Ron Adams Via Bulletin Gold
Paul lived long before the Brothers Grim published their fairy
tale about Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into gold. The apostle
did, however, hold out hope that straw could be transformed into
spiritually (not gold but materially).
Likening the Corinthian church to a building, Paul compared
himself to a wise master builder” who laid the foundation (1
Corinthians 3:10). That is, he had come to Corinth and preached
Christ’s gospel, leading many to faith and obedience.
Others (Apollos, for example) had built on that solid foundation.
A knowledgeable, eloquent teacher, Apollos had skillfully
begun.
But builders can use only those materials which are available
to them. Paul wrote of using “gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
hay, straw” (3:12). Individual Christians in Corinth and
elsewhere would fit these categories. The first three types would
stand the test of fire while the latter three would burn. In other
words, on Judgment Day some would be saved but others lost.
In Corinth, many had fallen victim to petty disputes and
divisions, fornication (and tolerance of it), corrupt worship, and
blatant false doctrine. What a mess! No doubt some were like
straw. Yet God hadn’t given up on them, and neither would Paul.
Could straw become gold? Yes, it could happen then in Corinth,
and it can happen today right here! Jesus, not Rumpelstiltskin,
can and will transform you when you repent and submit to His
will.