I'm neither judging nor expecting people to experience anything. I'm warning those who are building with perishable materials that they will suffer eternal loss. If I don't warn people...how can I have any love for others? Wouldn't I want to be warned if I had staked everything on a religious presumption I had been indoctrinated to believe? Would I want someone who could help me to give up on me? There is a heavy judgment coming on this generation of believers...who have accepted lies as if they were the truth...and treated the truth as if it was a lie.
So I am merely obeying the commandment to treat others as I would want to be treated. I am my brother keeper.
A mature response from you Epi-however-you "spinned" what the context of the verse is really saying-"They will suffer eternal loss"
Christ Our Foundation
(Isaiah 28:14–22; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:1–8)
10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
13his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
"each man must be careful"
This is literally a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE of blepō, "I see."
This is the warning that church leaders will give an account to God of their church work, as will all believers (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10).
3:11 There are two criteria mentioned in this passage for the church.
the leader's/believer's message must be Christocentric (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11-12 and Eph. 2:20-21)
the leader's/believer's life must be Christlike (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12-15)
3:12 "if" This is the first in a series of FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCES which are assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purpose (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12,14,15,17,18). There were (and are) fruitful and precious leaders and hurtful and destructive leaders!
"any man builds on the foundation"
The major interpretive question here is which foundation is Paul speaking about:
the gospel, 1 Cor. 3:11
the church at Corinth, 1 Cor. 3:10
Is he addressing leaders or believers in general? One's interpretation of 1 Cor. 3:10-15 must relate to 1 Cor. 3:16-17, which describes the church as a whole as the temple of God.
"gold, silver, precious stones"
The emphasis here is on what is durable, beautiful, and costly and cannot be destroyed by fire. Precious stones may be jewels, semi-precious stones, or polished marble stones.
3:13
NASB "will become evident"
NKJV "will become manifest"
NRSV "will become visible"
TEV "will be seen"
NJB "will be shown"
REB "will at last be brought to light"
Peshitta "shall be plainly seen"
This clear manifestation of believers' or leaders' ministry (i.e., motives, actions, purposes) is emphasized by a three-fold repetition of VERBS in 1 Cor. 3:13.
become evident (i.e., phainō)
show (i.e., dēloō)
reveal (i.e., apokaluptō)
This open display and judgment of believers must relate to the judgment seat of Christ in 2 Cor. 5:10.
"the day will show it"
This refers to the OT "Day of the Lord," which will involve both glorification and rewards for believers and judgment for unbelievers. However, even believers will also give an account before the judgment seat of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 12:36-37; 25:31ff; Rom. 2:16; 14:12; Gal. 5:10; Heb. 13:17).
Special Topic: The Day of the Lord
"fire" See Special Topic: Fire
"
will test "
This refers to the refiner's fire (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5), which tests with a view toward approval (i.e., dokimazō).
Special Topic: Greek Terms for Testing and their Connotations
"the quality of each man's work"
In context this must refer to one's church involvement. All the spiritual gifts are for the building up of the church (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7). There is no spiritual distinction between clergy and laity, leader and follower, but there is a task distinction (cf. Num. 16:3).
Leaders are more accountable (cf. James 3:1).
3:14 "If" This is the second in a series of FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTTENCES, assumed to be true from the perspective of the writer or for his literary purpose (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12,14,15,17,18).
"he will receive a reward"
This passage refers to rewards, not salvation. All of the people addressed are assumed to be believers!
The NT concept of rewards must be distinguished from salvation by merit (cf. Rom. 6:23). In the OT rewards or blessings were connected to obedience (cf. Deut. 11:13-32,27-29; Psalm 1). In a sense, that is still true.
However, salvation is a gift, not a reward. The life of faith and obedience is a result of salvation, not a means to salvation.
Rewards can be lost, yet salvation retained.
Rewards are a recognition of the developing ministry of believers. Paul has now universalized his eschatological evaluation (cf. 1 Thess. 2:19-20; Phil. 2:14-16) to include all believers. Rewards are a way of recognizing those who have ministered effectively and faithfully in the furtherance of the gospel. Rewards are God's gifts through His empowering for His Kingdom. Yet, like all covenant relationships, believers must appropriately and continually respond (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27).
Special Topic: Degrees of Rewards and Punishment
Special Topic: Covenant
3:15 "If any man's work is burned up" Oh, the tragedy of a fruitless, selfish, factious Christian life. It is a tragedy for the person, a tragedy for the church, and a tragedy for the unsaved!
"but he himself will be saved"
This shows the priority of grace even with the possibility of the loss of reward.
This concept may answer the theological dilemma of a free salvation in the grace of God, the finished work of Christ, and the wooing of the Spirit contrasted to the cost-everything mandate of the Christian life.
My only fear in using this text as a key concept is how rare in Scripture the theological category of a "back-slidden," carnal, baby Christian is used! The modern church uses this concept to explain an ineffective, apathetic, worldly church, but seldom delineates the NT mandate of spiritual growth (cf. Heb. 5:11-14).
Feel free to peruse the site-you might learn what it means to preach Christocentric messages and live Christ like in the present tense.
Johann.
