Question 1

What does it mean that Jesus Christ is the only foundation?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says no one can lay any other foundation than Jesus Christ, he is saying that everything in the Christian life rests on who Jesus is and what he has done. Salvation does not rest on our efforts, traditions, or teachers, but on Christ alone. A church may have many leaders and different styles of ministry, but if it is not built on trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection, it has the wrong base. The picture is simple: if the foundation is not Christ, the whole building is unsafe, no matter how nice it looks.

Question 2

Who is the wise masterbuilder in this passage and what did he do?

Accepted Answer

The wise masterbuilder is Paul talking about himself. He means that, by God’s grace, he carefully laid the first groundwork of the church in Corinth. He preached Jesus Christ as Lord and started them on that foundation. Calling himself a wise builder is not boasting, because he says his skill came from God’s grace. Others came after him and continued the work, like people adding rooms or floors to an already laid foundation. His point is that his part was to start with Christ, and others must respect and build in line with that start.

Question 3

What are the gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble about?

Accepted Answer

These building materials picture the different quality of teaching and ministry that people add on top of the foundation of Christ. Gold, silver, and precious stones point to sound teaching, clear gospel truth, and faithful service that truly helps people know and follow Jesus. Wood, hay, and stubble point to shallow, careless, or unhelpful teaching and work, things that may look busy but do not match Christ’s truth. Paul is warning that not all Christian work is equal. What we build will one day be tested, and only what is solid and true will last.

Question 4

What does it mean that every man’s work will be revealed by fire?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says our work will be revealed by fire, he is using a picture. Fire tests materials and shows what is solid and what burns up. In the same way, God will one day expose the real quality of our teaching and service. This “day” points to God’s time of judgment, and also to how trials and the advance of the gospel already uncover what is real. The point is that appearance and numbers are not the final measure. God himself will test the work, and only what fits with Christ and his truth will remain.

Question 5

What is the reward Paul mentions if a person’s work abides?

Accepted Answer

Paul says that if someone’s work built on Christ’s foundation remains after God’s testing, that person will receive a reward. He does not spell out every detail, but the idea is that God notices faithful, Christ-centered ministry and will honor it. This can include joy in seeing people stand firm in faith and, in the end, praise from the Lord. The reward is not payment for earning salvation, but God’s gracious way of approving and encouraging those who served him with care and honesty in line with the gospel.

Question 6

What does it mean that a person will suffer loss yet be saved as by fire?

Accepted Answer

This line describes someone who has truly trusted Christ, so the foundation is right, but much of what they built in ministry was weak or unhelpful. When God tests their work, much of it is burned up. They “suffer loss” in the sense that the reward they might have had is smaller, and their efforts are shown to have little lasting value. Still, Paul says that person himself will be saved, like someone escaping through a fire with nothing but their life. It shows that salvation rests on Christ, not on perfect ministry.

Question 7

Why does Paul tell everyone to take heed how they build on Christ?

Accepted Answer

Paul warns, “Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon,” because once the true foundation is laid, what we add matters. Teachers, pastors, and all who serve in the church shape how people think about God and live out their faith. Careless teaching, chasing trends, or pushing ideas that do not match the gospel can harm people and will not stand God’s testing. Paul wants believers to feel the weight of this. We are not laying a new foundation, but we are responsible for what kind of structure we raise on the one true foundation, Christ.

Question 8

How does this passage apply to ministry and church life today?

Accepted Answer

This passage speaks strongly to anyone involved in church work today. It reminds us that the church does not rest on gifted leaders, programs, or traditions, but on Jesus Christ alone. It calls those who teach and serve to focus on clear, sound gospel truth, not on empty talk or shallow methods. It also helps believers remember that God will one day show what was real and worthwhile in our service. This should humble us, keep us close to Scripture, and encourage us to build carefully for God’s honor, trusting his grace rather than our success.

1 Corinthians 3:10

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Christ Our Foundation

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1 Corinthians 3:10

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

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Christ Our Foundation

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