Thread by @ThomasCoutouzis

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are." 1 Cor 3:16-17

The context is about factions. 'I follow Paul...

'...or I follow Apollos'. Paul says in chp. 3 that Christians have a foundation laid by Christ and the Lord uses others to build on it.

Paul then gives a stern warning in v11 that no man can lay another foundation other than Christ. He then goes onto say that those...

...who build on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, straw, and hay will each have their work tested by fire. Those things that survive the fire are true teachings from Scripture. Those that are not Biblical teachings will be burned up. This then leads into...

...v16-17.

Up until this very hour I always looked at this passage regarding each believers work will be tested and some will only escape through the flames.

However, when I look at the context it is about the work that teachers build on Christ's foundation.

Each Christian that has Christ as a foundation will enter heaven, but this is pointing to those who profess to be teachers of God's word. If these teachers teach heresy like "wood, hay, straw" they will be burned down when God tests it with His holy fire.

The frightening part...

...is that some of these teachers are actual Bible teachers who are teaching things counter to Scripture. Those that teach falsely will escape the flames into heaven, but have nothing to show or no reward for their work.

Where verses 16-17 come into play is apostates teachers.

These apostates that have infiltrated the church will be be judged harshly by God for their insolence because they have built shantee's on the foundation of Christ. God will burn that false teaching down as it will not be allowed to enter heaven.

Think about it. There are so many once trusted pastors that I used to read and listen, but now will not give the time of day. Many are genuine believers that are building worldly philosophies on the foundation of Christ and their work will be burned down. They'll have no reward.

For the apostates they will be judged harshly for the false teaching they brought into Christ's church as none of their worldly philosophy will enter heaven. They will be thrown into Hell and judged more harshly for their evil. See Matthew 18:6-7.

As an aside, because this speaks to factions, why is anyone calling themselves Calvinist or Arminian? We might as well say that I follow Paul and I follow Apollos. As someone who adheres to the doctrines of grace I don't call them Calvinism. Calvin would not call it Calvinism.

God is going to test the work that others have taught you. The faulty parts will be burned away and the regenerate teacher will get no reward for teaching worldly or pagan philosophies in the people they taught. The apostate teacher will suffer a more fierce judgment for eternity

I would be remiss if I didn't add that this does show there will be believers who have had false teaching built on Christ's foundation. They will escape into heaven with nothing to show too, but the emphasis on this passage seems to be primarily on teachers "the builders".