"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
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.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

-I Corinthians 3:11-15

Paul begins this passage of Scripture by reminding the Corinthians that no man can lay any other foundation than that which is already laid: Jesus Christ. Granted, there have been many attempts to lay another foundation (Buddha, Allah, etc.), but all of these foundations are unstable and will be unable to stand in the Day of Judgment.


He then warns us to be careful what we build on this foundation. Before I go any further, I should point out that unless we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, any good works we might otherwise perform are worthless. That is why Paul says, "...if any man build upon this foundation..." Anyway, just like James said in James 2:17, "... faith, if it hath not works, is dead..." You have to have both! In the same way, a foundation with no building is useless, as is a building without a foundation!

Six building materials are listed here: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble. The first three, of course, are things that cannot be burned, but all the others are combustible. On Judgment Day, God will try our works by fire, and if they "abide" we will receive a reward (v. 14). But, if they do not, then we will suffer loss.


Let's stop for just a minute and ask ourselves this one simple question: "What have I been building with?" Have we been building with things that will withstand the fire of Judgment Day, or with things that will be consumed? Once that day comes we will have to live with the outcome for all eternity. That is why Paul admonished us, "...But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." (I Corinthians 3:10)