Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

1 Corinthians 3

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - unaided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 3:5-17.  Here, Paul continues to admonish the church in Corinth for its divisions and conflict - with a key challenge being "cult of personality" where believers are incorrectly worshiping teachers and pastors and not God Himself. Paul starts by describing Apollos and himself as servants or instruments of the Lord using the analogy of farming where they are only planting or watering and "God [gives] the growth" (v5-7).  Those who plant and water - and anyone playing a role using spiritual gifts distributed by God - is rewarded by God "according to his labor" (v8). Believers are the workers to build God's temple, some focusing on the foundation, while others build on top of the foundation (v9-10). Paul seeks for all believers to "take care how" the temple is built as we must ensure that Jesus Christ is the foundation (v11). Our relationship with Christ then comes into focus as Paul describes how all believers should strive to build a foundation with Christ as strongly as we can leaning on the Word, the Holy Spirit, etc. to do its sanctification work within us.  Paul warns us that the strength of our relationship will be tested on judgement day (v12-15) and there are some who may perish given a foundation that was never truly built on Jesus Christ (v16-17).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I am grateful for how You have drawn me near to build a foundation upon which I am prayerful will stand the test of Judgement Day.  I know there is more work to do but I am thankful for what You have done so far.  I am not deserving of such grace and blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Hebrews 3

For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Hebrews 3:3-6

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which examines why Jesus is worthy of greater glory than Moses, and how He is the builder of the house (which is a reference to God's people or the church globally), and believers are the house.  John Piper writes: "[s]o if we boast in Jesus and hope in Jesus, we are the house, and Jesus is our Builder, and Owner and Ruler and Provider. He does not let his house be destroyed or fall into ruin."  This is a hopeful and encouraging statement.  This DesiringGod.com post goes deeper into this text and shares: "[a]nd the text concludes by saying we are his house—we are his people, we are partakers of a heavenly calling—'if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.' The evidence that we are part of the household of God is that we don't throw away our hope—Hebrews 10:35 says, "Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward"—we don't drift into indifference and unbelief. Becoming a Christian and being a Christian happen in the same way: by hoping in Jesus—a kind of hoping that produces confidence and boasting in Jesus." Let us not throw away our hope!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and whose church will never be destroyed or fall into ruin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of God who never leaves or forsakes me and provides for all of my needs.  My sin is great and it continues...daily...impatience, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.