The value of your work ~ 1 Corinthians 3.10-16

“The value of your work”
Early this morning I was walking down a side street to get to prayer meeting, and I noticed something I had never seen. Larger than life was a huge vacant lot, more or less obscured by a city-constructed fence. I had walked by it many times, but this morning I saw it. I kept looking to surmise what might have been there once, and also mused about why it is no longer there, and why this huge piece of real estate sits neglected and unused. I could see painted parking lines, which had accommodated quite a few cars, and most importantly, a bare foundation to what had been a large building.

People trying to do any construction in our town always complain about our building department, but I’m hear to tell you that whatever they require in terms of foundations, well—they must have it right. Paul was the “foundation” man for the birth of Christianity---he was the set-up man, and then people came along behind him to build upon the foundation he had laid. Hmmm . . . hear now his thoughts on that:

According to the grace of God that was given to me, I laid the foundation like a skilled master-builder, but another builds upon it. Let each see to it how he builds upon it; for no one can lay any other foundation beside that which is already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds upon that foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, straw, stubble, it will become quite clear what each man’s work is. The day will show it because it is going to be revealed by fire, and the fire itself will test what kind of work each man’s work is. If the work which any man erected upon that foundation remains, he will receive a reward. If the work of any man will be burned up, he will lose it all. But he himself will be saved, though it be like one who has passed through fire. 1 Corinthians 3.10-16

While Paul spent about 18 months building the foundation for the Corinthian believers, in most places, he did not stay that long. That meant his work had to be solid from the ‘get go’. Christian foundations, rightly laid, last into eternity. Now I’m not talking about even the foundations of church history or church traditions, church councils or leaders, humanism, sentimentality, good works, etc., as valuable as some of those are. What lasts is the foundation built on Jesus Christ—the One born, crucified, resurrected, at the right hand of the Father, and coming again for his own. (‘feels like there should be an exclamation point there…!)

Paul said, “It will become quite clear what each man’s work is. The day will show it because it is going to be revealed by fire, and the fire itself will test what kind of work each man’s work is.” Sometimes, the quality of what is erected on a foundation is not immediately discernible, but becomes more evident when ‘fire’ breaks out, like for instance maybe in Haiti. And in our own lives.

This really is one of the most striking passages in the NewTestament on judgment because it is clear that one day God will judge the content of our lives. Later, Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”1 Then it will all be so clear, though now we see through a glass dimly . . . (‘seems like we often see through the bottom of the glass!)

The refiner’s fire burns away the impurities and the dross, that which has no value. This passage of Paul’s is a great one to stop and take stock:
¨What am I doing that matters for eternity, that will last?
¨What am I doing to bless the heart of God?
One day what we have built will be seen for what it is—human wisdom or divine. If it was human wisdom, it will be clear it is folly; if we have built well, we will have a heavenly reward.

Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”2 Let’s be sure we are building with the solid, valuable, lasting elements symbolized by gold, silver and costly stones—treasures mined from God’s Word, and work for his kingdom.

I’ll never walk by that solid old foundation, and see it the same way again.
For eternity,
Christine

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1 2 Corinthians 5.10
2 Revelation 22.12