Put Through The Fire

Put Through The Fire

Anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames. –1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Buried in the rubble of the World Trade Center after the September 11 attack was a vault filled with silver, gold, platinum, and palladium estimated to be worth at least 230 million dollars. But while officials were concerned about theft in the aftermath of the tragedy, they knew the gold and silver would have survived the incinerating fire of the attack. Gold, silver, and precious stones are quality materials that are not destroyed by fire.

When we serve out of love for God, Scripture likens that service to gold and silver. Likewise, shallow activities devoid of eternal value (though not necessarily evil) are compared to wood, hay, and straw, which are consumed by flames. A day is coming when each of us will give an account of what we did while we were alive on earth. The fire will test and reveal not only what we did, but also why we did it. If our works survive the fire because they are empowered by God and done to the glory of God, then we will be rewarded. If our works are consumed because they were done for our own selfish reasons, then there will be no reward.

Your eternal future will not be in jeopardy on this day. Your salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith in Jesus. You cannot earn or deserve it. But rewards are different. Rewards will be given according to our works. “See, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds,” Jesus promises in Revelation 22:12. This is a day to anticipate, not to dread. The day of the fire will be a day of celebration, not disappointment or shame. As my college Bible professor Jim Walters once explained to me, “Everyone’s cup will be filled to overflow, but we will have different sized cups.” We will not experience the pain of regret, only the joy of reward. And we will be fully satisfied.

Righteous Judge, what a joy it will be to receive your reward! Show me how my heart needs to change so I will do what is pleasing to you in a way that is pleasing to you.

DIGGING DEEPER