Where I live I see a mass of housing being built for people moving into our state. It seems as if everywhere I look a new neighborhood or housing development pops up out of nowhere. However, with all the building going on one has to wonder just what kind of quality people are getting in their new homes. I look at some of those older homes that were built around one hundred years ago and am impressed by the quality of materials and craftsmanship that were used in them, and wonder if these houses today will stand the same test of time. I am pretty sure that if each of us were in charge of building our own home we would only want the best materials to be used. As a matter of fact, we would insist on it.
What if we applied the same thinking, the same demand for quality, when we were building into the lives of people. What if there was a possibility that we could build on the foundations of peoples souls with quality materials or worthless materials. How would you want to build then onto the life of another? Notice what God’s word says on building into another persons life…..
(1 Corinthians 3:4-15)…..4 For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people? 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, orstraw, 13 each one’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 one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire.
Keeping with the thought that we are God’s fellow workers, and we are doing our part in building into or onto God’s house (His people), upon the foundation which is Christ, then we need to be careful how we build. There are two possible categories of materials from which we can use for building, whether it is in someone else’s life or in our own. (1)…There are worthy materials such as gold, silver, and precious stones. These are a picture the kind of teaching, doctrine, deeds that are right and true. (2)…There are worthless materials such as wood, hay, and stubble. These picture the kind of teachings, doctrine, deeds that are not true. All that we have done in building onto Christ in another will be tested (judged) by fire – and will be made clear (manifest). Wow! Think about the tremendous responsibility this is.
If the work built on the foundation of Christ endures there will be reward. If the work built on the foundation of Christ does not endure there will be loss. The word evident (manifest) means that it will be made known publicly. That is everybody will see our building (labor in the life of others) for what it is.
Those things that remain will be the basis for rewards (3:14). This is a motivator for each of us to be as Paul, a wise master builder. Think for a moment of the rewards that await those who belong to Christ. The Bible tells us five crowns that are available as rewards to the faithful saint of God (1.)…The Incorruptible Crown that is awarded for faithfulness to the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:25). (2.)…The Crown Of Life awarded to the person who endures and overcomes temptation (James 1:12). (3.)…The Crown Of Rejoicing which is the soul winners crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19). (4.)…The Crown Of Righteousness which will be given to those who anticipate and live in expectation of the return of Jesus (2 Timothy 4:8). (5.)…The Crown Of Glory which will be given to the faithful ministers who give themselves to lead and feed the flock of God (1 Peter 5:4). With this in mind, be careful how you build, so that what you build remains, and you to will be rewarded by God.