1 Corinthians 3:15

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.

'he shall suffer loss' -2210. zemioo dzay-mee-o'-o; from 2209; to injure, i.e. (reflexively or passively) to experience detriment: -be cast away, receive damage, lose, suffer loss.

'but he himself shall be saved' -indicating that the "loss" doesn't refer to his own salvation. Which also tells us that it wasn't necessarily the "content" of his teaching which resulted in his converts failing to stand the test.

Paul was personally afraid about the condition of some of his converts. (Galatians 4:11) And in those instances, Paul was afraid that all his hard work had been in vain. (1 Thessalonians 3:5) (2 Corinthians 11:29)

'yet so as through fire' -The preacher or teacher himself will be tested also. The "fire" of trial or the final day will reveal whether he was personally responsible for the weakened condition of his converts, and hence their final destruction.

Points to Note:

1. Some have tried to get the doctrine of "once saved, always saved into this verse". Many commentators view this verse as teaching that. teacher may have done. very miserable job in teaching others, even teaching them error, and yet God will save such. teacher "just barely", "snatching them out of the fire". Yet such. view would contradict other portions of the book. (1 Corinthians 10:1)

2. Actually, such an interpretation would only establish "once saved, always saved" for preachers or teachers. For the converts of this teacher, do end up lost (1 Corinthians 3:15). Now that presents an interesting situation. God will save all religious teachers, even if they taught error, and yet will condemn their disciples that went into error?

A GENERAL WARNING ABOUT DIVISION:

'I think Paul now turns from the teachers (whom he speaks of in the third person in 10-15) to the church in general. He reminds them who they are. They aren't some little "fly by night" school of philosophy, here today and gone tomorrow. The ruins of temples and sacred shrines which were scattered through that part of the world were numerous enough. But no one really lost anything when these temples and shrines were destroyed. But they are the temple of the Lord. It is of eternal consequence what happens to the temple of God.....' [Note:. McGuiggan p. 53]