We are continuing our meditation from yesterday about how to prepare ourselves for life after death. The Scriptures reveal that each of us that belong to Christ is building something with our lives and that there will be a reward when Christ comes. Paul the apostle, wrote:
10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
In verse 10, Paul reminds us to build with care. All labor in the Kingdom of God is built on the foundation of an intimate relationship with Christ. This intimacy is typified with the gold, silver, and costly stones, materials that survive a fire. All other good works are wood, hay, and stubble, materials that are consumed in the fire of judgment. The quality of the building materials depends on the motives of the deeds done. Some things are significant about this judgment, the first being that before Christ, our work will be shown for what it is (v. 13), every motive and every act will be brought out into the open. This thought is revealed elsewhere too:
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open (Luke 8:17).
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:13).
Author John Bevere writes:
"Many have the erroneous idea that all future judgment is eradicated by their salvation. Indeed, Jesus' blood cleanses us from the sins that would have kept us from the kingdom. However, it does not exempt us from the judgment of how we conducted ourselves as believers, whether good or bad."[1]
At last, all will be made known and uncovered, and we will find out the great mysteries of this life. Nothing will be hidden. We shouldn't take this just in the negative, for many acts of kindness will be revealed that has been done in secret before men, but God has seen the desire and motive and will reward openly. There will be those whose work had no notoriety, but they have been laboring quietly in the backwaters of some jungle to reach whole villages off the map. Their labor of love is found pleasing to our God. Some of you have given generously and sacrificially to care for the poor and have done it to God alone, in that you have kept it a secret from men. “…your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:18).
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward (Matthew 10:42).
The Lord sees everything we have ever done for Him, and nothing escapes His attention. The day will come when we will gain our inheritance given us in Christ before time began. What a day that will be. Keep on, Christian! Your reward is waiting for you! Keith Thomas
Taken from the series Insights into Eternity. Click on the study Preparing for Death..
[1] John Bevere, Driven by Eternity, Warner Faith Publishers, Page 186.