Good Morning! We are nearing the end of our study of 1 Corinthians, having finished our study of the resurrection / rapture of the Church Age saints, the great mystery / secret delivered to Paul in awesome detail. Yesterday, we studied what happens after the Harpazo / rapture. We are immediately taken to the judgment seat of Christ to receive the reward of our labor, the work we did for Christ. This has nothing to do with salvation, because salvation is the gift of God’s grace through faith in the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are to build upon the foundation of Christ, that spiritual building using materials of eternal value. Everything we do from our salvation to our glorification will be judged through the lense of our motive and obedience.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15: 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. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
We saw in Colossians 3:12-25, that reward is promised for doing even the most common day to day things, as long as it is done with the right heart attitude, seeking to bring glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:17: And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
1 Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
It is my earnest desire that, through this study, we can fix our hearts on doing all things to the glory of God, and deposit the treasure of an obedient life in heaven, waiting for the Bema / rewards judgment to receive the reward of eternal value – the gold, silver, and precious stones, as opposed to the reward of serving out of selfish motive – the wood, hay, and stubble that will be burned away. Everyday we face that decision many times.