What does this mean?!

**Psalm73** · October-30th-2010, 08:30 PM

1 Corinthians 3:9-15 (New International Version)

9"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."

I don't understand what it's talking about, it actually sounds kind of like the Catholic idea of purgatory.

Does anybody have any idea of what these verses could mean? Honestly, I'm stumped.

**mikhen7** · October-30th-2010, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Psalm73

1 Corinthians 3:9-15 (New International Version)

9"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."

I don't understand what it's talking about, it actually sounds kind of like the Catholic idea of purgatory.

Does anybody have any idea of what these verses could mean? Honestly, I'm stumped.

Here is the short answer:
It is talking about the judgment of Believers works. In several other threads you will have noticed that great pains have been taken to explain that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works lest anyone should boast. cp. Eph 2:8-10
In this passage Paul is speaking about dead works verse good works that are inspired by God. In each of our lives we have a calling from the Lord to fulfill. Our obedience to it and other things the Lord prompts us to take part in are "good works" because they are done only in obedience to God and to lift Him up. Other works we do for selfish gain or to be seen by others are under false pretense and not counted as righteous. One day we Christians will all stand before the Lord at the Judgment seat of Christ where we will recieve the reward for our faithfulness. Those that are there, but have no reward, are the ones whose works were burnt up (judged unrighteous) yet they are still saved even through the fire. The faithful others will recieve theire just reward. God is not unjust to forget your labor of love!

God bless