WORK TRIED BY FIRE by Roswell F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 25, 1861

WORK TRIED BY FIRE.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

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. 1 Cor. iii, 14, 15.

Some have understood from this passage that our good works were compared to gold, silver, precious stones; and that our bad works, or sins, were compared to hay, wood and stubble. They have therefore inferred that the bad deeds of the sinner will be burnt up, yet he will be saved; a very comfortable doctrine to those who choose to spend their lives in sin.

This is entirely a misapplication of the text. What great loss would it be to have our sins all burned up? The apostle does not set so high a value upon sins as to try to terrify any one with the prospect of losing them. There is nothing said in the text about any man's works. If a workman build a house, that house is his work; and if it is built of wood, we can easily conceive how it may be burned up and he suffer loss, though he were not burned up in it.

The apostle is using the figure of a building. Paul and Apollos and other ministers of the word are the laborers. The church is the building. Verse 9. "For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."

Paul reproves the church for being divided, and for calling themselves by the names of the laborers, Paul, Apollos, &c. He introduces the figure of husbandry or tillage, to prove that all the ministers were laborers together. Says he, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." He dismisses this figure by saying, Ye are God's husbandry, and immediately introduces another by saying, Ye are God's building.

Christ is the foundation. Paul, as a wise master-builder, had laid this foundation at Corinth, by first preaching Christ to them. The materials which each minister builds upon the foundation are the persons that he introduces into the church. These should be comparable to gold, silver, precious stones—materials that will stand fire, persons that will abide the fiery trial of their faith, and will not be found hay, wood and stubble in the day of the Lord that shall burn as an oven. "For the day shall declare it." Verse 13.

With this view of the subject, we can see why the workman that builds in good materials—the minister instrumental in converting souls which prove true and faithful—will receive a reward. They will see the fruit of their labors in the kingdom of God, as Christ will also see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. We can also see how that builder, who thinks he is bringing in fire-proof materials—true and persevering converts—will suffer loss, when he sees that his work will not stand the fire, and a share of his labor, at least, has been in vain. We can also see how he himself may be saved, because his intention was good, while his work—his unstable converts—are lost.

Let the ministry "take heed" how they build. And let the church see that they are "lively stones, built up a spiritual house," and let us all be careful that we do not "defile the temple of God," "for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." R. F. COTTRELL.