Bulletins - New Life Bible Fellowship Church

- - Psalm 118:28–29KJV1900
The Church's One Foundation
Jesus Strong and Kind
- - Proverbs 14KJV1900
Doxology
Introduction:
Last week Paul introduced two images for the church: God's field and God's building. He developed the field metaphor—Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. Now he develops the second image: the church as a building under construction.
And immediately the stakes rise.
In the agricultural metaphor, the emphasis was on God's sovereignty in growth. Ministers are merely servants; rivalry between them is absurd. But in the building metaphor, the emphasis shifts to human responsibility and coming judgment. Yes, God owns the building. But how we build matters eternally.
Paul presents himself as a "skilled master builder" who laid a foundation. Others are building upon it. So far, so good. But then comes the warning: be careful how you build. The foundation is fixed—it is Jesus Christ, and no one can lay another. But the materials vary. Some build with gold, silver, and precious stones. Others build with wood, hay, and straw.
And a fire is coming.
The Day will reveal each person's work. Fire will test what kind of material was used. Some work will survive and receive reward. Some will burn up entirely—the builder "will be saved, but only as through fire," escaping with nothing but their life.
Then Paul sharpens the warning further. The church is not merely a building; it is God's temple—the place where His Spirit dwells. And if anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person.
This passage confronts every minister, every teacher, every Christian who contributes to the church's life. The question is not only whether we build but how we build and with what we build. Are we constructing with materials that will endure the fire? Or are we piling up impressive-looking work that will be incinerated on the Day?
Today Paul calls us to examine our building materials—and to remember whose temple we are constructing.
Text: 1 Corinthians 3:10-17
1 Corinthians 3:10–17 ESV
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 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. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Main Idea: Because Christ is the only foundation; how we build on him will be tested by fire, and those who destroy his temple face destruction.
Background:
Paul's building metaphor moves through three stages: foundation (Christ alone), superstructure (quality of ministry work), and identity (God's temple). The foundation is fixed—Christ and no other. The superstructure varies—durable or perishable materials that fire will test. The identity is sacred—the church is God's dwelling place, and destroying it invites divine destruction. Together these images call every Christian, especially every minister and teacher, to examine what they are building and how they are building it. The fire is coming. The Day will reveal all. Only what is built with gold, silver, and precious stones—work that is Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered, and love-motivated—will survive.
I. The Foundation Laid (10-11)
The context of verse 10 primarily addresses church leaders and teachers, though the principle extends more broadly to all believers. Paul here is setting the stage by expanding on where we left off last week:
1 Corinthians 3:8–9 ESV
8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
According to the grace of God given to me - Paul begins by grounding everything in grace. His role as a master builder was not earned or achieved but given (δοθεῖσαν—aorist passive, indicating divine action). God gave Paul this grace; Paul received it. It specifies which grace Paul means: the grace given to him specifically—his apostolic calling and gifting.
like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation,
master builder - This compound noun combines ἀρχι- ("chief, master") and τέκτων ("craftsman, builder"). An ἀρχιτέκτων was the master craftsman who designed and supervised construction—what we might call an architect or general contractor.
laid a foundation - In ancient construction, the ἀρχιτέκτων (master builder) was responsible for the most critical phase: laying the foundation. Everything else depended on getting this right. Other workers would then build upon what the master builder established.
someone else is building upon it
someone else - The singular ἄλλος ("another") is generic—it could refer to Apollos specifically or to any subsequent minister who builds on Paul's foundation. The lack of a specific name keeps the application broad.
is building upon it - This compound verb combines ἐπί ("upon") and οἰκοδομέω ("to build"). It means specifically to build upon something already laid—to construct a superstructure on an existing foundation.
The present tense indicates ongoing action. The foundation was laid (aorist); building continues (present). The church is still under construction.
Let each one take care how he builds upon it. - The Warning: Here is the turn. Paul has described his role (foundation-layer) and others' role (builders). Now comes the warning: take care how you build.
The verb βλέπω means "to see, to look, to watch." In the imperative, it often means "watch out, take care, be careful." Paul is issuing a command: Be careful! The present imperative suggests ongoing vigilance: "Keep watching how you build."
πῶς (pōs) — "How" - The warning is not about whether to build but how to build. Building is assumed; quality is the question. The manner, method, and materials matter. This is crucial. Some Corinthian teachers were presumably building—they were active, contributing, working. But how were they building? With what materials? According to what standards?
The verse moves from Paul's past work (foundation) to others' present work (superstructure) to the command for careful attention (how you build matters). Having set the stage, Paul now explains further:
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
For no one can lay a foundation
γάρ (gar) — "For" - the conjunction explains why builders must be careful: because the foundation is fixed. You cannot lay a different one.
οὐδεὶς δύναται (oudeis dynatai) — "No one is able" - This is absolute: no one can lay another foundation. The verb δύναμαι indicates ability or capability. It is not that no one should lay another foundation; no one can. The impossibility is theological, not merely practical.
ἄλλον (allon) — "Another" - The adjective ἄλλος means "another of the same kind" or simply "another, different." Paul is ruling out any alternative foundation. There is one foundation, and only one, there are no options here to consider.
other than that which is laid
παρά (para) — "Other than / Except" - With the accusative, παρά can mean "beside" or "other than, except." Here it means "other than"—no foundation other than the one already laid.
κείμενον (keimenon) — "The one lying / The one laid" - The verb κεῖμαι means "to lie, to be laid, to be set in place." The present participle describes the foundation as already in place—it lies there, established, fixed. And what is that foundation?
which is Jesus Christ - The Identification: The relative clause identifies the foundation: it is Jesus Christ. Not teaching about Jesus. Not principles derived from Jesus. Jesus Himself.
This is personal. The foundation is a person—the incarnate, crucified, risen Lord. All legitimate church-building must rest on Him.
Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iēsous Christos) — "Jesus Christ" - The full name emphasizes both His humanity (Ἰησοῦς (Jesus)—the historical person) and His office (Χριστός (Christ)—the Messiah, the Anointed One). The foundation is the God-man, the crucified Messiah, the risen Lord.
This verse limits what subsequent builders can do. All true builders cannot change the foundation; they can only build upon it. Their work must be compatible with Christ, centered on Christ, derived from Christ.
Any "church" built on any other foundation—philosophy, personality, tradition, program—is not a true church. The foundation determines everything. Yet, even if you build on the right foundation, God takes this very serious and will have…
II. The Materials Tested (12-15)
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
Now if anyone builds on the foundation - The Conditional: The conditional εἰ with the indicative presents a real, assumed situation: "If anyone builds upon the foundation"—and people do build, so this is addressing actual practice not hypothetical.
τις (tis) — "Anyone" - The indefinite pronoun keeps the application universal. This applies to Apollos, to future teachers, to anyone who contributes to building the church.
with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
The Durable Materials
χρυσός (chrysos) — "Gold" - Gold was the most precious metal, associated with royalty, divinity, and the temple. Solomon's temple was overlaid with gold (1 Kgs 6:20-22). Gold survives fire; indeed, fire purifies gold.
ἄργυρος (argyros) — "Silver" - Silver was the second most precious metal, also used extensively in temple construction and furnishings. Like gold, silver is refined by fire.
λίθοι τίμιοι (lithoi timioi) — "Precious stones" - These are costly, valuable stones—perhaps gems or the dressed stones used in temple construction (1 Kgs 5:17; 7:9-11). They are permanent, fire-resistant, beautiful. On the priestly garment, the twelve tribes of Israel were represented by precious stones.
The Perishable Materials
ξύλα (xyla) — "Wood" - Wood is useful for construction but combustible. It will burn in a fire.
χόρτος (chortos) — "Hay / Grass" - This refers to dried grass or hay—fodder for animals, or material used for thatching. Highly flammable.
καλάμη (kalamē) — "Straw / Stubble" - This is the dry stalks left after grain harvest—stubble in the field, or straw used for various purposes. Extremely combustible; it burns almost instantly.
What Do the Materials Represent? Paul does not explicitly identify what the materials symbolize. Interpreters have suggested:
Quality of teaching: Sound doctrine (gold) vs. error or superficiality (straw)
Character of ministry: Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered work vs. flesh-driven, self-promoting work
Motivation: Love and faithfulness vs. ambition and self-interest
Converts: Genuine disciples (gold) vs. superficial converts (straw)
Methods: Biblical approaches vs. worldly techniques
All of these may be included. The materials represent the quality of whatever is built—teaching, leadership, discipleship, community formation. Some work is durable; some is combustible, that which is eternal and that which is earthly. The earthly will not last whereas the eternal will. Matthew 6:19-21 gives us a clue:
Matthew 6:19–21 ESV
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The foundation is not in question. But the superstructure varies enormously. Some build with temple-worthy materials; others build with kindling.
13 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.
each one’s work will become manifest
ἑκάστου (hekastou) — "Of each one": The emphasis on each one (repeated in this verse) underscores individual accountability. Every builder's work will be assessed—not just collectively but individually.
φανερὸν γενήσεται (phaneron genēsetai) — "Will become manifest": The adjective φανερός means "visible, manifest, evident, clear." What is now hidden will become evident. Work that looks impressive now may be exposed as worthless. Work that seems insignificant now may be revealed as gold.
The future tense points to eschatological revelation—the Day is coming when all will be made clear.
for the Day will disclose it
ἡ ἡμέρα (hē hēmera) — "The Day": The definite article points to a specific Day—not just any day but the Day. This is the Day of the Lord, the day of final judgment, the return of Christ. In Paul's theology, "the Day" is when Christ returns, the dead are raised, and all things are judged (cf. 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6, 10; 2:16; 1 Thess 5:2, 4).
1 Thessalonians 5:1–4 ESV
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
δηλόω (dēloō) — "To make clear / To disclose": This verb means "to make clear, to show, to indicate, to reveal." The Day will make clear what is now obscure. Hidden realities will be exposed.
because it will be revealed by fire
ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalyptō) — "To reveal": The verb means "to uncover, to unveil, to reveal." The present tense may be gnomic (a general truth about the Day) or futuristic (what will happen when the Day comes).
ἐν πυρί (en pyri) — "In/By fire": The Day comes with fire. Fire is the instrument of revelation and testing.
Fire reveals the true nature of things. Gold is purified; straw is consumed. The fire does not create reality; it exposes reality.
the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
The fire —it does not create or destroy arbitrarily. It reveals what was there all along. Work made of gold is shown to be gold. Work made of straw is shown to be straw.
δοκιμάζω (dokimazō) — "To test / To examine / To prove": This verb refers to testing for genuineness, examining to determine quality, proving by trial. It was used for testing metals to determine their purity.
ὁποῖον (hopoion) — "What sort / Of what kind": This interrogative/relative pronoun asks about quality, not mere existence. The fire tests what kind of work it is—not whether work was done but what the work was made of.
The fire functions as revealer and tester. It exposes what kind of material was used. Nothing is hidden from the fire.
Paul sets up two conditional statements as outcomes from the test results of the builder’s materials:
14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives
μένω (menō) — "To remain / To abide / To survive": The verb μένω means "to remain, to stay, to abide, to survive." Work that μένει is work that survives the fire—it endures the test.
Gold, silver, and precious stones survive fire. They may be refined, but they remain. This is the durable work—the teaching, leadership, and ministry that proves genuine.
he will receive a reward
μισθός (misthos) — "Reward / Wages": This noun refers to payment for work done—wages, reward, recompense. Paul used it in 3:8: "Each will receive his wages according to his labor."
The reward is additional to salvation. It is not salvation itself but something given beyond salvation for faithful, quality work.
The Nature of the Reward: Paul does not specify what the reward is. Elsewhere in Scripture, rewards include:
Crowns (1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4; Rev 2:10)
Praise from God (1 Cor 4:5)
Increased responsibility (Matt 25:21, 23)
Treasure in heaven (Matt 6:20)
The exact nature is left undefined, but the reality is affirmed: faithful builders receive something from God for their work.
The reward’s essence isn’t material wealth but divine affirmation. Its essence is “praise from God.” Jesus illustrated this in the parable of the talents (5-2-1) with the promise “well done, good and faithful servant!… Come and share your master’s happiness,” (Matt 25:21, 23) where the reward for faithful service is the master’s pleasure and his confidence, which leads to a further entrusting of responsibility.
Critically, you can have high profile here but no reward there, while some Christians with little or no recognition below will have a great reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. God’s assessment differs radically from human visibility. The reward isn’t about earthly prominence—it’s about the eternal significance of work done faithfully, regardless of whether anyone noticed.
Durable work leads to reward. The builder is vindicated; the work stands; the investment of labor is honored. In contrast…
15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
If anyone’s work is burned up
κατακαίω (katakaiō) — "To burn up / To consume with fire": This compound verb (κατά + καίω) intensifies the burning: to burn down, to burn up completely, to consume entirely. The work is not merely singed; it is incinerated.
Wood, hay, and straw burn completely. Nothing remains. The builder's entire contribution is consumed.
he will suffer loss
ζημιόω (zēmioō) — "To suffer loss / To be punished": This verb means "to suffer loss, to be damaged, to be penalized, to forfeit." The passive voice indicates something happens to the builder—loss is inflicted.
What is lost? Not salvation (see below) but reward. The work is gone; the investment is wasted; the reward is forfeited. The builder has nothing to show for their labor.
This is sobering. A lifetime of ministry could be burned up—not because it was evil but because it was worthless. The builder loses everything they built.
though he himself will be saved
The Crucial Distinction: Here is the critical point: the builder is saved even though their work is burned. Salvation is secure; reward is lost.
The intensive αὐτός ("he himself") emphasizes the person in contrast to their work. The work perishes; the person survives.
Why Is the Builder Saved?
Because the builder built on the true foundation—Christ. However poor the superstructure, the foundation was right. Union with Christ secures salvation. Poor workmanship loses reward but not salvation.
but only as through fire
The Vivid Image: The phrase "as through fire" paints a vivid picture. Imagine someone escaping a burning building—they survive, but barely. They lose everything. They emerge with nothing but their life.
The builder whose work burns escapes with bare salvation. No reward, no commendation, no "well done." Just survival.
οὕτως... ὡς (houtōs... hōs) — "Thus... as": The construction emphasizes the manner of salvation: saved, yes—but in this way, as one fleeing through flames, singed and empty-handed.
The builder escapes but loses everything they invested. Their ministry evaporates. They have nothing to present to Christ. Why is this so severe, why the seemingly over reaction? It is because we are building God’s temple and God wants…
III. The Temple Protected (16-17)
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Do you not know
The Rhetorical Question:” Do you not know?" is a characteristic Pauline formula (used 10 times in 1 Corinthians: 3:16; 5:6; 6:2, 3, 9, 15, 16, 19; 9:13, 24). It introduces something they should know—either from Paul's previous teaching or from common Christian understanding.
The question implies rebuke: You should know this! Why are you acting as if you don't?
that you are God’s temple
The Plural "You": The ἐστε ("you are") is second person plural. Paul is addressing the community corporately: You all together are God's temple. This is not (yet) about individual believers as temples (that comes in 6:19) but about the gathered church as God's dwelling.
The Corinthian congregation—this fractious, immature, divided community—is God's temple. The Spirit dwells among them.
θεοῦ (theou) — "Of God": The genitive indicates possession and association: this is God's temple—belonging to God, associated with God, sacred to God.
ναός (naos) — "Temple / Sanctuary": The word ναός specifically refers to the inner sanctuary, the sacred dwelling place—as opposed to ἱερόν (hieron), which refers to the entire temple complex. The ναός was where God's presence dwelt. In Solomon's temple, the glory of the Lord filled the Most Holy Place (1 Kgs 8:10-11). The ναός was the holiest ground.
and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
οἰκέω (oikeō) — "To dwell / To live / To inhabit": This verb means "to dwell, to live, to make one's home." The present tense indicates ongoing residence: the Spirit is dwelling, continues to dwell.
The Spirit's indwelling defines the temple. What made the Jerusalem temple sacred was not the stones but God's presence. What makes the church sacred is the Spirit's presence.
ἐν ὑμῖν (en hymin) — "In you": Again, "you" is plural. The Spirit dwells among you all—in the gathered community, in the corporate body. When the church assembles, the Spirit is there.
This sets up the severe warning of verse 17. If the church is God's temple—His sacred dwelling—then destroying it is no minor offense. Another conditional statement…
17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
If anyone destroys God’s temple
φθείρω (phtheirō) — "To destroy / To corrupt / To ruin": This verb has a range of meaning:
To destroy, to ruin
To corrupt, to deprave
To spoil, to defile
The word suggests both destruction and corruption. It is not limited to physical demolition but includes any action that damages, corrupts, or ruins.
What Does "Destroying" the Temple Mean? In context, what might destroy God's temple? The most immediate answer is the factionalism Paul has been addressing:
Jealousy and strife (3:3)
Division over human leaders (3:4)
Teaching that undermines the Christ-foundation
Leadership that tears rather than builds
Any activity that corrupts the community's unity and holiness
To "destroy" the temple is to damage the community where God's Spirit dwells—to tear apart what God is building, to corrupt the holy space, to undermine the church's integrity.
God will destroy him
The same verb φθείρω appears in both clauses:
If anyone destroys (φθείρει)
God will destroy (φθερεῖ) that one
This is the law of retaliation—the punishment matches the crime. The destroyer will be destroyed. The one who ruins will be ruined.
The Severity: This is the most severe warning in the passage. Unlike the builder of wood, hay, and straw (who is saved, though through fire), the destroyer of God's temple faces divine destruction.
What is the difference? The distinction seems to be between:
Building poorly (vv. 12-15): Genuine but inferior work on the true foundation—loss of reward but salvation
Destroying the temple (v. 17): Active damage to the community—divine destruction
Poor building is different from destruction. Incompetent construction is different from sabotage. The one loses reward; the other loses everything.
What does "God will destroy" mean? The severity of the language suggests something more than loss of reward. This appears to be a salvation-threatening warning. Those who destroy God's temple—who actively work against the community's life and holiness—face God's destructive judgment.
I believe that we are talking about apostate leaders/builders whose purpose is to undermine God’s truth and His true church like those of whom the writer of Hebrews warns us: Hebrews 10:26-31
Hebrews 10:26–31 ESV
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The Ground of the Warning:
For God’s temple is holy
The γάρ ("for") explains why destroying the temple is so serious: because it is holy. To destroy holy space is to assault God Himself. To corrupt God's dwelling is to invite God's wrath.
ἅγιος (hagios) — "Holy": The adjective ἅγιος means "holy, sacred, set apart, consecrated." It describes what belongs to God, what is separate from the common, what must be treated with reverence.
The temple is holy because God dwells there. Holiness is not intrinsic to the stones; it derives from God's presence. Since the Spirit dwells in the church, the church is holy.
and you are that temple
The Application: The relative clause brings it home: "which you are." The holy temple is not a distant abstraction; it is you—the Corinthian congregation.
This is both privilege and responsibility:
Privilege: You are God's holy dwelling place
Responsibility: Treat one another accordingly
The warning is direct and unqualified. Tampering with God's temple—corrupting, dividing, or destroying the community—invites divine destruction.
So What?
Do we understand that there is only one foundation on which we are to build?
Is your faith built on Christ alone—or on a charismatic leader, a theological system, a church tradition? There is no other foundation.
Do we understand that building on the correct foundation requires building with the right materials which will be revealed on the Day?
What are you contributing to the church—gold or straw? Is your teaching, service, and leadership Christ-centered and Spirit-empowered? Or is it self-serving and superficial?
Fire is coming. What will survive? Build now with that test in mind. Invest in what lasts.
Your salvation is secure in Christ. But your reward depends on faithful building. Don't presume on grace; pursue excellence.
Do we understand that we must honor the church as sacred, and ask the question, “Am I building or destroying” God’s Church?
The gathered community is God's temple. The Spirit dwells there. Treat one another with the reverence due to holy space. Stop the gossip, the criticism, the faction-forming.
Honestly assess your effect on the church. Do your words and actions build up or tear down? Unite or divide? Strengthen or weaken?
- - 1 Corinthians 3:10–17ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:8–9ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:10ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:11ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:12ESV
- - Matthew 6:19–21ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:13ESV
- - 1 Thessalonians 5:1–4ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:14ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:15ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:16ESV
- - 1 Corinthians 3:17ESV
- - Hebrews 10:26–31ESV
May the Mind of Christ My Savior

Psalm 118:28–29KJV1900

Proverbs 14KJV1900

Introduction:

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

Main Idea: Because Christ is the only foundation; how we build on him will be tested by fire, and those who destroy his temple face destruction.

Background:

I. The Foundation Laid (10-11)

II. The Materials Tested (12-15)

III. The Temple Protected (16-17)

So What?

1 Corinthians 3:10–17ESV

1 Corinthians 3:8–9ESV

1 Corinthians 3:10ESV

1 Corinthians 3:11ESV

1 Corinthians 3:12ESV

Matthew 6:19–21ESV

1 Corinthians 3:13ESV

1 Thessalonians 5:1–4ESV

1 Corinthians 3:14ESV

1 Corinthians 3:15ESV

1 Corinthians 3:16ESV

1 Corinthians 3:17ESV

Hebrews 10:26–31ESV