[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Your gloss on 1 Corinthians3:15 is mistaken. It refers to the person not the works.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire [1 Cor. 3:15].

You see the contrast: “If any man’s work abide” which he built on the foundation, he shall receive a reward; if any man’s work goes up in smoke, he will suffer a terrible loss, but he himself will be saved. He does not lose his salvation if he is on the foundation, which is trust in Christ, even though he receives no reward.

Friend, what are you building today? What kind of material are you using? If you are building with gold, it may not be very impressive now. If you are building an old haystack, it will really stand out on the horizon, but it will go up in smoke. I like to put it like this: there are going to be some people in heaven who will be there because their foundation is Christ but who will smell as if they had been bought at a fire sale! Everything they ever did will have gone up in smoke. They will not receive a reward for their works.

Now if you are a carnal Christian, you cannot expect a reward because you have not been rightly related to God through the Word of God. The carnal Christian is the one who does not know the Word of God. You see, one can identify the three categories which Paul mentions by their relation to the Word of God. The natural man says it is foolishness. The spiritual man discerns the Word, and it gives him spiritual insight. The carnal Christian says, “Let’s have a banquet and not a Bible study.” Or he says, “Let’s listen to music rather than to the teaching of the Word of God.” That is the way you can identify the carnal Christian.

BigMack

[Siobhan]

You are re-writing Scripture in your commentary -- which is incorrect.

[Siobhan]

I believe protestants have an edition of the Bible called the Amplified Bible. That should show you the sentence structure and syntax in respect of the Greek original.

[JMJ333]

Big mac?? What happened to Becky?

Or is that another name you go by? =)

[Theresa]

Do you resist the idea of suffering for your sins even though God has forgiven them? Let's say you are late for work and are going over the speed limit and you get a ticket. You expect to have to pay that ticket. You don't say, Oh Jesus will pay that for me. God will forgive you if you are truly sorry but you he won't pay the ticket for you. I expect to have to suffer for my sins here on earth or in the age to come or both. For as Jesus said, you will not escape until you have paid the very last penny. I don't understand this seeming unwillingness of NC's to suffer for a while AFTER DEATH for the sins not fully suffered for in life. I know you understand that while you live you have to pay the price for your sins, but why do think that as soon as you die, it is all wiped out? Just asking.

[Theresa]

"He does not lose his salvation if he is on the foundation, which is trust in Christ, even though he receives no reward."

What? Salvation is not a reward? He will be saved but not very happy? I don't understand.