According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
First, the theme of Christ's centrality is nailed down: "No one can lay a foundation other that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." The notion that our deeds could replace or supplement that foundation is ruled out.
However, Paul goes on to describe how we can build upon this foundation. Some of us build with precious things, good works and righteous deeds, while others build with worthless things.
Then comes the curious vision. At Judgment Day we're not just ushered into heaven as the forgiven and blessed. We are, rather, tested by fire. On Judgment Day "fire will test what sort of work each one has done." That notion, that even the "saved" will be tested by fire, is probably surprising to some readers of Scripture who have never pondered such a thing. But there it is in 1 Corinthians 3: the fire of Judgment scorches everyone. As Jesus says in the gospel of Mark, "everyone will be salted by fire."
The curiosity continues. During the fiery test of Judgment Day those whose deeds on earth were worthless will find their works "burned up" and will "suffer loss." By contrast, those whose deeds were precious will find that their good works "survive" the test and will, as consequence, "receive a reward."
The text goes on to say that the one who suffers "loss" will still be saved. Again, the foundation they are standing upon is Jesus Christ. And due to Jesus Christ, there is no risk of being wholly lost. It's just that the works of your life are burned up and don't "echo in eternity." You've been saved, "but only as through fire."
As I've noted, there's a lot of curious stuff in this passage. 1 Corinthians 3 paints a vision of Judgment and heavenly reward that few have ever heard of or have attempted to contemplate. Most Christians, I expect, envision Judgment Day as the lost going off to hell and the saved walking through the Pearly Gates. Few envision Judgement Day as an ordeal of fire that everyone faces. Fewer imagine that some enter heaven suffering loss while others receive a reward.
For my own part, I have no idea what any of this might look like. Are we to imagine something like the proverbial "getting a jewel in your crown" in heaven whenever we do a good deed on earth? Are the mansions in heaven different sizes? I don't know what "receive a reward" or "suffers loss" looks like in heaven. But I do feel confident in this: Whatever 1 Corinthians 3 is talking about, our deeds echo in eternity.
