What are the Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones in 1 Cor 3:12?

JJ · 01-12-2020, 11:10 PM

What are Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones in this verse?

https://biblehub.com/text/1_corinthians/3-12.htm

Knowing the answer is not just an academic exercise but essential if we are to build with the right materials on the foundation laid by the apostles and not suffer loss on the Lord’s return.

Witness Lee, in his Life Study of 1 Corinthians said:

“Gold, silver, and precious stones signify various experiences of Christ in the virtues and attributes of the Triune God. It is with these the apostles and all spiritual believers build the church on the unique foundation of Christ. Gold may signify the divine nature of the Father with all its attributes, silver may signify the redeeming Christ with all the virtues and attributes of His Person and work, and precious stones may signify the transforming work of the Spirit with all its attributes. All these precious materials are the products of our participation in and enjoyment of Christ in our spirit through the Holy Spirit. Only these are good for God’s building.”

This sounds impressive and at first seems to make sense. But, what does the Bible say about these materials? I did some searching and found some alternative analogies for gold and silver, but not precious stones (yet, looking for help here). It is clear that all of these materials are considered very precious by human beings. And the first two work as currency that is universally recognized regardless of where one is.

Here are a few verses that may help decifer the puzzle:

https://biblehub.com/acts/3-6.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/19-9.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/21-3.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/matthew/2-11.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/12-6.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/acts/17-29.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/revelation/18-12.htm

https://biblehub.com/text/matthew/10-9.htm

2 Peter 1:1-3 https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_peter/1.htm

https://biblehub.com/1_peter/1-7.htm

Note what Paul said in Acts:

Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination

Rather it seems that gold is both the judgements of the Lord and the like precious faith of Christ in the saints that is proven through fiery trials.

And, silver is the word of the Lord, tried in a furnace of earth and purified seven times.

What do you say these things are? And what do you think of Lee’s statements about them? Regardless of what he said, or what we think, it seems really important to know and do (build with gold, silver, and precious stones. And did Lee build on the right foundation?

01-12-2020, 11:10 PM	#1
JJ Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 1,006	What are the Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones in 1 Cor 3:12? What are Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones in this verse? https://biblehub.com/text/1_corinthians/3-12.htm Knowing the answer is not just an academic exercise but essential if we are to build with the right materials on the foundation laid by the apostles and not suffer loss on the Lord’s return. Witness Lee, in his Life Study of 1 Corinthians said: “Gold, silver, and precious stones signify various experiences of Christ in the virtues and attributes of the Triune God. It is with these the apostles and all spiritual believers build the church on the unique foundation of Christ. Gold may signify the divine nature of the Father with all its attributes, silver may signify the redeeming Christ with all the virtues and attributes of His Person and work, and precious stones may signify the transforming work of the Spirit with all its attributes. All these precious materials are the products of our participation in and enjoyment of Christ in our spirit through the Holy Spirit. Only these are good for God’s building.” This sounds impressive and at first seems to make sense. But, what does the Bible say about these materials? I did some searching and found some alternative analogies for gold and silver, but not precious stones (yet, looking for help here). It is clear that all of these materials are considered very precious by human beings. And the first two work as currency that is universally recognized regardless of where one is. Here are a few verses that may help decifer the puzzle: https://biblehub.com/acts/3-6.htm https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/19-9.htm https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/21-3.htm https://biblehub.com/text/matthew/2-11.htm https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/12-6.htm https://biblehub.com/text/acts/17-29.htm https://biblehub.com/text/revelation/18-12.htm https://biblehub.com/text/matthew/10-9.htm 2 Peter 1:1-3 https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_peter/1.htm https://biblehub.com/1_peter/1-7.htm Note what Paul said in Acts: Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination Rather it seems that gold is both the judgements of the Lord and the like precious faith of Christ in the saints that is proven through fiery trials. And, silver is the word of the Lord, tried in a furnace of earth and purified seven times. What do you say these things are? And what do you think of Lee’s statements about them? Regardless of what he said, or what we think, it seems really important to know and do (build with gold, silver, and precious stones. And did Lee build on the right foundation? __________________ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NASB)