What is this passage talking about exactly? Does this process involve literal fire or is this figurative language?
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (KJV)
10According 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.
11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13Every 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.
14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
it’s important to know the matter he’s addressing . The church was arguing about which apostle was better to follow and they had each chosen one Paul , another Peter , another claimed to be of Christ ect
he’s talking about workers in ministry
he’s essentially saying whether I or Apollos doesn’t matter well each receive our reward based on how we behold upon the only foundation which is Christ.
“
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 that giveth the increase.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and
every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour
For we are labourers together with God:
ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 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.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-11 KJV
he is telling the teachers to take heed how they build upon Paul’s doctrine the gospel they had received from God was enough to save them but if they started to stray and teach falsely thier work would be exposed
notice the dostinction between the authors in scripture like Paul and Peter , Apollos and the church ? We see this he says ….and you are that he says . Paul’s is talking about the laborers in the early church
“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.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are.”
1 Corinthians 3:13-
Gods word is like a holy fire , it puts a sinner to the test like a refiners fire it will burn up the chaff in our hearts if we let it in and believe the nt word I’ll circumcise the heart or in other words refine the person as silver in a fire that purifies the imperfections in the metal and save us.
before a metal like silver is pure and made into something beautiful , it is put into a refiners fire and out through a process that redeems all
Of the precious metals from the earth and purifies it so it is worthy for adornment and use the fire that offers salvation is here
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
James 1:21-22 KJV
when we decide to start operating in e things Jesus taught it’s like stepping into a refiners fire and is very uncomfortable at times but it saves sinners souls if they persevere
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