Foundations and Temples

I Corinthians 3:10-17 The foundation is probably the most important part of a building. The larger and more massive the building, the more important is the foundation. Its quality will determine whether or not the building will stand and for how long. Jesus captures the idea in His parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24ff. To Paul there is only one real choice of foundations and that is Jesus Christ and that foundation has already been laid. Down through the ages church leaders and members have been building on that foundation. There have been good builders and bad. Some have built squarely over the foundation and some have built outside. God’s people are the temple not the wood and stone. (In I Corinthians 6:19 the individual is the temple and the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.) In this Scripture; however, the local church is the temple of God and the Holy Spirit lives in it. You and I then are all building on the foundation and we are all using various kinds of materials in the construction. The materials that Paul describes are: gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw. The importance of these rest in their quality and durability. In driving through the country we’ve all seen barns and houses that collapsed from mis- and dis- use and time has taken its toll. Then look at the pyramids and other ancient structures which have stood for thousands of years. The lives that you and I build and the church that we build together will pass or fail the test depending on the kinds of material that we use. Verse 13 tells that there will be a Day of judgment that will test the kind of work we’ve done. Will the materials you are using stand the test. Are they standing up under the daily testing that comes along? That done in God’s strength will stand, that done by our own abilities and wisdom will soon fall away. Our salvation will stand through faith in Christ, but we will suffer reward or loss depending on how we build.