Gold, silver, precious stones vs. wood, hay, straw: quality of ministry, not purity of the person

The six materials represent quality of ministry (not the minister's moral character). Gold/silver/precious stones = durable, Christ-honoring ministry built on truth. Wood/hay/straw (or stubble) = ministry built on crowd appeal, pragmatism, or things not rooted in Christ. The fire tests the quality of what was built, not the character of the builder.