1 Corinthians 3:8,14 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Of all the conversations I have had with believers, this is the one I believe that has been the most misunderstood of all Christian concepts. I do not know that all Christians have it wrong. I have not talked to all Christians, but to those to whom I have talked, they have difficulty letting go of their vision of reward.

A worldly reward is a thing given in recognition of one’s service, effort, or achievement. As we know from living in the Kingdom, spiritual matters do not follow worldly ways. Jesus Christ is the Way. To properly search out the reward according to God’s design, we need to throw out our worldly understanding of reward. Forget for a moment about reward and think about results. If work is in play, then results must also be a part of the design in question.

The object under construction here is found in verse 9, ye are God’s building. Supporting scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Verse 3:10 tells us to be careful in building upon our foundation which is in Christ. Many see this as a church but in this we should focus on our temple body, the dwelling place of God. Jesus warned us in His earthly ministry of the dangers involved.

In Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17 and Luke 19:46 Jesus threw out the money changers and declared they had made His temple a den of thieves. Warning associated with this concept were also written in the Old Testament, not just as prophecy but as a warning against the practices.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

Worldly items, worldly rewards, not the things which Christ wants in His temple.