Purgatory Mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3

Purgatory and the Debate Format on 1 Corinthians 3

Webcasting around the world from the desert metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona. This is the dividing line. The Apostle Peter commanded Christians to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us.

Yet to give that answer with gentleness and reverence. Our host is dr. James White director of Alpha Omega ministries and an elder at the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church. This is a live program and we invite your participation.

If you'd like to talk with dr. White call now. It's 602 -973 -4602 or toll-free across the United States. It's 1 -877 -753 -3341. And now with today's topic here is James White.

And good afternoon. Welcome to the dividing line a debate on the dividing line today between myself and Tim Staples staff apologist for Catholic answers we are going to be discussing 1st Corinthians chapter 3 verses 10 through 15 and The claim that this text clearly presents the doctrine of purgatory.

Here's how it's going to be laid out. We're gonna jump right into it so that we can have some time at the end of the program for your phone calls as well. 15 minutes each opening statements. We're going to be exegeting the text.

Then each was one of us will have an 8-minute response. We'll have 5 minutes to cross-examine each other. 8-minute closers and that should give us enough time to take about 19 to 20 minutes worth of phone calls at the end of the program.

Please make your question very short very succinct. It is not a time for you to preach to add to The presentations made by anyone it is a question a question has one of those little squiggly things the end called a question mark.

So, please make sure that you get to your question very very quickly and we will attempt to answer it as succinctly as possible. We will not open the phone lines For those questions until 5 o 'clock Mountain Standard Time.

Which would be 4 o 'clock in the Pacific and whatever it is, wherever else you are. You can figure it out from there. So with that I would like to welcome to the air Tim Staples and thank you for joining us Tim.

It's great to be with you James. All right. So since we have a lot to get to and not a whole lot of time to do it in here. We'll go ahead and if you'd like to begin sir.

Sure, I'd like to begin by thanking you for sending me over a couple links to audio files from from your radio broadcast. That really helped me prepare for this dialogue. The first was a critique of an answer I gave on Catholic answers live to one of our callers who had a question about purgatory in first Corinthians 3 and that actually served as the impetus for this dialogue and.

The other was a section from a debate on purgatory you had as you know with father Peter Stravinsky. I'm going to be using these as sort of a foundation for my opening remarks the first Corinthians 3 10 to 15 as you said now.

Suppose I could begin By saying from a Catholic and biblical perspective. This is really not difficult to see in a nutshell. St. Paul is here giving us a vivid picture of the judgment. Which is obviously after death and he tells us that at the judgment and I know we'll get some play on this.

There will be some who are already perfectly purified so that they will not experience the pains of purgatory. But they will receive their reward immediately. And there are those who will not have been perfectly sanctified.

So they will undergo a purging of all imperfections so that they can enter into the glory of heaven. St. Paul says it like this. I'll just read verses 13 through 15 work will become manifest for the day referring to the judgment.

We'll disclose it because it will be revealed with fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man is built on the foundation survived He will receive a reward.

If any man's work is burned up he will suffer loss though he himself will be saved but only as Through fire now as James knows and I said many times on Catholic case or more proper obviously not hell because folks are being saved.

It's not heaven because there's imperfection being taken away. And we know Revelation 21 27 says nothing unclean shall enter heaven. Habakkuk 113 thou art of pure eyes than to behold evil and can't not look on wrong.

Now in a nutshell. This is what I want to do here is back up and take the text apart a bit and I'll start Listening very carefully to your critiques of what I said really pretty much everything I've said so far and more.

And examining first Corinthians 3 again I found that I agreed with you that sickly continuing a discussion that goes back especially diverse Apostolic endeavors. Now you notice that st Paul uses the metaphor of he and Apollo God in verse 9 Did field in which they worked.

He then switches metaphors made midstream often does matter parts of verse 9 Apollos to now focusing on himself as as he says a wise master builder who laid the foundation the Melian and He then mentions an indefinite another all those who would then build on that foundation.

But then again in good Pauline fashion. He changes gears a bit again and at the end of verse 10 He says let each man in the foundation. So now st. Paul is moving to a more universal statement. He's no longer limiting himself to speaking just about himself Apollos or even just ministers, but he's making a general statement let each man observe how he builds on the foundation and.

This leads him to verse 11 where he says for no other foundation. Can anyone lay actually no one so we could say here? No one is able to lay any other foundation again, though. He's stressing a more universal application.

But at any rate other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid Jesus Christ. St Paul tells us what I assume we all of us as Christians agree that Jesus Christ is the foundation of all our Apostolic endeavors indeed.

He is the foundation of our lives. Now st. Paul doesn't specifically say foundation of our lives. But I don't think it's a stretch to say that Christ is being presented here as our foundation. But at any rate st. Paul then says definite a teeth or even just ministers.

He says if anyone Builds on the foundation with gold silver precious stones wood a stubble each man's work again. The judgment will disclose it because it will be revealed with the Greek word for of what so what kind of what is he?

Talking about what kind of. What he's talking about is each has done now. This is going to be important in a moment. In fact, mr. White I noticed on your broadcast you sent to me. I counted three times.

Where you claim that basically all that's happening here is the judgment reveals whether ministers of the gospel. As as you said on on your broadcast whether they have proper motivations or improper motivations this judgment simply discovers again to quote you again the Motivations of why people would argue the text doesn't say this.

You say this in other words. It doesn't say the fire test. What sort of motivation people have each man is done to what you claim even more clear in a moment now I suppose in defense of what you you said we could say improper motivation could be a subset of what st Paul is talking about here if we want to stretch actually says is the fire which represents the judgment.

We'll test what sort of work each has done limit this to some arbitrary notion of proper motives because we let the text speak in Its proper context and we understand you on another point. Mr. White and something else.

You said during your critique of me and by the way where you claimed I massacred this text. And by the way, I was deeply hurt. When you said that I'm kidding, of course, I actually got a kick out of that one.

And and as you know James, I've said it often. I've always said I like James White. I like your passion and your diligence even if I don't agree with you, but at any rate You erroneously claimed that the Catholic Church's position is that this fire represents purgatory both here in verse 12 and in verse 15 and and that's not true and You ridiculed the notion by saying well who the who are these word without suffering loss?

How are they in purgatory? Well, the Catholic Church has never claimed the fire per se is purgatory. The church has never defined this as such. The fire here is actually the judgment as we'll see in a moment for purgatory.

Purgatory is not a place as in you send people over there to a chamber called purgatory. The Catholic Church teaches purgatory is as the Catechism the Catholic Church paragraph 1472 says it not in some external imposition of you know by God.

But proceeding from the nature of sin and the effects of sin on our souls in the context of the revelation of Christ at the judgment. So again, if you want to find a location for purgatory, it's those are being judged and imperfections are found on their souls.

These imperfections that st Paul speaks of are in perfect keeping with the biblical notion of for example sins that are not mortal mentioned in 1st John 5 or You know breaking of the least commandments that Jesus talks about in Matthew 5 19 that one can commit.

Yet remain in the kingdom of God. But just so you'll know that the church does not teach and your listeners will know. It doesn't teach as you've claimed over and over in your radio show that the fire is purgatory.

Let me quote a guy who knows a little bit about Catholicism Salvi in paragraph 47. He says quote in Savior the encounter with him is the decisive act of judgment before his gaze all falsehood melts away.

This encounter with him as it burns us transforms and freezes. Allowing us to become truly ourselves. All that we build during our lives can prove to the sickness of our lives become evident to us. Their life salvation his gaze the touch of his heart heals us through an undeniably painful transformation.

Add our of his love sears through us like a flame. Enabling us to become totally ourselves and thus totally of God. On your broadcast that you sent to me that we Catholics read into this text the fact that the fire purifies.

In fact you claimed on that broadcast that. There's nothing in here about a purifying fire. In fact, let me quote you use of any because even an evangelical scripture scholar like dr W Harold Mayer in the expositors Bible on these very verses that we're talking about.

Let me quote it here. I'm sure is used figure purifying agent. And by the way, he references Matthew 3 11 and Mark 9 49 as two examples of our Lord using fire as a Purifying effect in simple here for God's judgment as he tests the quality of the Christians work.

You know any B makes a good point there. But I also want to point out what you'll find from another Protestant work and a good one called Kittles theological dictionary of the New Testament volume 6 page 9 44.

Here these Protestant scholars teach what I would argue it is impossible for any Christian to ignore About this text if he's serious about studying it and that is that st Paul is here referring to to quote Kittles.

Let me quote referring to the idea of an eschatological refining fire and. They reference here Malachi chapter 3. If we examine Malachi chapter 3 verses 1 3 we discover this is a text that especially verses 1 and 2.

That's either quoted or alluded to six times in the New Testament as fulfilled in John the Baptist and Christ and notice what it says prophetically of our Lord. It says John the Baptist behold I send my messenger to prepare the way before me and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.

The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight behold He is coming says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming and who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiners by it as a refiner and purifier of silver and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them.

Protestant scholars Leave some of them have to acknowledge what it seemed to me in listening to miss Into your radio broadcast that you said to me. You're not willing to admit and that is that st Paul here uses language that indicates he's harkening back to Malachi and as such It becomes even more obvious st. Paul is talking about Christ the judge fire.

He will also Be described in verse 16 their bodies the fire of judgment can also denote destruction as dr Mayor pointed out of the judgment and purgatory verse. You are God's temple and God's Spirit dwells in you if anyone destroys God's pronoun is using the destruction of this person rather than pure for reference from these Imperfections on their way to heaven and I think I'm about out of time.

But folks this is a textbook definition of purgatory. I.

Actually had about 36 seconds left. You wanted to add anything else? No, I think that'll do it. Okay. I'm being good. Okay. All right, thank you very much mr. Staples. Let me go ahead and and read the entirety of the text at the beginning of my time here according to the grace of God Which is given to me like a wise master builder.

I laid a foundation another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold silver precious stones wood hay and straw.

Each man's work will become evident for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire and the fire itself Will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains He'll receive a reward.

If any man's work is burned up He will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved yet. So as through fire now the context of the preceding nine verses is really quite simple. Paul is discussing the problems that exist in the Corinthian congregation.

He has used harsh words with them in the preceding verses referring to them as men of flesh and infants in Christ. He refers to the strife and jealousy that exists among them. He zeroes in on their part on their partisanship the fact that they are saying I am of this Christian leader or that Christian leader.

He reminds them that leaders are but servants of the Lord and that it was the Lord that even gave those servants the opportunity to Preach the gospel to them. He writes in verse 6. I planted Apollos watered.

But God has caused the growth. God used Paul and Apollos as means. But the growth was caused by God not by the Christian leaders themselves at this point. Then Paul begins to speak of the role Christian leaders have in the work of the church.

Note his words in verse 8. Now he who plants and he waters are one but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers your God's field. God's building. Verse 8 provides the first reference to reward misthoughts.

And it is clearly in the context of the Christian leaders who labor in the work of ministry. It will be significant to note that the phrase received reward in verse 8 is identical in terminology the same phrase in verse 14.

Since in this context, we know that the planting and watering mention goes back to Paul and Apollos the topic remains consistent. Throughout this passage Paul then speaks of himself and Apollo says God's fellow workers that his workers owned by God not equal with him.

He uses two terms field and building but picks up only on the second God's building. A fellow worker of God Works in God's building and that building is the church. This then brings us to the main passage verses 10 through 15.

Give us an illustration of how weighty is to minister in the church and how God will someday. Manifest the motivations of the hearts of all those who engage in that work. Then in verses 16 through 17 Paul adds a further warning speaking of God's certain judgment upon those who do not build but instead tear down or destroy.

There is an obvious movement between 10 through 15 and 16 through 17 for in 10 through 15 the metaphor remains the construction of a building upon a foundation. In 16 through 17 this switches to the metaphor of the temple of God already constructed.

Further in 10 through 15 the certain ones are those who are indeed building upon the foundation. Even if they have less than perfect motivations or understanding the certain one in verses 16 through 17 is not building anything at all.

But is instead tearing down and ruining what has already been built. This distinction is important as well as we shall see and so we enter into the text itself according the grace of God Which is given to me like a wise master builder.

I laid a foundation and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it for no man can lay a foundation of the one which is laid Which is Jesus Christ. Paul continues the context insisting that by God's grace He has laid a foundation knowing that others would build upon that same foundation.

This foundation Of course refers to the work of ministry and building up the church that he has engaged him. But there is an element of personal responsibility this part of ministry in Christ Church a man must be careful.

How he builds upon the foundation which Paul reminds us is holy. The only foundation of the church is Jesus Christ himself. The minister is to recognize that ministry in the church is a holy task and He must look well a literal rendering of the Greek upon how he goes about this work.

This leads to further expansion upon this thought in the following section verses 12 and 13. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold silver precious stones wood hay and straw each man's work will become evident for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire and the fire itself will Test the quality of each man's work.

The first thing to see in verse 12 is that we are still talking about the same group Christian Workers those under discussion build upon the foundation. We will see that in verses 16 through 17 Paul refers to a different group those who do not build but instead tear down.

So we have one group who build upon the one foundation, but with different quality materials. And obviously the terms gold silver precious stones wood hay and straw are all figures of speech. They're all metaphors.

Christian leaders are not known for having an abundance of gold silver precious stones. Let alone is the building being done here a literal activity either. These are terms referring as Paul himself puts it to the quality of each man's work.

Some labor selflessly and in obscurity with motivations pure and honorable while others have mixed motivations tinge to a lesser or greater degree by Selfishness and vain glory during this lifetime. We cannot necessarily know which Christian leaders even within the bounds of Orthodox teaching and practice are Doing what they do with motivations that are pleasing to God.

But Paul is reminding us that such will not always be the case. God will reward those who have labored diligently for his glory. In that day when all the secrets of men's hearts will be revealed. Paul says that each man's work will become evident for the day will show the nature of the Christians ministers work will be made plain and Clear.

The lack of clarity that exists during this lifetime will no longer cloud our vision at the judgment. What a tremendously sobering thought for those who labor and building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ God who searches the hearts will reveal our true motivations.

On that day a Declaration they loci will be made about the nature of the works of all those who worked in the church. But please note This is everyone all Saints all workers in the church will experience this judgment from the greatest Saints to the least in the work.

There is no room here for any idea of anyone bypassing this judgment. But it remains the same judgment the judgment by fire of the works. The revelation of whether one's ministerial works are precious and lasting or surface level and temporary will be accomplished by fire.

Obviously fire differentiates at the most basic level between gold and wood. Silver and straw precious stones and stubble the precious elements withstand the fires presence Whereas the others are consumed in their entirety.

Given that it has already been established that gold and silver etc are figures for the quality of men's works. So it follows inexorably that fire refers to a testing that makes its verdict as clear as the destruction of wood.

Hay and stubble by the raging flames of a fire. The works that were not done to God's glory are destroyed and those works having the proper character passed through unharmed. But please note the verb use the fire is apocalyptic.

I this is a term of revelation. It does not mean to purify it does not mean to cleanse. It does not mean to purge. The object of the actions in this verse is always the works. The day will manifest the character of the works.

The fire will reveal the nature of the works and So we see in verses 14 and 15 if any man's work which he is built on it remains He will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up. He will suffer loss, but he himself be saved yet.

So as through fire The context continues unbroken note the repetition of the preceding concept of building on the foundation. If a man's work built upon the Foundation of Christ in the church remains in the presence of the judgment of God.

He receives a reward a misthoss. But in direct parallel if another workers labors are burned up. He will suffer loss. Now the opposite of the reception of reward is to suffer loss. The Greek term that Paul uses Zamiyahu Myers.

Zamiyahu is Translated by the vast majority of recognized translations as suffer loss and there is a reason for this. Despite the fact that you can render the term as punish its normative meaning. Especially the New Testament refers to experiencing the opposite of gain that is loss and often.

What is not gained is found in the immediate context. The words used for example in Philippians 3 8 Paul says more than that I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ My lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish that I may gain Christ.

Obviously, this does not mean Paul has been punished but has suffered the loss of all things. The same is true in Jesus used the term in Matthew 16 26. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul or what will a man gain?

Give an exchange for his soul in first Corinthians 3 15. The term is used in a context that provides a direct correlation to the term the one whose work remains Receives a reward. So the one whose work is burned up does not hence They suffer loss.

If you want to see further information on this You can see the theological dictionary the New Testament volume 2 page 8 8 8. We are reminded however that despite the seriousness of the loss of reward for the Christian worker We are still talking about those who have found salvation the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us that despite suffering loss. These are saved yet. So as through fire know that the text does not say that they are saved having been purified by fire they do so as one who has escaped from a fire in his house having lost all but saved his life as.

One commentary has expressed it quote the fire tests the work. Destroying what is of poor quality imperishable a wage will be paid only for good durable work. The man whose work will not endure the searching test of judgment will suffer a loss like one escaping from a burning house.

He will be saved but his work and his reward will be lost. This metaphor clearly teaches the responsibility of ministers the gospel who will be rewarded or punished for the manner in which they have fulfilled their ministry and quote.

I Know that the commentary I just read is the Roman Catholic Jerome Bible commentary. Which goes on to directly state that this text does not teach the doctrine purgatory. However, the doctrine can find quote support and quote in the text a far cry from the claim that this text clearly teaches purgatory.

So let's summarize first. The passage is about Christian workers not all the Christian faithful. Any wider application would only be secondary in nature. Secondly, the passage says nothing about the purification of individuals.

Works are tested in this passage. Rome teaches souls are purified from the temporal punishment of sins by suffering sada spasio and purgatory. But there is nothing about temporal punishments sada spasio or suffering of individuals for their sins.

Anywhere in this passage at all. All these are extraneous to the text itself. Further the insertion of the Roman concepts into the passage turns it on its head. Remember those with works of gold silver and precious stones that is Christian workers who had godly motivations appear in this passage.

Their works are subject to the same Testing as the others if this fire is at all relevant to purgatory and certainly historically that has been the understanding. Then are we to assume that even those with godly motives suffer?

Are there no Saints involved in building upon the foundation. Modern Roman Catholics have started to move away from the term fire. Though this was an arguably what attracted the attention of Rome the passage in the first place and Seek to focus more upon the suffering of all of a loss so that only the second group is seen as being relevant to purgatory.

Of course, this is made possible by the constant repetition of the assertion. Rome has never officially declared the meaning of this passage nor that there is fire in purgatory nor that purgatory is a place.

No that we experienced time in purgatory. Etc, etc, etc. The fact that one can go into history and determine with great clarity What was taught and believed only a few centuries ago does not seem to matter in this case.

Anyway, the text simply will not bear the weight that is placed upon it by Roman tradition. Paul knew nothing of purgatory. Instead this same author the Apostle Paul informs us of the real and only source of purification and cleansing for the Christian.

The same writer who wrote the words of first Corinthians chapter 3 also wrote these words to Titus in chapter 2 verse 14 Speaking of Jesus Christ It says who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for himself a people for his own possession Zealous for good deeds.

So who is it that does the purification? Is this something that we somehow Contribute to through our experience of sada spacio in purgatory. Or is it something that Jesus Christ does not simply for the alleged eternal sins?

But instead as it says in the text for every lawless deed. Even if one accepts the unbiblical distinction, and I believe we looked at first John 5 we would see that it's a unbiblical Distinction is made there even Roman Catholic exegetes recognize that John is talking there about apostasy.

Not some kind of class of eternal sins mortal sins versus venial sins. But even if one were to accept that the assertion of the Apostle Paul is that Christ gave himself to redeem us from every Lawless deed and to purify for himself a people of his own possession either his death can purify us and make us ready for our entrance into the very presence of the Father or He cannot the addition of anything to that.

Is I think one of the key issues in regards to the gospel as it is taught by the Bible and by the Roman Catholic Church, and so as we look at this text, these are the issues that we need to be focusing upon.

Even if we could find places as we can in the Bible where the term fire is used of purification is that how it's being used here or Do we not have certain verbs that are specifically used by the Apostle Paul that have certain meanings can mr Staples provide us with lexical sources that tell us that here in first Corinthians 3 remember any word is defined by its context any word has a semantic domain and Then when you use the word you place it in a particular context and that determines the meaning of the word.

Can we find lexical sources that say that the verbs found in this text actually refer to? Purification when mr. Staples gave his interpretation of this text in the Catholic answers published CDs God's perfect plan purgatory and indulgences explained in the fifth CD when he went through first Corinthians chapter 3 very closely.

Eight times he used purified. Purification or purging eight times the question will be is that found anywhere in first Corinthians chapter 3? That is really where the debate needs to focus. I believe today so I'm going to wrap up and it almost exact same time period that Tim did with about 30 seconds left to go there and Let folks know you're listening to a debate on the dividing line between James White and Tim Staples.

We're finished with the opening statements and now Tim will have eight minutes For a response and then I'll have eight minutes after that. So sir your time begins.

Okay a lot to choose from here, but I find it odd how You as well as other Protestants that I read separate so radically the works from the person and Granted in verses for if any man's work abides, which he's built He will receive reward.

If any man's work shall be burned. No doubt. There is an emphasis on the works. However It's not quite as mr White is making it sound because it's not only the works that go through the fire of the judgment.

But he himself there are no works floating around separately from someone. This betrays a very poor understanding of the human person. But most importantly it contradicts the scripture because the scripture says he himself shall be saved yet.

So as by fire, so he goes through the fire not just the works. I also noticed a critique of me before and now know where to be found. He says well again I say this is not difficult. But perhaps with this are wimpy modern Sentimental view of Jesus and popular Christian culture is a fluffy little guy who would never cause anyone pain.

We need to point out what Jesus himself says in Revelation 3 19 referencing back to Proverbs 3 12. In fact, I'll start at verse 11. My son do not despise the Lord's discipline or be wary of his reproof for the Lord reproves him whom he loves as a father the son in whom he delights in Revelation 3 18 Jesus himself says I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire.

There again, we have the image of Jesus as the the refiner and the refining fire in verse 19. Those whom I love I rebuke and I chase and he who overcomes verse 21 says I will grant him descent with me on my throne.

I think it's important that we understand that we see this theme of A purifying fire throughout sacred scripture. St. Paul is not speaking in a vacuum or writing in a vacuum here. For example, and we also see clear text of Scripture that talk about how we are made holy through the discipline of the Lord.

First Peter 1 6 and 7 says in this you rejoice though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials. So that the genuineness of your faith more precious than gold. Which though perishable is tested by fire may read down to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ revelation being Apocalypse a there or a Hebrews chapter of our being made holy.

Our earthly father's disciplined us for a short time and at their pleasure. But he disciplines us for our good in order that we may share his holiness very important. In order that we may share in his holiness for the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant.

But later it yields the peaceful or peaceable fruit of righteousness because soon a Justification to those who have been trained by it. Verse 12 strive for peace with all men and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

The text of Scripture are many and and varied first Peter 3 12. But do not be surprised that the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you as though something strange were happening. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed or st Paul himself in Romans 8 17 says we must quote suffer with him in Order that we may be glorified together with him.

I would argue that this those with these Imperfection, but thanks be to God. These in first Corinthians 3 will be saved as the text says because of the nature of these imperfections though. They keep them from final salvation and that's important.

This is obvious from verse 15, which says they will be saved yet. So as to fight from The beatific vision church means by temporal punishment. These punishments are not eternal. They're temporary. Now, what about the problem specifically with sin being?

Mentioned here by the church. James you claim that this text has nothing to do with sin. What is it that keeps us from full communion or as my Baptist friends will say fellowship with God? It's a sin.

Psalm 66 18 and a whole host of biblical texts. We could cite tell us sin separate us from God and not only sin. But any defects or impurity caused by sin such as bad habits attachment to sin. That's right.

There will be none of this in heaven. These keep us from God and this is precisely what we see in first Corinthians 3 the souls mentioned that suffer loss a Stubble and I would argue on their souls because you cannot separate as mr. White has done works from people.

These are imperfection that must be clean for whatever you want to say. They must be removed. Why according to the text in verse 15 if any man's work is burned he will suffer loss. Though he himself will be saved yet.