The recent California wildfires have left us some powerful images—good and bad—in its ashes— like that of Pasadena firefighter Chien Yu, who lost his home. When he visited the ruins, he found his wedding ring he thought he had lost. Then there are the stories of others who loss love ones from the fire that has killed twenty-seven to date.
Anthony Mitchell, an amputee who used a wheelchair lived with his adult son Justin, who had cerebral palsy. They never evacuated. Mitchell’s body was found by the bed of his son. According to Mitchell’s daughter, “He was not going to leave his son behind. No matter what.” What a testament of love.
God uses the powerful imagery of fire—for warning and reward—as an architectural imagery, as a cautionary, revelatory tale of how to build on the Christ-foundation of His spiritual community—the church. Not all the work of building His is the same according to 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.
10According to the grace of God which was given to me, like 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. 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.
Here is the backstory: Paul is writing to the Corinthian church who is struggling with their identity, specifically, how they will build on the foundation of God’s
spiritual building—the Christ church. Will their construction align with God’s building code, or man’s plans? Paul gives Corinth leaders (and you and I), the warnings and rewards of the work of the church revealed when the Day of Judgment sweeps like a fire across the landscape. What will survive the fire?
The Warnings to Church Leadership on Building God’s Church.
…each 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 Cor. 3:13
Everything that church leaders have done will go through the judgment fire of God’s testing. From that testing, it will be evident the quality of the teachings and leadership practices of God’s servants, either inspired and approved by His word or conversely, rejected because of their human-inspired works, i.e., based on inferior human wisdom. Warning: Greed, lust, abuse, and unsound teaching will show itself in the ashes of God’s revealing fire.
The Rewards of Church leaders’ faithfulness in Building God’s Church.
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.
The reward has to do with our faithful stewardship of His church as illustrated in Jesus’ parable of the rewards of different stewards—one who eventually rules over ten cities or over five cities in the kingdom of God (Lk 19:12–19), or whether one is in charge of many things or few things in the kingdom of heaven (Mt 25:14–23).
There are degrees of reward in heaven for those who are God’s servants based on their deeds on this earth (Mt 16:27; 2 Co 5:10; Eph. 6:8; Rev 22:12); the reward of some believers will be greater than others (cf. Mt 5:12). The reward is not salvation. That is the work of God’s grace. But the reward in the kingdom to come is more opportunity to do God’s will and work. What is true for all believers is especially true for those who are church leaders. “To much is given, much is expected (Lk 12:48). So, build on the foundation of Christ’s church, not with human plans, faux wisdom, gimmicks, and tricks. They will not stand. Build, instead, a life and His Church on that which will survive the fire. Begin with love. Its fireproof. Love never fails according 1 Cor. 13:8.
Church, let’s be church. Reach out and serve the California victims in their time of need rather than add divisive fuel to the fire. Remember the example of Anthony Mitchell who would not abandon family. We are family. We are God’s bride who wears the wedding ring of Christ.
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