I Corinthians 3:15

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (KJV)

Then: Even if everything the Corinthians had done since first coming to faith in Christ, looked more like wood, stubble, and hay than gold, silver or diamonds, they would be saved. Their work may not withstand the testing, but they will still have a place in God's heaven. Paul's doctrine, like that of James, teaches that salvation does not come through doing good works. Beardslee (p.31) concludes that acceptance does not equal or require achievement.

Now: Believers who take pride in self-reliance, independence and high quality work must consiciously balance and define their knowledge that all they do actually comes through the blessings of God. Their talents, circumstances, and relationships with the Lord allow for a success which can be shared with others. Achievement in heaven is measured by the fruits of Spirit shining forth in their lives. Jesus warned that the rich have a difficult time in entering heaven. Their priorities and temptations make it almost impossible to keep right priorities - God first - and maintain submissive humility to the Lord in heaven. Prayer, Bible study, and listening to Christian advisers helps them escape and abide.

Extra source: First Corinthians: a commentary for today by William A. Beardslee (St.Louis MO: Chalice Press, c1994) online at http://books.google.com/books?id=cKpy9maLuiQC&dq=Corinthians+commentary&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=ZdJnhnUolH&sig=xQvIGm41suvwCLZkF_tsYdCfnuc&hl=en&ei=b6koS5rODtLDlAfBgo2hDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCEQ6AEwCDhk#v=onepage&q=&f=false