Paul contrasts the doctrine and message of different evangelists.
1 Cor 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
Notice that so far – Paul is not claiming that “he did anything bad” – he is specifically talking about “his teaching”. The argument so far is that he did not provide complex teaching because the people were baby Christians not ready for more complex stuff.
This is apparently to set the context for the work of Apollos who more complex doctrinal teaching after Paul left.
1Cor 3
4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.[/b]
So far we have the teaching of Paul and of Apollos – and “neither of them” has done anything wrong. Rather the listeners – have divided their loyalty between Paul and Apollos “as if” one is opposing the other – but in fact they are both building up the church. Their “Work” is good – their “work” is their teaching – their doctrine.
1Cor 3
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
The “reward” is specific to the one who ‘labors’ and in this case the ones “laboring” are Paul and Apollos. The rewards are specific to the evangelist that is “Doing the work”. And their work is supposed to “build up” the church – one building on the work of another. Paul says
“I planted, Apollos watered”
Here we see the “good work” (good teaching) of two laborers (two evangelists) and the result is the building up of the church of God – with gospel “rewards” coming to the evangelists..
So far this has nothing to do with “murder getting less reward than loving your neighbor” as if the difference between sin and obedience is “less reward”. Nothing of the kind is being discussed in this chapter on evangelists and the teaching of evangelists!
1 Cor 3
9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
Not this is “very specific”. The evangelists are said to be co-workers with God Himself in “building up the church of God”. Paul argues that these evangelists are to be “careful how they build” – Careful about the doctrine – the teaching that they provide. Careful that their Gospel teaching is Christ-centered.
1Cor 3
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.
Clearly the point is made that the “quality teaching” is that which is built upon the ONE foundation – the only
true foundation (bedrock – Petra) of the church Jesus Christ.
It is the error – that God purges away. Error in doctrine, in Gospel teaching that will not stand. The subject is the same – the context is the same – the issue is the same. The quality of the doctrine/teaching of the various evangelists that are building the church of God as “co-workers” with God.
So far this has nothing to do with
“murder getting less reward than loving your neighbor” as if the difference between sin and obedience is “less reward”. Nothing of the kind is being discussed in this chapter on evangelists and the teaching of evangelists!
The good news is that Paul predicts that those evangelists who DO bring error into the church will eventually have that error burned away. The faithful people of God will follow the Holy Spirit (ultimately) instead of the errors of man – no matter how “good intentioned” those errors are -
1 Cor 3
14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
So in the case of the sincere evangelist who happens to introduce some error – the promise is that it will be tested over time – it will be burned away and the pure church will remain. The “builder” (evangelist – co-worker with God) will still be saved IF their error is not malicious or deliberate – but the error must be removed just the same.
So far this has nothing to do with
“murder getting less reward than loving your neighbor” as if the difference between sin and obedience is “less reward”. Nothing of the kind is being discussed in this chapter on evangelists and the teaching of evangelists!
There is no mention here of death-then-burning (as if purgatory could be inserted here). There is no mention here of the Evangelists becoming murderers but “being saved anyway”.
All the little twists and turns (spin doctoring) that various traditions would try to insert in the chapter – just aren’t here.
1Cor 6 addresses the problem of ‘bad deeds” in the church and it says “be not deceived” …
1Cor 3 deals with the problem of the purity of doctrine that will come into the church as various “co-workers with God” seek to build up the church. There is no good way to confuse the two chapters – or mix up their content.
