Building Fire Proof Homes

1 Corinthians 3 contains a segment where Paul uses the figure of building a house to describe how Christians are built. He describes himself as a “wise master builder”. In other words… it’s not the first house he has ever built. He lays the perfect foundation… Jesus Christ and then builds the rest of the house out of the best and most durable materials… gold, silver and stone.

He implies that other builders (teachers) may build on the same foundation (Jesus Christ) and use inferior materials… combustible materials… wood, hay and stubble.

He warns that one day a fire is going to test these buildings (Christians) and the buildings (Christians) that are lost will also have other consequences… their builders (teachers) will also suffer.

Contextually these foolish amateur builders have to be teachers who were sometimes called Judaizing teachers. They were teaching new Greek converts that they also had to obey elements of the Law of Moses… be circumcised, obey food laws and feast days etc. making them a sort of hybrid Jew.

Because Paul taught otherwise these teachers questioned his Apostleship and even taught that if you were baptized by Paul you were baptized with an inferior baptism… making you inferior.

Of course you have the same types of teachers teaching today. They teach doctrines of men and not of God. They are soft on their teachings and are just trying to make their listeners feel good. They de-emphasize the Bible by hardly ever referencing it… etc. etc. etc.

Look for a wise master builder to help you build your spiritual house so that when the day of fire comes you are… spiritually incombustible, while the other houses around you are sadly… burning to the ground.