1 Corinthians 3:5-17
“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
Over the past few weeks, I have been teaching in the book of Ephesians at our church. Last week, we covered the first 12 verses of Ephesians 5. In that passage, Paul tells us that Christians who commit acts like fornication and coveting will not get an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. The word for inheritance has to do with the idea of being an heir. As such, one can be saved and sadly, still be involved in things that should not be.
As I was preparing for the lesson, the passage above came to my mind. Like you, I am waiting for the Lord. As I wait, I am trying to serve Him and honor Him as a dad, a pastor, a son, a friend, and a salesman. I often think of what that day at the judgment will be like for me. I wonder if you are thinking about that day? Those of us who believe in the imminent rapture of the saved have to be mindful that the journey home is just the beginning. We will have to face the judgment. How will that go for you and me?
In the passage in 1 Corinthians, there is a picture painted of one of the kinds of things that we have to offer and the things that will be judged that day. The test will be by fire, not a literal fire but a test for and of purity. Silver, gold and precious stones are made better or are not affected by fire. Wood, hay, and straw are all consumed by fire. The most important is that we have the right foundation.
Paul leads us up to the judgment by talking about the divisions there in the church at Corinth. These divisions are over the style of preaching. Some prefer Paul, other Apollos, but neither matter. What matters is on what foundation the ministries are built. All of us have preferences; we like one preaching style over another, but what matters from God’s perspective is not how we preach but WHY we preach. Are we preaching to gain followers? Are we preaching to become famous?
Lately, that seems to be the goal of many preachers to be famous. Are we preaching to fill the pews? Are we honoring the text? Are we preaching the full gospel? And, even if we are, is the message built on the foundation of honoring God and lifting Jesus up? Do you and I ever take credit for God’s victories? Did our preaching or style of teaching win someone to the Gospel? No, never. If anyone comes to salvation, it was God’s gospel, God’s word, God’s Holy Spirit that convicted, and it is God and He alone who saves. We are just vessels.
What about you? So, you are not a preacher; do not think it was just about preachers here in this text. This judgment is on anyone who is in Christ. How did you build your life? Did you live for the sole purpose of honoring God? Did you live a life that was given over to obeying and serving the Lord for the sake of that alone and out of sheer gratitude for all He did for you?
One day, not too long from now, we will be called home either by trumpet or death from here. Then, we will be judged and our ‘works’ held to the fire of God’s judgment. What then? Please be sure that this is not about salvation; no one works to be saved, Ephesians 2:8-9. But once we are saved, we are to be involved in ‘good works,’ Ephesians 2:10. These works must be built on the foundation of Jesus and all He did and is doing.
I am sure that day will not go well for all of us. In the text, we see that some will have their entire life’s work burned up and be saved ‘so as by fire.’ The mere fact that one is at this judgment is a good thing as far as eternity is concerned. This has made me think and check myself. Will I have some silver, gold, and precious stone, or will my works be burned up entirely? What about you? Have you thought about it?
We are all excited about the rapture, and rightly so, but are you ready to face the Master? How have you and I invested our talents? Will Jesus find a good return on His investment in us? Are you and I good and faithful servants or slothful servants? I go over all my failures, all my sins, all of my mess-ups, and I even begin to question the motives behind my apparent successes. What if the results were good but the foundation is wrong? You see, it is not just about the results. Even when we mess up, God’s goodness and His grace are even greater than our mess-ups.
Help me, Lord; please help us to be on the firm foundation of Jesus and Him crucified, and may our works bring Him the glory and the honor that He rightly deserves. One day we will see each other on the other side, maybe shuffling toward our judgments. What a day that will be.
God bless you,
Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church
Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church
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