Greater Works, Lesser Works
October 1, 2000
Dear Friends:
In 1 Corinthians 3:9-17, the apostle Paul likens the ecclesia to a building. In this analogy, he likens our works to “gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble” which men add to the ecclesia built upon the foundation of Christ. Some of the works abide while others are consumed.
In other words, not all things that brethren do for the ecclesia are equal in value. Some works are precious while others are not very valuable. This is not a condemnation of the lesser works, however, as all of the works are building up the ecclesia. We are assured that this brother or sister with the lesser works is acceptable to God as Paul goes on to say “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
There is another class of works that are not acceptable to God. These are men who are not building up the ecclesia, but destroying it. Of these men Paul states “if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” Not only will their works not survive inspection by fire, they themselves will be consumed.
So we see then, in light of this analogy, a framework for dealing with people in the ecclesia. Some mature, spiritually-minded brethren produce works that are precious in their contribution to the building up of the ecclesia. Some brethren, less mature, but no less important to the building itself, will bring lesser works. Their works are not of a lasting, spiritual nature, but are those of an immature babe in Christ. They need the mature to bear with them and encourage them.
We learn from this analogy, that it is not those immature brethren who try and fail that will be judged severely, it is those who are tearing down the works of others. We remember the parable of the wheat and the tares. The wheat and the tares (weeds) are to grow up together in the ecclesia. If we are weeding in the ecclesia otherwise healthy plants are destroyed. In judging their works and refusing those immature in Christ to bring their wood, hay and stubble, we are acting the part of the weeder.
We are encouraged by what Paul tells us because it lets us know that everyone has something to contribute from the newly baptized to those long in the truth. Our personal objective should be to contribute the best of what we have to the building up of the ecclesia. We all have different talents and abilities. Everyone should take up the battlecry of the brethren from the days of Nehemiah when they said “Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”
Have a great week!
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