceedingly more zealous of the traditions of his fathers than many of his equals. But such a scenario is not under consideration here. Paul is discussing faithful preachers of the gospel and their converts.

Paul said, “Now, if any man build upon this foundation.” What “foundation”? Verse 11 tells us: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” The preacher’s converts are under consideration here. Some are strong; others are weak to varying degrees. One cannot build error upon Christ, the true foundation. A gospel preacher might put strong or weak converts into that building.

This scripture should encourage all of us to be wise masterbuilders. We should be careful what we teach and how we teach. It is also a comforting passage from the standpoint that a man might be faithful to God in the proclamation of his word and in spite of that fact, there may be some converts who fall away from the truth. Therefore, a man who preaches the truth can still go to heaven even if his converts fall away. This demonstrates the responsibility that each has to be obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now what kind of material are you? Are you gold, silver or a precious stone because you will remain faithful through difficult times in your life? On the other hand, are you wood, hay, or stubble so that when the trials of life come your way, you will fall away from the faith? Let us strive to be gold, silver or precious stones and let each of us be wise builders of the house of God.

The Informer

Vol. 56 No. 20

March 16, 2003