1 Corinthians 3:10-15

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. ¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. ¹⁴ If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵ If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Allen Redpath once told the story of his call to full-time Christian service. He was a very successful businessman at the time and, at first, he resisted the call of God. However, six words kept ringing through his soul: “A saved soul, a lost life! A saved soul, a lost life!” He could not get away from those words and we should not be able to either. The Bible teaches that our salvation is secure the very moment that we believe in Christ. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

For the believer, salvation is settled by faith in Christ. What about all of this talk in Scripture about a coming judgment for believers? The Apostle Paul makes it clear, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). There is coming a day when you and I will have to stand before our Savior and give an account of our lives. Likewise in Romans 14:10 he wrote, “for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, the Apostle Paul addresses the nature of that judgment. It is clear that believers will not be judged, or condemned for their sins. Jesus promised in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Romans 8:1 makes the promise that, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” This is because Jesus already paid the price for our sins and took the wrath of God and our punishment in our place. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

This coming judgment will be one that will serve several purposes. First, it is so that “Every man’s work might be made manifest.” This means it is to reveal what types of works we engaged in as a believer while we are alive or “in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Second, it determines what “sort” or quality of works we have engaged in as a Christian. Lastly, it determines “reward.” This judgment serves the purpose of Christ rewarding His followers for faithful and pure service to Him. Some of the things we have done in Jesus’ name will be burned up as wood, hay, or stubble because they were wrong or done with the wrong motives. Some of the things we have done will remain as gold, silver, and precious metals because they were done correctly, faithfully, and with the right motives. There will be no pretense or pretending on that day. Jesus’ radiant eyes will examine our works, our hearts, and our lives.

The goal of every Christian is not to enter heaven with a large sum of rewards that we can brag about one day. In fact, all of the crowns we will receive we will have to cast back at His feet because ultimately it all came from His grace and His work in our lives (Revelation 4:10). Instead, the goal is to stand before Him and hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Unfortunately, some will stand their one day, having received salvation, but then selfishly doing nearly everything in the flesh for their own honor and gratification. Paul says they will still be “saved; yet so as by fire.” They will hear the words echo from Allen Redpath, “A saved soul; a lost life!” Don’t waste your life. Surrender all to Jesus now, live your life faithfully for Him and strive to one day hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”