1 Corinthians 3:12-15
"Now if someone else builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – each one’s work will become manifest, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."
Imagine for a moment that you are charged with building a temple for the Lord, and you have endless resources. If you could build with any material you want, would you want to build with straw hay or wood? No. You would want to use the best materials that you could find, like precious stones, silver and gold. Every Christian’s life is the same as the builder in this passage of scripture. God has charged us with building for Him a temple, and has given us endless resources with which to make it. If we have all the tools and materials we need, why would we ever settle for building with anything less than gold for our great and awesome God?
The apostle Paul tells us here, that in the end, all of our works will be tested; they will be put to the fire. If we use our lives building with wood, hay and straw, all of that work will be burnt up in the end, it will be meaningless. All our toils, all our efforts that are built of the lower materials will be consumed, forgotten and rendered without value, and for them we shall receive no reward. The wood, hay and straw in this passage are not referring to things which are evil; wood, hay and straw are all good, but they are worthless, they are not things for which one will obtain a crown or a prize. So then, if this verse isn’t speaking of our sinful actions then we must infer that we are not only to keep ourselves severed from evil actions, but also anything less than gold, for in the end, all our works will be tested and we shall gain reward only for that with is of value.
We must then be sure that we are building with the best materials for our God. Working hard and diligently to serve Him with all our hearts, and offering to Him pure and faithful worship. This kind of worship and work is that of which Paul speaks in this passage. That kind of worship and work is that of which God wants us to do. Therefore let us focus ourselves and fix our eyes on the cross, building with gold, silver and precious stones, lest we find in the end that our work was in vain, and consumed in the testing fire.
"Now if someone else builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – each one’s work will become manifest, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."
Imagine for a moment that you are charged with building a temple for the Lord, and you have endless resources. If you could build with any material you want, would you want to build with straw hay or wood? No. You would want to use the best materials that you could find, like precious stones, silver and gold. Every Christian’s life is the same as the builder in this passage of scripture. God has charged us with building for Him a temple, and has given us endless resources with which to make it. If we have all the tools and materials we need, why would we ever settle for building with anything less than gold for our great and awesome God?
The apostle Paul tells us here, that in the end, all of our works will be tested; they will be put to the fire. If we use our lives building with wood, hay and straw, all of that work will be burnt up in the end, it will be meaningless. All our toils, all our efforts that are built of the lower materials will be consumed, forgotten and rendered without value, and for them we shall receive no reward. The wood, hay and straw in this passage are not referring to things which are evil; wood, hay and straw are all good, but they are worthless, they are not things for which one will obtain a crown or a prize. So then, if this verse isn’t speaking of our sinful actions then we must infer that we are not only to keep ourselves severed from evil actions, but also anything less than gold, for in the end, all our works will be tested and we shall gain reward only for that with is of value.
We must then be sure that we are building with the best materials for our God. Working hard and diligently to serve Him with all our hearts, and offering to Him pure and faithful worship. This kind of worship and work is that of which Paul speaks in this passage. That kind of worship and work is that of which God wants us to do. Therefore let us focus ourselves and fix our eyes on the cross, building with gold, silver and precious stones, lest we find in the end that our work was in vain, and consumed in the testing fire.