1 Corinthians 3:13

And the quality. The real proof of each man's work will be clearly demonstrated by the fire of persecution. The Day of Christ. MacKnight sees this as the severe persecution which would shortly come. Compare Luke 21:22. For that Day's fire. MacKnight says: "That the fire of which the apostle speaks is the fire of persecution, I think evident from 1 Peter 4:12. " The false teacher had built into the church some who were still wicked, such as the man guilty of incest, others who said the dead would not be raised, etc. Such would go back to the world when tested by persecution (unless they repented, as the man guilty of incest did).