What is the 'work' that may or may not get burned up in 1 Corinthians 3:8-16?

[JLB]

JLB

Am trying to follow along - but it's moving quickly and time is short.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned Philippians 1:6
regarding the work being persons.

Please clarify the following:
In 1 Corinthians 3:14-15
WHAT is being burned up?
Is it the rewards?
Is it incorrect doctrine that is being taught?

Wondering

The work is people.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corinthians 3:14-17


The work [project] is the Temple, or building of the Lord.

Work [people] who become defiled by heretical teachings, that lead that person to turn away from the truth, thus turn back to sin and practicing the works of the flesh, because they have been wrongly taught that once you are saved, you are always saved, no matter what you do or what lifestyle you live, even renouncing the Lord, and turning to other gods of other religions, or becoming a homosexual, in which they began to defile the temple of God, then plainly the scripture says... God will destroy them.


Here is how James says it -

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

A brother who has turned away from the truth, is now likened as a sinner, who needs to be saved from death; eternal death.




JLB

 

[GodsGrace]

Thanks JLB.
Corinthians (both) does speak about incorrect teachings and divisions in the church.

I've always liked 1 Corinthians 2:2

And the beat goes on...
Incorrect teachings abound.

W

 

[Jim Parker]

You said he wasn't the temple of God. I said he was.

Ok. Jesus IS God. (Jn 1:14; Col 2:9; Rev 22:13)
God is not His own temple.

 

[chessman]

Here:
"Are you not my work in the Lord?" (i Corinthians 9:1 NASB)

Now, with that fact established, let's read the passage again:

"the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NASB)

So, let me get your Bible study methodology straight. In the Romans letter discussion/debate (now closed to any further progress and quotes) you said Paul's statement that God's gifts are irrevocable (Rom 11:29) was out of context with his statement that Eternal Life is a gift of God's (Rom 6:23). And thus we cannot think 'Eternal Life is irrevocable'. But now in 1 Corinthians, suddenly the context of chapter 9's "work" is perfectly acceptable to you to copy/paste into chapter 3's context of "work". Pretty inconsistent methods. Is that about right?

Simply because the same word "work" appears in both contexts, doesn't mean the word is being used in the same way. And they are not being used by Paul in the same way. That's called equivocation, a logical fallacy. Not to mention that Paul told us exactly what his "work" was within the very context of chapter 3. His work was to plant the Gospel, Apollos' work was to water/baptize. Neither of which are work=people.

In 1 Cor 9 Paul's moved well along from the topic of Chapter 3 (versus the Romans passages which are clearly being tied back together at 11:28). He's been going through a list of very practical life matters since the Chapter 3 discussions; (humility, immoral behavior, church discipline, lawsuits, sex, marraige, living single, divorce). And then in Chapter 9 he is still talking about the very practical matter of how he can aford his food and clothes (and other ministers like him). His source of salary/pay is what he means in Chapter 9 by they are his "work".

In 1 Cor 9:1 Paul means by "work in the Lord", his occupational work for pay, quite obviously. He's telling the Corithians he deserves their substantive (food and clothes and shelter) support because he has taken up the job of being an Apostle. They are his work/occupation in the Lord. Just look at the context.

1 Corinthians 9:3-4, 6-7, 11 (LEB) My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right to refrain from working? Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Who shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock? If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too great a thing if we reap material things from you?

​

This is not at all the same context as Chapter 3. Not to mention that technically only those folk were his work, not modern day Christians. Wasn't it you that said "no one can snatch you from my Father's hand" applies only to Jesus' 12 disciples? Why not apply that same principle here?

I just read it like they would (not with a word search computer program and copy/paste tools) but as a conversation. They would have known what he meant in chapter 9, versus his usage of the same word in Chapter 3. I do too. Chapter 3 is about Paul working for The Day by planting the Gospel. Chapter 9 is about him working day by day and getting feed/clothed for it.

Plus, chapter 3 is about reward or lose of reward based on what you teach individually, not based on how other people respond to it. Your copy/paste has Paul loosing his reward based on other people's lack of belief in the Gospel.

If there's anything clear about Chapter 3, it's individual responsibility based on their individual 'work'.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Plus, chapter 3 is about reward or lose of reward based on what you teach individually, not based on how other people respond to it. Your copy/paste has Paul loosing his reward based on other people's lack of belief in the Gospel.

You mean the scriptures have Paul losing his reward based on other people's belief in the gospel.

See, here Paul refers to people as his reward:
"19For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" (Philippians 2:19 NASB)

Of course, he will still have other rewards. But he won't have the reward of another person's presence that he ministered to if they fail to pass through the fire at the end of the age.
"...prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." (Philippians 2:15-16 NASB)

So, let me get your Bible study methodology straight. In the Romans letter discussion/debate (now closed to any further progress and quotes) you said Paul's statement that God's gifts are irrevocable (Rom 11:29) was out of context with his statement that Eternal Life is a gift of God's (Rom 6:23). And thus we cannot think 'Eternal Life is irrevocable'. But now in 1 Corinthians, suddenly the context of chapter 9's "work" is perfectly acceptable to you to copy/paste into chapter 3's context of "work". Pretty inconsistent methods. Is that about right?

No, lol. Not right.

Chapter 3 is about Paul working for The Day by planting the Gospel. Chapter 9 is about him working day by day and getting feed/clothed for it.

Well, a simple read shows your interpretation to be baseless:
"Are you not my work in the Lord?2If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 9:1-2 NASB). "(L)ike a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. " (1 Corinthians 3:10-13 NASB)

In both passages he is talking about his apostleship, plainly calling them his work in that apostleship. It's plain as day. We can read it with our own eyes.

 

[MarkT]

The work that Paul refers to is people.

Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
1 Corinthians 9:1

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:4

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22




JLB

They were his work in the sense he planted them. Paul said, "I planted." 1 Cor. 3:6

But that's not the work that men build on the foundation. All believers believe Jesus was the Christ and he was crucified. But not all believers build on the foundation with the wisdom, knowledge and understanding that comes from above.

 

[JLB]

out of context with his statement that Eternal Life is a gift of God's (Rom 6:23)

That's just it, Romans 6:23 doesn't say eternal life is a gift of God.

You misquote the scripture.

Here is what Romans 6:23 says...

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

You only seem to quote half of the verse, and the half that you quote is incomplete.

Eternal life is IN Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those who are "in" Christ, must also abide in Him.

Those who don't abide in Him are gathered up and thrown into the fire and burned.

Those who are burned in the fire, are certainly not saved.

Those who defile the Temple, God will destroy.


JLB

 

[JLB]

They were his work in the sense he planted them. Paul said, "I planted." 1 Cor. 3:6

Yes, they are His work.

Agreed.



JLB

 

[GodsGrace]

You mean the scriptures have Paul losing his reward based on other people's belief in the gospel.

See, here Paul refers to people as his reward:
"19For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" (Philippians 2:19 NASB)

Of course, he will still have other rewards. But he won't have the reward of another person's presence that he ministered to if they fail to pass through the fire at the end of the age.
"...prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." (Philippians 2:15-16 NASB)

No, lol. Not right.

Well, a simple read shows your interpretation to be baseless:
"Are you not my work in the Lord?2If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 9:1-2 NASB). "(L)ike a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. " (1 Corinthians 3:10-13 NASB)

In both passages he is talking about his apostleship, plainly calling them his work in that apostleship. It's plain as day. We can read it with our own eyes.

You're right Jethro.
How could anyone separate a Pastor's "work" for pay with his "work" to make those to whom he teaches and preaches a better "work" unto the Lord - a better people for devotion to God and His Kingdom.

We are the RESULT of that work for pay.
His work is to teach us,
To be a good work for Christ -
We are the Work.

Wondering

 

[GodsGrace]

That's just it, Romans 6:23 doesn't say eternal life is a gift of God.

You misquote the scripture.

Here is what Romans 6:23 says...

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

You only seem to quote half of the verse, and the half that you quote is incomplete.

Eternal life is IN Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those who are "in" Christ, must also abide in Him.

Those who don't abide in Him are gathered up and thrown into the fire and burned.

Those who are burned in the fire, are certainly not saved.

Those who defile the Temple, God will destroy.


JLB

Also, if you go just one verse above to
Romans 6:22
it speaks of deriving our benefit resulting in Sanctification.

Verse 17 those following Christ have obeyed the teachings
verse 18 they now have righteousness
verse 19 being slaves to righteousness results in Sanctification
verse 20 when they were slaves to sin, no good resulted
verse 21 the result was death
verse 22 but now being enslaved to God, the result is Sanctification

Sanctification is a work in which both the person and God participate.
To make the person better with time.
The person is the work in progress.

And for what purpose?
Mathew 25:46
Those will go into eternal punishment (who do not follow Jesus' commands)
But the righteous into eternal life (those who are a good work).

Wondering

 

[chessman]

You mean the scriptures have Paul losing his reward based on other people's belief in the gospel.

[edited]
I mean in chapter 9 Paul loses food and clothing when other people don't reward him financially for his "work in the Lord". Yet your view takes his point from chapter 9 and inserts it into a different usage of "work" back in chapter 3 where Paul clearly says he gains/loses reward based on his teaching of a true/false doctrine (his planting it there) not how others respond to his teaching).

Paul's not here to ask him. But his letter sure is. And what is crystal clear from Paul's discourse in Chapter 3 is that gaining/loosing reward is all about what the individual teaches/preaches, not how others respond:

1 Corinthians 3:8 (LEB) Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ​

Own reward=own labor

Yet your claim about Chapter 3 is that Paul's reward is "based on other people's belief in the gospel".(To quote you)
That's a terrible misrepresentation of the chapter 3 Scripture, IMO. Clearly counter to what Paul was (and is) saying in chapter 3.
There, I planted it. It's up to you how you respond. And up to Jesus to either reward me for saying it (or not). We'll find out on The Day.

See, here Paul refers to people as his reward:
"19For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" (Philippians 2:19 NASB)

Yes, I see that there. But I thought your OP was about study of 1 Cor 3? I'm not arguing that Paul will not receive exultation at His Coming "based on other people's belief in the gospel"
I'm merely pointing out that's not what Chapter 3's rewards are. And basing that on several facts from the Text in/around 1 Cor 3. The clearest being 3:8

No, lol. Not right.

I find hypocrisy ironically funny too. Even my own when I demonstrate it. I try to learn from it and correct it though and not make that mistake a second or third time though. You didn't address my point there. And that's fine. You're not required to. And in the end, it doesn't matter if I misread your method in the Romans 6/11 debate as being hypocrtical to your method in 1 Cor 3/9. But it does still seem to me you are applying the method of 'copy/paste' to these two different passages here, yet deemed it inappropriate for there.

Well, a simple read shows your interpretation to be baseless: (1 Corinthians 9:1-2 NASB). " ...(1 Corinthians 3:10-13 NASB)

Yes, an overly simple read might. Except I based my interpretation on several verses you simply ignore. So my interpretation wasn't "baseless". Yet you claim it is.

One if which clearly shows personal responsibility for personal works. The verse you left out:

1 Corinthians 3:8 (LEB) Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ​

 

[JLB]

No, there you go again, misrepresenting what people have said. I'm here to correct you.
I mean in chapter 9 Paul loses food and clothing when other people don't reward him financially for his "work in the Lord". Yet your view takes his point from chapter 9 and inserts it into a different usage of "work" back in chapter 3 where Paul clearly says he gains/loses reward based on his teaching of a true/false doctrine (his planting it there) not how others respond to his teaching).

[edited]

Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 1 Corinthians 9:1


Did Paul plainly say: Are you not my work?




JLB

 

[JLB]

Yet your claim about Chapter 3 is that Paul's reward is "based on other people's belief in the gospel".(To quote you)
That's a terrible misrepresentation of the chapter 3 Scripture, IMO. Clearly counter to what Paul was (and is) saying in chapter 3.
There, I planted it. It's up to you how you respond. And up to Jesus to either reward me for saying it (or not). We'll find out on The Day.

Paul's reward is that his work, the people, stand the test of the fire, and are not burned up like hay or stubble, showing that he built with Christ.

It couldn't be any more plain.

They are His work.

...Are you not my work in the Lord? 1 Corinthians 9:1


JLB

 

[JLB]

Yes, an overly simple read might. Except I based my interpretation on several verses you simply ignore. So my interpretation wasn't "baseless". Yet you claim it is.

One if which clearly shows personal responsibility for personal works. The verse you left out:

1 Corinthians 3:8 (LEB) Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:8-17


Here is something very simple to read: If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.


If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.

God will destroy him.


JLB

 

[Jethro Bodine]

You didn't address my point there. And that's fine.

The mods will close this thread if we start up that discussion. I'd rather us not go there. If/when the other thread opens, then we can revisit that issue.

But it does still seem to me you are applying the method of 'copy/paste' to these two different passages here, yet deemed it inappropriate for there.

The basis for it being inappropriate there makes the difference. But we can not discuss another thread here. I don't want to get this thread closed.

I realize the danger Paul's work being the Corinthians themselves and them being burned up at the Judgment (1 Corinthians 3:13 NASB) has for OSAS, but that is another subject for another thread.

Yes, an overly simple read might. Except I based my interpretation on several verses you simply ignore. So my interpretation wasn't "baseless". Yet you claim it is.

Both passages address his apostleship to the Corinthians and them being his work in that apostleship. How can you not see that? They are not different that way.

 

[chessman]

That's just it, Romans 6:23 doesn't say eternal life is a gift of God.

You misquote the scripture.

Paul's statement that God's gifts are irrevocable (Rom 11:29) was out of context with his statement that Eternal Life is a gift of God's (Rom 6:23).

That's not a quote. It's a reference. There's a difference.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

[edited]

Pop quiz based on the study of this verse:

1. The wages of sin are death. True/False statement? T

2. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. True or False statement? T

3. Eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord is a gift of God's. True or False statement? T

4. Eternal Life is a gift of God's. True or False statement? T

How do you answer 4? F?

 

[MarkT]

You mean the scriptures have Paul losing his reward based on other people's belief in the gospel.

See, here Paul refers to people as his reward:
"19For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" (Philippians 2:19 NASB)

Of course, he will still have other rewards. But he won't have the reward of another person's presence that he ministered to if they fail to pass through the fire at the end of the age.
"...prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." (Philippians 2:15-16 NASB)


No, lol. Not right.


Well, a simple read shows your interpretation to be baseless:
"Are you not my work in the Lord?2If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 9:1-2 NASB). "(L)ike a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. " (1 Corinthians 3:10-13 NASB)

In both passages he is talking about his apostleship, plainly calling them his work in that apostleship. It's plain as day. We can read it with our own eyes.

Now suddenly we get people for a reward?

If a man loses people he is still saved? I don't think so.

Calling someone your work does not mean they will be burned up. Paul feels a personal joy and satisfaction for them, but Paul isn't saying they will be burned up. No. Paul calls them saints. They possess the Spirit. Paul imparts spiritual wisdom to them. No. Paul is not talking about people being burned up. He is talking about their work being burned up.

This teaching is to those who possess the Spirit. This is about how we build on the foundation.

Just because he feels a personal joy for them doesn't mean they are the reward for building with silver and gold and precious jewels, as Paul said, the reward is for building with gold and silver and precious jewels.

Romans 3:10-15 is about building with silver and gold and precious jewels which will survive the fire of Day of the Lord, or with wood and hay and stubble which will not survive. He is talking about our treasure, what we have stored up for the Day, whether we have been attentive to the Lord and stored up his commandments, or whether we have gone after false teachers and stored up wrath. The fire will test what sort of work each one has done. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding will be revealed

The fire will test each man's work, meaning the word of the Lord will be their judge. As Jesus said, his word will judge. John 12:48

The work might not survive. He may suffer a loss though, he himself will be saved, but only as through fire, meaning the Lord will judge. It might be out of ignorance, if any man’s work is burned up, but in the end the Lord will judge.

We are the ones building on the foundation. Paul said any man. Cor. 3:15 Our work will be tested.

 

[MarkT]

Read the Proverbs. The spiritual language Paul uses in Cor. 3:10-15 is unmistakeable.

And Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mt. 6:19-21

This is our work, to store up his word.

 

[chessman]

Did Paul plainly say: Are you not my work?

Why yes, I think he did. Yet, I notice you left off "in the Lord" from the verse. Didn't you just get through claiming that was a ... what's the word I'm looking for??? Oh yea, misquote!

You misquote the scripture.

But, I don't see the big deal with you paraphrasing the verse. Copying a portion of it and pasting it into another passage, though??? Tricky business, to say the least.
[And yes, I realize that's what was being done to the Rom 6:23 and Rom 11:29 passage. The question/debate was/is, however, does it make sense to do that in both cases? That's up for debate, IMO. Might be, might not be. In either case. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking it's not a copy/paste exercise. Or distract from the conversation by claiming "misquotes" of Scripture that aren't technically true.

If I've done that to you (and I might very well have, IDK) I apologize.

But back to the Text of Chapter 9: And then Paul asks them this question too, within the same context:

1 Cor 9:6 (LEB) Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right to refrain from working?​

How about here? Let's insert your definition of 'work=persons' into this verse (that's even closer to the context of v9:1 than 3:8 is):

A. (JLB) Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right to refrain from people?

Versus what I say he means there:

B. (CHESS) Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right to refrain from working for our food/clothes?

Which one makes more sense of the context in/around Chapter 9? I say B. You are saying A it seems. Even in this verse it doesn't make sense to copy/paste your definition into Paul's point. Obviously because of my original point. He's obviously using "work" in Chapter 9 in a different sense than he is in Chapter 3.

Now back to 1 Cor 3. Let's try out your copy/paste definition from Chapter 9 on verse 3:8 and compare it to mine and see which one makes more sense:

1 Cor 3:8 (LEB) Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
​

but each one (Paul and Apollos) will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

(JLB/JB) Paul and Apollos will receive his own reward according to his own people in Corinth that accept/reject Christ.

That makes no sense of Paul's original point. Paul is getting rewarded according to his own labor (Paul's labor = Paul's reward, Apollos' labor = Apollos' reward). Yet your idea has Paul being rewarded according to someone else's (yours even, I suppose) response to the Gospel (or lack thereof).

If you had never accepted Christ, does Paul loose reward or does Apollos? Or since you have; Does Paul get reward for you accepting Christ or does Apollos get reward? The text says his own reward according to his own work (not based on someone else's response to the Gospel).

Versus what I say:
​

(CHESS) Paul and Apollos will receive his own reward according to his own teaching.

Which makes perfect sense of the original Text's meaning and also the illustration that parallels this verse (v 3:15). (Which is why I believe it's true, I suppose).

Now let's do the same copy/paste comparison using verse 15 (without truncation of the last part of the verse):

1 Cor 3:15 (LEB) If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.
​

(JLB/JB) If the people in Corinth that reject Christ is (are) burned up, Paul will suffer loss, but Paul will be saved, but so as through fire.
(JLB/JB) If the people in Corinth that reject Christ is (are) burned up, Apollos will suffer loss, but Apollos will be saved, but so as through fire.

Once again, your view makes zero sense of the original meaning of the TEXT. Why would Paul or Apollos go through fire based on the people in Corinth's rejection/acceptance of the Gospel? It make zero sense. Which is why I reject your idea.

Versus my view:

(CHESS) If Paul's teaching is burned up, Paul will suffer loss, but Paul will be saved, but so as through fire.
(CHESS) If Apollos' teaching is burned up, Apollos will suffer loss, but Apollos will be saved, but so as through fire.
(CHESS) If CHESS' teaching is burned up, CHESS will suffer loss, but CHESS will be saved, but so as through fire.
...

1 Cor 3:8 (LEB) ....... each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
1 Cor 3:10 (LEB) But each one must direct his attention to how he is building upon it.
If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.
​

Notice all the personal accountability of the TEXT (of all three verses). I Do.

If your idea of 'other people=work' was correct, Paul would be warning us to watch out for what other people are doing/believing, rather than watching out for our own work!

​

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Now suddenly we get people for a reward?

No, not suddenly. I've been saying it all along. I posted the passages in the beginning.
Those who God brings to the kingdom through us will be our crown of exultation in the kingdom.
"19For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20For you are our glory and joy." (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 NASB bold mine)

This being true, all of us who labor in the fields and building of God ought to be careful how we build so we can in fact have that reward. What value is it to Paul if he builds the Corinthians up into those who will not enter into the kingdom at the Judgment. That's his point to the Corinthians. He's defending his motives and the sincerity and truth of his ministry. Since his motive is to have a reward when he enters the kingdom, not simply be saved as one who escapes a burning house with nothing but his own skin, he is showing the Corinthians the sincerity and truthfulness of his message by showing how a false gospel, like others are teaching the Corinthians, will not secure the reward he wants to have at the resurrection.

If a man loses people he is still saved? I don't think so.

No.
If a man has no people to show for his labor in the kingdom, he himself is saved, but he will not have them as a reward for his labor because they did not heed his message and as a result were condemned in the fires of Judgment and did not pass through them with him. He will have run his race in vain:

"...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." (Philippians 2:15-16 NASB)

Calling someone your work does not mean they will be burned up. Paul feels a personal joy and satisfaction for them, but Paul isn't saying they will be burned up. No. Paul calls them saints. They possess the Spirit.

If he and others do their jobs well the Corinthians will have the Spirit on the Day of Judgment and be spared the Judgment of fire and will pass through with him. That's the point.

No. Paul is not talking about people being burned up.

Remember, Paul knows the OT almost as well as Jesus himself. The analogy that he is playing off of is in Isaiah 33...

"11“You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble;
My breath will consume you like a fire.

12“The peoples will be burned to lime,
Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire." (Isaiah 33:11-12 NASB)

If you or I birth people into the kingdom of God made of chaff, wood, or hay, instead of precious jewels that can withstand the cleansing of fire (Numbers 31:23 NASB), we will not be able to exult in those people because they will perish in the fiery Judgment to come, not pass through it. Metaphorically speaking, you have to be made up of material that can withstand fire to enter into the kingdom.

That's why we have to be careful how we build the Temple (1 Peter 2:5 NASB) on the foundation of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:19-20 NASB). If we put people onto the foundation of Christ made of hay, wood, or stubble, they will be consumed in the Judgment, not pass through it safely. So be careful how you build! Paul is making it clear to them that he has every intention of building them up into that which will pass through the fire safely through a truthful message, not the deceitful message of the false ministers of the gospel that are entertaining them.

He is talking about our treasure, what we have stored up for the Day, whether we have been attentive to the Lord and stored up his commandments, or whether we have gone after false teachers and stored up wrath. The fire will test what sort of work each one has done. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding will be revealed

I understand perfectly how it is that the present day Protestant church thinks what they believe and the doctrines we hold dear is what God is judging us by, and not our works, but that collection of personal beliefs and doctrines can hardly be classified as work, or works.