[Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Thursday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my recent files:

QUESTION AND ANSWER

QUESTION: -- Would you please explain 1 Cor. 3:12-15?  
                       Does this mean that all churches are alright if
                       Christ is their foundation?

ANSWER: -- First, let us notice the text:  "According to the
                    grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise 
masterbuilder, I laid a foundation; and another buildeth
thereon.  But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon
For other foundations can no man lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.  But if any man buildeth on the found-
ation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; each
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare
it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove
each man's work of what sort it is.  If any man's work shall
abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward.  If any
man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he him-
self shall be saved; yet so as through fire" (1 Cor. 3:10-15).

     In this passage, the apostle Paul shows that when he preached the 
gospel, he was laying the foundation -- which is
Christ.  This was emphasized in the earlier  chapters, also:
"We preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor. 1:23), "For I determined
not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him
crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2).  Others (such as Apollos), following
Paul, built upon the foundation he had laid by their preach-
ing.  That is the reason for the warning, "Other foundation
can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ"

     In vss. 12-15, Paul discusses the RESULT of preaching
Christ.  That is, people are converted by the preaching of
Christ, and they become the "work" of the preacher, just as
a picture is the work of an artist.  When one preaches Christ,
people are converted and become Christians.  That is accom-
plished by the gospel (Rom. 1:16,17), "the power of God unto
salvation."  When these hearers are "baptized into Christ" (Rom. 6:3), they 
are "built upon the foundation" which is Christ.  But the apostle points out 
that preachers are charged
with preaching Christ, and judgment for them will not depend
upon the faithfulness of those they teach and bring to Christ.
The various materials represent different converts -- some
will stand the test (be faithful) and others will not.  The preacher will not 
be held accountable for those whom he 
teaches, but he will answer only for what and how he teaches.

     Notice that the apostle Paul states that if a man builds on
the foundation (that is, preaches Christ), what results with
those converted will not save nor condemn him.  If those con-
verted remain faithful, "He shall receive a reward."  But if 
those he converts later fall away, "He shall suffer loss."  As
John writes, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my child-
ren walk in the truth" (3 Jno. 4).  For a preacher to diligently
preach Christ and then see those brought to Him "fall away"
(1 Tim. 4:1), is indeed heartbreaking.  "He shall suffer loss."
But their falling away will not affect the preacher's salvation:
"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but
he himself shall be saved" (1 Cor. 3:15).  

     Rather than affirming that "all churches are all right," Paul
declares that religious division is sin.  That is what brought
up the remarks here in our text.  Some in Corinth sought to
follow Paul, others tried to be "of Apollos" and others chose
"Cephas."  So the apostle Paul asked, "That ye all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions among you...Is
Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you
baptized into the name of Paul?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13).  All were to
preach the same thing: Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  That
will never establish another church than the one Jesus built!

     The church that Jesus built is called by God the "one body" (Eph. 
1:22,23; 4:4).  Preaching Christ wil never result
in a variety of churches; man's teaching does that.  It behov-
es all of us to "speak the same thing" as we "lay the foundat-
ion which is Christ."  When we do that we will have "no divis-
ions" among us and be "perfectly joined together in one mind
and one judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10).  Let us determine to unite in
Jesus Christ, not divide Him.   ------ Clem Thurman in Gospel
Minutes, Vol. 56, No. 36, Sept. 7, 2007.   </HTML>
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