Read it again
By E M Blaiklock MA DLItt
XLII.
PURGED BY FIRE.
Please re-read
Corinthians 3.
Does not 1 Cor. 3:13 support the doctrine of purgatory?
No.
The verb in the phrase, "the fire shall try every man's work," was a technical term in classical Greek. It meant "to review." At the conclusion of a term of democratic office a man had to submit his conduct and accounts to a "doki-masia,”
an audit or review. His future fitness for office depended upon the result. Paul expressly states that salvation is not at stake before the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is rather a review of the conduct of His ambassadors to men. We are in office and we shall be called to account for our con-duct. The solemn fact emerges from these verses that it is possible to lay a true foundation of faith in Christ, and build upon it with such bungling hands and so little regard for the blue-prints of our Master, that the sorry product is useless in His sight.
"His eyes," said John, describing the vision
on Patmos, " were like a flame of fire." One look only on That Day, one answering flash of self-revelation, and all that has been worthless in us will wither as by flame. "The fire shall try it." And if the process leaves us nothing we can prize, how like Lot we shall be! Snatched from blazing Sodom, he was "saved as by fire." His work, well-intentioned maybe but misguided, was flaming ruin belund him.
The doctrine of Purgatory is not
Pauline nor Christian. It is Orphie, Platonic and pagan.