>>What is your interpretation?<<
The passage we were talking about is 1 Cor. 3. that passage is talking about the ministers.
[1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.]
Verse 1 sets up the passage. Paul is saying he is talking to them as new Christians who don’t understand the deeper meanings but are still thinking carnally. He goes on to say that they have carnal strife within the Church. He laid the foundation of belief.
[4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?]
Here in verse 4 he begins to explain what he means. The people are still claiming they are followers of the ministers who have been working among them. He goes on to say that he (Paul) was the one who first introduced them to Christianity and Apollos came later and (watered) or continued what he had started.
[7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.]
In verse 7 he explains that it’s not he nor Apollos that is important or who they should follow but it is God.
[8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.]
Verse eight is perhaps the key to understanding the passage. Here again he is talking about himself and Apollos as ministers and their labour among the Church and Corinth.
[9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.]
In verse 9 he begins to explain that he and Apollos are labourers together and the building that is being built belongs to God.
[10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.]
Here again, in verse 10 you can see he (Paul) is the masterbuilder that laid the foundation and others (ministers) are coming after and need to “take heed” on how they build upon the foundation that he has laid. They need to build with sound Godly truth.
[13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.]
In verse 13 you can see that he is still talking about the ministers (builders) who have been teaching the people in Corinth. He gave them a good foundation to build on but if the ministers who follow him do not teach the same truthful precepts of God the will not last but will be “revealed by fire”. In other words when things come against the people such as nay sayers etc. if the things taught by the ministers that follow him are not build on those same truthful Godly prinicipals they will not last. Also if the people aren’t firm in there belief the weakness of their faith will not last.
The rest of the chapter goes on to explain that if they don’t teach and learn about the Spiritual things they will remain in a carnal state. The things we do in a carnal state will not last. (things like money, the things of this world etc.) But as we grow in the Spirit, more of what we think about and do is because of the leading of the Spirit of God and will last.
The passage is not saying anything about purification after death but about what will be lost at death. The carnal things that have been left will not last but the spiritual things we did (witnessing to others, helping the poor etc.) will last long after we are gone.
[14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.]
Verse 14 tells us that we will be rewarded in heaven for works on earth that were built on Godly principles. Paul called the gold, silver, etc. that had already been tried by fire. They are pure, not something that can easily be destroyed.
Verse eight is perhaps the key to understanding the passage. Here again he is talking about himself and Apollos as ministers and their labour among the Church and Corinth.
St. Paul does speak of "every man" repeatedly in the passage. So, no, the passage in question, starting at verse 9, where people are likened to buildings is directed at all of us, not only the clergy, even though previously St. Paul was talking of himself and Apollo. He says: "let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon" (v. 10).
The passage is not saying anything about purification after death but about what will be lost at death
When inferior things are removed from something, for example, from a building, that is purification. Did you ever clean anything?
The passage indeed speaks of events that happen at death of an individual who has a foundation of faith, yet has allowed impurities of carnal nature in his life. Those impurities will be lost before he enters heaven. The passage does not say anything about the duration of this process that is likened to the burning building. The metaphor of a house on fire does suggest some limited duration, but it is possible to think of the Purgatory as an instant event accompanying some deaths.