leaving his work to be completed by others. Paul alludes to such others, the teachers who succeeded him, when he says, Let every man take heed how he buildeth upon the foundation which I have laid. The foundation itself he cannot alter. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But keeping this foundation, he might raise very different work upon it: he might build upon it what is frail and perishing, or he might build what is lasting and secure. And it is by the strength or weakness of the building that the skill of the architect is proved. 12. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13. Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. One of the teachers who succeeded Paul at Corinth was Apollos. And he, "when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace. (Acts xviii. 27.) For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ." This was to build upon the foundation laid by Paul, gold, silver, precious stones: i. e. it was teaching doctrines, which, like these valuable substances, would abide the trial: the trial like that of fire, by which in the great "day of the Lord" every man's work would be declared. If gold is cast into the furnace, it comes out gold. If a conflagration reaches the building which is adorned with gold, or silver, or precious stones, they will not be utterly consumed. Fire proves what is worthless, and what is precious; and so the day of judgment shall reveal the real character of the workman, by revealing the nature and value of his work: shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. For as the doctrine is, such will be the character which is formed upon the doctrine. "Men do not gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles:" neither do those who teach doctrines contrary to Scripture, or who mix error with their truth, make such disciples as walk worthy of their high calling, or adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour. 1 Those, for instance, who came down from Judea to Antioch, (Acts xv. 1,) and "taught the brethren, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." These built wood, hay, stubble; brought materials, which had no strength in them, to the foundation laid by the former teachers at Antioch, who had spoken "unto the Grecians there, preaching the Lord Jesus." The law of Moses was now set aside; was "old, and ready to vanish away:"3 and to place that on the foundation of the Gospel, was like raising stories of wood, or a roof thatched with straw or hay,―mere slight and temporary materials,—upon a basis of solid and well-hewn stone. If a fire were to prevail through such a building, the wood, hay, stubble, would perish out of sight: and if such doctrines were to be tried by the test of Scripture, or if disciples who had been taught such doctrines were exposed to temptation, their worthlessness must be proved. And every man's work shall be made manifest. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the 1 See Matt. vii. 16. 3 Heb. viii. 13. 2 Acts xi. 19. things done in his body, according to that he hath done."4 14. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. The season of temptation is the season of trial. Paul rejoices over his Thessalonian disciples, "for their patience and faith in all the tribulations and persecutions that they endured." 5 The work which he had built there, stood the trial. They did not "receive the word with joy, and anon in time of temptation fall away:" but having "heard the word in an honest and good heart, they kept it, and brought forth fruit with patience." "6 But the greatest trial, is the last trial, the day of judgment; when it will be clearly made manifest of what sort the work has been; and when those teachers will receive a reward, a "crown of rejoicing," whose work abides the allsearching eye of God; and is "found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 998 Whereas, if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss his rejoicing shall be clouded, the brightness of his crown impaired; though having remained on the true foundation, he himself shall be saved :— yet so as by fire: rather as "a brand plucked out of the burning," than as "9 one "whom the Lord delighteth to honour." Suppose a man to have taught, for instance, that since Christ has fulfilled the law, his people are no 4 2 Cor. v. 10. 6 See Luke viii. 13, 14. 5 2 Thess. i. 4. 7 1 Thess. ii. 19. 9 Zech. iii. 2. longer under the law as a rule or standard of practice-such a man's work shall not abide for he alone, "who doeth righteousness, is righteous:"1 and "not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." 2 3 Or suppose a man to teach, that as Jesus said to the sick persons whom he healed, "Thy sins be forgiven thee;" so he speaks as clearly now to the conscience of every one whom he receives; and that they have not true faith, who have not full knowledge and assurance that their sins are pardoned. This work would not abide. Such a teacher would have been adding a roof of straw to a foundation of stone. He would have held, indeed, the foundation, and built upon the rock of Christ; but the building would be frail and perishable. Still we would not say, in cases such as these, what the apostle said of wilful perverters of the truth; "their condemnation is just." We would not say that God might not accept such workmen, even if their work were burned: for though they prophesied falsely, they were not intentional deceivers, but deceived themselves through human infirmity. They might still be saved, though so as by fire. He who knoweth our frame, "knoweth that we are but dust," may see fit to accept willing services, whilst he pardons the errors of weakness. Still, to be so saved from everlasting destruction, as a man is saved from a fire raging around him,—gives fearful proof of the danger which those incur who add to the truths of the Gospel what God has not added, or build upon 1 1 John iii. 7. 3 Matt. ix. 2; Luke vii. 47. 2 Rom. ii. 13. 4 Rom. iii. 8. T the basis of redemption through Christ Jesus what is no better than wood, or hay, or stubble. It shows the need of the apostle's warning, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." 5 LECTURE LIV. THE CHRISTIAN IS MADE THE TEMPLE OF GOD. 1 COR. iii. 16, 17. 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? As much as to say, I have spoken of building, of an architect, of a foundation: and not without meaning. Ye are the temple of God. Ye, the Christians of Corinth, are raised up to the glory of God; just in the same manner as the many temples which adorn your city, are intended to honour the gods, (which are no gods,) to whom they are dedicated. St. Paul uses the example frequently in writing to the Corinthians, because their city was famous for the grandeur and richness of its temples. And it is a striking example. The whole christian body dispersed throughout the world, constitutes one magnificent temple built of God to his own honour. Every community of christian wor 5 1 Tim. iv. 16. 1 See vi. 19. 2 Cor. vi. 16. |