Bible Study A Disputed Passage in 1 Corinthians

[Golgotha]

This is a great post G, just, I think, that this is not what 1 Corinthians 3 is about.

You have company on here, you're not alone.
It's just that I can't see this and your verses aren't going to help any.

I'm going to post 1 Cor 3:8-16 from The Living Bible (I've read it in many different versions and I get the same result).

8 Apollos and I are working as a team, with the same aim, though each of us will be rewarded for his own hard work.
Paul and Apollos will be rewarded for their work. This entire section speaks about THEIR work, which was a ministry of teaching.
9 We are only God’s coworkers. You are God’s garden, not ours; you are God’s building, not ours.
The people they taught were God's garden.

10 God, in his kindness, has taught me how to be an expert builder. I have laid the foundation and Apollos has built on it. But he who builds on the foundation must be very careful.
Paul has laid the foundation, Apollos has built on it.
The one who builds must be very careful. Paul is speaking about those that build on the foundation---
ministers/preachers/teachers.
11 And no one can ever lay any other real foundation than that one we already have—Jesus Christ.
Who else will be laying the foundation but those that minister/preach/teach.
12 But there are various kinds of materials that can be used to build on that foundation. Some use gold and silver and jewels; and some build with sticks and hay or even straw!
Again, WHO is doing the building? WE are the ones being built upon -- God's garden.
Paul and Apollos were DOING the building. Ministers/preachers/teachers.
13 There is going to come a time of testing at Christ’s Judgment Day to see what kind of material each builder has used. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire so that all can see whether or not it keeps its value, and what was really accomplished.
The BUILDERS will be judged at Christ's judgment Day to see what type of material they used...to see how well they ministered/preached/taught.
14 Then every workman who has built on the foundation with the right materials, and whose work still stands, will get his pay.
Again, this is speaking about the WORKMAN who built on the foundation and how well he built.
15 But if the house he has built burns up, he will have a great loss. He himself will be saved, but like a man escaping through a wall of flames.
Who is building on the foundation? See verses 10 - 12.
And Who is the house? (we are, those being taught).
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the house of God, and that the Spirit of God lives among you in his house?
WE are the house of God that is being built...WE are not doing the building.


Could you just read this one more time and see if you can understand it differently?
If not, no problem. I'm stopping here.

Well, I certainly can understand that application but what bible version are you using there? The KJV has it differently.

1 Corinthians 3:10 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.

Seems the caution is given to each believer how he builds.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

I read that as Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone of that foundation; thus He laid that foundation through His apostles.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

I read this as directing to the individual believer.

13 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.

I do not see a church being tried, but the individual believer by his own work.

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

A believer can have a reward for his work on that foundation.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

A believer can pay the consequence in suffering a loss by that work but still saved.

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

That ties in with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

So the consequence for what that believer had built on that foundation in defiling the temple of God, will have his physical body destroyed; hence physical death, but again, his spirit is still saved even though left behind to die. That is the consequence for the church at Thyatira in the Book of Revelation 2:18-25 for not repenting.

Thank you for sharing. Again, may I ask what Bible version you are using?

 

[GodsGrace]

Well, I certainly can understand that application but what bible version are you using there? The KJV has it differently.

1 Corinthians 3:10 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.

Seems the caution is given to each believer how he builds.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

I read that as Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone of that foundation; thus He laid that foundation through His apostles.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

I read this as directing to the individual believer.

13 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.

I do not see a church being tried, but the individual believer by his own work.

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

A believer can have a reward for his work on that foundation.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

A believer can pay the consequence in suffering a loss by that work but still saved.

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

That ties in with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

So the consequence for what that believer had built on that foundation in defiling the temple of God, will have his physical body destroyed; hence physical death, but again, his spirit is still saved even though left behind to die. That is the consequence for the church at Thyatira in the Book of Revelation 2:18-25 for not repenting.

Thank you for sharing. Again, may I ask what Bible version you are using?

No time right now, tomorrow.

I used The Living Bible.
I really use the NASB.
Checked different versions,,,I understand them all the same.
Soon...

 

[Golgotha]

No time right now, tomorrow.

I used The Living Bible.
I really use the NASB.
Checked different versions,,,I understand them all the same.
Soon...

God be willing.

 

[Golgotha]

No time right now, tomorrow.

I used The Living Bible.
I really use the NASB.
Checked different versions,,,I understand them all the same.
Soon...

Okay. At this link at Bible Gateway below.

1 Corinthians 3:10-17 in KJV, TLB & NASB

I wish to point out that verse 15 in each version may be the key that helps us see the consequence is on the individual believer since though he suffers a loss by what he built on that foundation, he is saved. I do not see it as addressing a body of believers like a church as saved for what that workman put into that church in suffering that loss.

I believe the physical body, the temple of the Holy Spirit per 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ) is being addressed here for what we sow towards; the works of the flesh, wood, stubble, and hay, which would defile the temple of God, for why God would destroy it, or the fruits of the Spirit, gold, silver, precious stones.

I see KJV & TLB agreeing at verse 17 about defiling ourselves but the NASB has it if we destroy the temple of God then that is why God would destroy the temple? Why would God destroy something that is already destroyed by us? And yet the NASB goes on to identify that we, or to be precise, the pronoun used is you, are the temple of God.

So I believe the truth here is not about a church building or what the teacher had put into the body of Christ ( although I am sure that counts as well ) but what the believer has done in how he lived that reconciled relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

By the grace of God & His help, that is what I have taken away from all 3 Bible versions any way.