Building

Paul continues (in 1Cor 3:10ff) to make the same point as yesterday, only now he uses the example of a building instead of a garden. Same point: One leader lays a foundation, another builds on it. Same uncomfortable connotation of a long, painstaking process.

There's something new in these verses that makes me uncomfortable, though. Paul writes (vv12-15) "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."

Man, there's nothing about that that makes me feel good. It raises a bunch of questions.

First question: What am I building? Second question: What am I using? Gold, silver, precious stones? Or hay or straw? It's tempting to contribute the least amount possible to God's kingdom. We tend to donate items we don't want to charity; we argue about whether we should base our tithe on gross or net earning. Too often, we want our service to cost us the least amount possible.

Third question: How well am I building? This question is about time and effort, not materials, but the same factors apply. 

These questions are so uncomfortable because, while I may be able to fake things pretty well now, Paul says here that someday my work will be tested by fire. If it stands up, I get a reward. If not, I suffer loss, and escape only as one escaping through a fire. That means I lose my stuff, maybe I suffer some burns, maybe I become homeless and have to live off the charity of others.

We tend to live our lives in pass-fail mode: Will I get to heaven or won't I? But Paul suggests here that even among those who are saved, there will be levels of reward, things that our perfect selves will appreciate. I'm not even going to try to explain this, because I don't understand it. 

But it raises one last question: What's the point of working my way up to a six-figure income, a large house, two new cars and vacations in Europe, if I only get to heaven as one who escaped through a fire?

There are different kinds of investments. Even beyond retirement planning, we maybe need to think more about laying up treasures in heaven.