What have you built on your foundation?
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (KJV)
The apostle Paul is talking to the church at Corinth regarding them being fellow labourers with Christ. Paul, if you look up to verse 10,11 you’ll see that Paul is saying that he has already laid the foundation which is Christ Jesus and no man lay any other type of foundation. As we pick up this passage in verse 12, Paul is identifying the many types of material that could be laid on top of the foundation. In the biblical times, Gold was a standard of wealth. Silver in biblical times was used to create idols. Precious stones like gold symbolized value and durability. On the contrary wood stubble and hay symbolized the middle and lower class of the biblical times. Paul is saying, whatever man chooses to build on top of the
foundation of Christ, it will be tried by God. If man’s work still exists after it’s been tried, he will receive a reward, but if the work is burned, he will
suffer a great loss but still be able to be saved by God.
What is Paul saying to us? If we apply worldly wisdom to our everyday lives we will suffer a great loss. We can chase wealth and hold other things as god above the only God. True wisdom only comes from the father himself. It is foolish to be rooted in God but apply worldly ways to
our lives. That is a recipe for failure. The sacred and profane do not mix. Everything in the world is evil. If we proclaim ourselves wise according to today’s society, what are we really saying? The world teaches us that money is power. But the Bible teaches us that the love of money is the root of all evil. So, this simply comes down to good and evil. So I ask you: what have you placed on
top of your foundation? Has your status and possessions become your god? Or have you placed righteousness on your foundation? What dominates your every thought: good or evil? Is your life surrounded around faith? Faith is the onlything that will stand the tests and trials that life will take us through. The riches of the world, careers, relationships are temporal, but faith in God and is eternal. Take the time today and reflect upon what you have built on top of God. If your house is built on earthly things, the time is now to shift your focus to what’s everlasting.
God Bless,
K Scott
Victorious Faith Christian Center
20 E. Taunton Rd. Ste 303-304
Berlin NJ
Interesting take. Even money is made of wood. The governments keep the gold… Hmm
This is also a good scripture to contrast salvation with heavenly rewards. ” he himself will be saved”