1 Corinthians 3:14-16
Ps Paul Cheng
Dear Bethelites,
While it is not wrong to evaluate one’s ministry, one needs to evaluate it biblically by following certain guidelines, and one needs to consider that ultimately God is the One who will evaluate our work. If God were to evaluate our work, there will be a reward rendered to those who are faithful.
III. The Reward
1 Corinthians 3:14-15, 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.
It will not be a time of punishment but reward; works that passed the test would be rewarded. The question is, “What kind of labour is one rendering? What kind of materials is one using?” In other words, one’s motives, intentions, conduct and services will be taken into consideration.
The phrase he shall suffer loss is not a reference to his salvation. If he is a true believer, he will not be lost (c.f. Romans 8:1). It is a reference to his reward which means he shall not suffer the loss of his rewards. One can be saved from condemnation, but his rewards may be lost!
When a person is building with the wrong materials, his labours are all corrupted, and when tested by fire, his works shall be burned. The phrase But he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire, has the idea of someone running through the flames without being burned but has the smell of smoke on him, barely escaping. For some believers, at the Bema Seat of Christ (the day of rewards), all their works may be burned away but their salvation will not be forfeited.
Dear friend, that is a sad reality, don’t you think? For all the things one has done to go up in a smoke (so to speak), that is most pathetic!
What are the rewards? The New Testament describes the believer’s rewards as crowns - different kinds of incorruptible crowns, meaning they would remain with us forever and ever.
(1) The crown of righteousness - For those who have true saving faith (2 Timothy 4:8).
(2) The crown of rejoicing - For those who have faithfully declared the truth (1 Thessalonians 2:19).ministry and so forth.
(3) The crown of glory - For those pastors and leaders who have watched the flock faithfully (1 Peter 5:4)
(4) The crown of life - For those who have endured trials and temptations (James 1:12)
What kind of crown/s do you think you will receive? When God evaluates your works according to your services, and the motivations behind your services, will your works withstand the fire, and will you receive the reward?
It is easy to fool oneself into thinking that anything one does in the Lord’s name will be accepted by Him, simply because he is sincere, or hardworking, or successful in the ministry. What looks like gold to one, may turn out to be stubble. Thus, it is vital that one must use his “materials” according to the standards of God’s Word. Are his services and motivations self-glorifying or God honouring?
Finally, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
True believers are God’s children, and they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit - the temple of God. As a living temple, the believer cannot help it but to glorify God through the wonder working of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will empower and cause the believer to press on and persevere because the Lord is coming to reward His own.
It is not easy to be a builder, at whichever level of the building process, because there will always be oppositions. There will always be people who are against the work of the ministry, and they will judge your work according to their own evaluation and then they will persecute, slander and falsely accuse you. But the comforting thing is that God knows everything you are going through, and He said in 1 Corinthians 3:17, If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
The one who tries to defile the believer, is obviously an unbeliever, because God shall destroy him. Whether they attack you from within or without the church, these people will ultimately be destroyed because God guards His children zealously. As His children, you are the temple of God and you are holy in His sight, and that is what you are!
In Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng