A Solid Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 New Living Translation (NLT)

“10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

Knowing that we are the temple of God, we must understand that like a tree, a building or a road to withstand the forces of nature they must be planted or built on a solid foundation, we must also be aware that when we came to Jesus we have been provided with a very solid foundation to build upon.

Paul tells us in these verses that there are 4 core principles to building upon that solid foundation.   First in verse 10 Paul tells us about the importance of a solid foundation, and in verse 11 he tells us that Jesus is that foundation. From verses 12 to 15 he tells us how we must build upon that foundation and that at the end we will be judged upon the work we have done with that very solid foundation.  Let’s analyze these verses a little closer and see what message Paul has conveyed to us;

1.    In verse 10 Paul lets us know the Importance of a Solid Foundation, that it should stand strong, not move, and that it will last.

2.    Verse 11 he tells us that we already have the Solid Foundation, there could be no other for that Foundation is Jesus Christ, who as David tells us in Psalm 18:2 that He is our Rock, our Strength and He is our Support – He is our salvation.

3.    In verses 12-13 Paul instructs us on what materials to specifically build on that foundation with and which not to use, he lets us know that it will be tested therefore we must build in Jesus’s way with the right doctrine and rightful living.

4.   Finally verse 15 lets us know of the impending Payment day when judgment comes if the work survives we will be rewarded, or we could lose that reward if we burn up the works losing our reward.  It is up to you and me how we build upon that very Solid Foundation.

Jesus Christ is that very Solid Foundation, Paul laid that foundation by preaching Christ and we must build by using high quality materials living righteous lives meeting God’s

standards. 

We must build our temple in Jesus Christ, in a mature, spiritually sensitive, and doctrinally sound.  Remember that a building is only as solid as its foundation; the foundation of our lives is Jesus Christ, our base and reason for being.  All that we do must fit into the pattern that He provided for us.  Are you building your life on the only real and lasting Solid Foundation, or are you building it on a faulty foundation, one based on wealth, security, success or fame.

Two sure ways to destroy a building are to tamper with the foundation and to build with inferior materials.  We must build on Christ not any other person or principles.  

On judgment day Christ will evaluate our contributions to His church and reveal the sincerity of our work.  God will determine whether we have been faithful to Jesus’s instructions and our good work will be rewarded while inferior or unfaithful work will be discounted. 

“The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames” means that unfaithful workers will be saved, only by the skin of their teeth; their accomplishments will count for nothing.