Judgment of Works and the Temple of God

Of Christ our God. If men do not grasp the mind of God to know, how much less will they grasp the mind of us who possess the mind and wisdom of God. 1 Cor 3:1–3 Those unfaithful follow miracles rather; therefore I spoke a word to you, not indeed the perfect wisdom which is hidden, the administration concerning the passion which only perfect believers receive.

He still calls the teaching concerning ethics and the believing through signs 'milk' in a figurative sense, but the proclamation of the divine dogmas is 'meat'. Light commands can be milk, such as honoring father and mother, and not committing adultery, and the like, and 'come here, follow me'. Then, having said, 'You are fleshly, and walk according to man', he says that you honor things in man and do not seek the things of God. 1 Cor 3:5 Instead of being equal according to the ministry. 1 Cor 3:6–10

The things spoken to him were as if concerning agriculture, and the others as if concerning building. He himself said he has planted and has given the beginning and has laid the foundation of God. He exhorts those building after him at the foundation, so that they do not work the building in vain. And he calls the foundation the faith and the proclamation. 1 Cor 3:11–15

Christ is not called the foundation of the creation, as the Arians falsely contend, but of the faith; for Christ was proclaimed, and every building happens upon him as the foundation. While some are teaching one faith and proclaiming the evangelical life, for us it is to make ourselves either precious stones or wood or grass or a reed. When therefore he says, 'Let each one let him see how he builds', he means not according to life, but according to what? For no one is able to lay a foundation other than the one lying there.

The one teaching proclaims Christ and gives his commands; therefore it is to be separated either by gold because of purity, or by grass because of weakness. If therefore he commands that each one let him see, it is toward those wishing to be named among those baptizing or teaching. If anyone's work remains which he built up, you see that the builder builds well; but that does not remain according to a change of human choice at times. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, and so as through fire. It is surpassing.

For it is to be read this way: if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, and it will be as through fire; so that he will be burned and suffer loss as through fire, yet he himself will be saved, for the more grievous deviation did not occur through him. It has been said by the transcendent so that it might be thus: if anyone's work remains, he will receive a reward, but he himself will be saved. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss and be burned as through fire. How then will he be saved if the work he built is burned? Thus, as he is judged as through fire, did he fail to leave behind those coming for correction or the reminding of those sinning, according to Ezekiel?

Again, he turns to those who trust in their own wisdom. For while he calls the believers the temple of God, he also says that one destroys the temple of God. He will declare the following to those who trust in words. If anyone thinks to be wise in this present age, let him become a fool. For why then does the one trusting in external wisdom destroy the temple? If you are a temple of God, you owe it to have one who teaches and reveals; but if, having left the Inhabitant, you have used your own understanding, you no longer make a temple, but you destroy it.

If anyone thinks to be wise among you, it is those being harmed and deceived by external education, for he commanded, having said among you. Regarding those who have been catechized and have received the word of knowledge within themselves, and have not strayed from the teaching, he calls them temples of the Holy Spirit and immovable houses of the indwelling Spirit. But those who have done something worthy of the energy of the Spirit, he calls these spiritual, just as we call those who have made a display of art and rhetoric 'rhetorical' and 'technical.'

Therefore, those receiving a different teaching from external wisdom, these have destroyed their own reasoning, corrupting the faith, which is the temple of the Spirit. Consequently, God threatens that these will be destroyed, because having abandoned the indwelling Teacher, they wandered regarding external wisdom, which is sufficient to provide a supply of deception. Through this, by which he forbids the wisdom of this world from being sufficient for deception, he commanded those being struck by reproof. Commanding that external wisdom not be received, he teaches not to boast upon wise men.