The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 110

Yers. 10-15.-Christian work and its testing. I. CmusTIAN WORK: 1. Should be rightly based. Christ is the only Foundation for the spiritual buildinu. This Founda- tion may have been already laid for us by others where we are called to labour: if so, we must sec that we are building upon it; if it be not laid, by "the grace of God" (ver. 10) we must seek to lay it without delay. A.II our teaching must rest upon Christ. He is not only the Omega to be ended with, but the Alpha to be begun with. All our efforts will be fruitless unless identified with him. The well-constructed,house built upon the sand perishes; so the most earnest and devoted labour is thrown away M'bere Christ is ignored. The Christian builder should look carefully to his founda- 1 ion. Whilst others build upon all sorts of things, he should build only upon Christ. 2. Should be wisely ordered. It is not enough to work; we must work wisely and \\'ell. Some seem to think that if they engage in Christian service, it is no matter how .they engage in it; if the work be but done, it is no matter how it is done. Some of the moftt slipshod slatternly work under God's sun is done in God's Name and in connection with his kingdom. In other departments of life, care, watchfulness, anxiety, assiduity, are demanded; but in the religious sphere the thing is to get the work done somehow or other, and if it be but done somehow, all is likely to be well! Such careless builders sadly need the apostolic blast of warning: "Let every man take Leed how l,e buildeth" (ver. 10). Christian work should be conformed to Christ in c,ery particular. The superstructure should correspond to the Foundation. Epithets may go for little with us; in our teaching we should be just as "narrow" as Christ and just as "broad" as Christ. Our building will be of right dimensions if it is r,either wider nor less wide than the Rock-foundation upon which it rests. A.s to Leing "old-fasLioned," we need not greatly dread this if thereby we are more fully identified \\'itb our Lord; or "new-fangled," if thus we and our work are more truly after his mind. Christian work is planned work. A.s the architect has a plan for his work, so the great Architect has a plan for his work, and for that part of his worlc which he entrusts to us to perform. If we "take heed how we build," we shall take heed that we build only according to the Divine plan. Knowledge of this is to be sought in prayer and from the Divine Word. There is one way in which our life-work should Le done; that way has Leen conceived by the Divine mind; we should seek a revelation of it. The Christian must not be his own architect. 3. In Christian work right materials should be used. It is not enough that we teach; we must teach the truth, and we must teach the truth as it is in Jesus. Our doctrine must be of Christ, and it must be lj()und 'doctrine, the "sincere milk" of the Word; the revelation of God, iinedited by man. What rubbish has been and is taught by not a few! how much "wood, hay, stubble," placed in the great spiritual building I No wonder that tho Christian soldier is so often worsted when he fights with gingerbread weapons. Shame upon men that, when the right material for labour is provided, they go bunting about for the wrong. The Scriptures are the great quarry and mine in which costly £tones and gold and silver abound, and no zealous spiritual builder need lack who will i;earch these mines. II. CHRISTIA:?,; WORK WILL BE TESTED. A solemn thought. Ottr work will be tested I When Christian work is done, that is not the eud of it. It will be tried. Well may we ask: 1. When f On" the day," says.the apostle. Christian work is tested on many days. Much of it does not stand the test of these days. But on the day-the day of 011. 111. 1-23.] 'l'llE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. 113