1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Testing the Building Materials

McGarvey suggests the building materials Paul mentioned were very familiar to the brethren at Corinth. The first three building materials, gold, silver and precious stones, were used to make idolatrous temples fireproof. The last three materials were used in building the very combustible huts in which the Corinthians lived. The illustration is used to say the best should go into the church. The quality of materials, or individual Christians, making up the church will be tested in judgment. Weak, combustible material will not be acceptable. Trials are used by God to test the quality of material in each of us (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).

Those ministers who have helped build faithful Christians will be rewarded in seeing their faithfulness (1 Corinthians 3:14). For that reason, Paul wrote the Thessalonian brethren, saying, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy" (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; 1 Peter 2:12-16).

If the Corinthian church, for example, were lost in the day of judgment, Paul would suffer loss because they were part of his work. Yet, the apostle would still be saved if he was able to endure the test of fire that they had failed (1 Corinthians 3:15).