What would you say if you worked all week on a project, and the boss or owner of the company came by and threw your project away? How would you feel if the Mortgage Company came and had your house demolished after you had just made your last payment?
You are a painter. What if after you painted a house for a homeowner, the owner saw your work and comes to you and said that he was going to have the paint removed? He decides he will not pay you for your work because he is not happy with your work. This would be really frustrating to you, right?
What if we reverse things and place you in charge of the company. You are now the owner or boss, the head person of the company. All work and projects are now subject to your approval. Everything must come up to your standard.
You just had a concrete driveway put in and before the concrete dried good it began to crack and chip. Now would you go ahead and pay the workers, for the work done? I don’t think so.
What if you contracted an electrician to wire a room in your house? When he was suppose to be finished, you walk over and turn on the switch and sparks flew everywhere. The wiring in the room did not work. Are you still going to pay that electrician for the work you hired them? I think not.
You know how frustrating it is when people do a job for you that is half-done and sloppy. The people doing the work act like you ought to be happy they did something. Well, that is the same way God will respond to us.
All Christians that live a life full of sin will not have a reward from God. You would not be impressed with that kind of work done for you and neither is God. He wants us to do our work (how you live) in such a way that is pleasing to him.
In 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, there are six items. Three are not effected by fire and three will be completely burned up by it. The gold, silver, and precious stones when tested by fire will remain and be purer because of it. The wood, hay, and straw (stubble) will be burned completely away.
The six items are a believer’s work. Three are of the good quality and three of poor quality. Verse 13-15 says each one’s work will become clear. For the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one’s work and what sort it is.
If any ones work which he has built on endures, he will receive a reward. If any one work is burned, he will suffer loss but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
So how you live determines your reward from God. Our lives are a test of our motives and sincerity to God. Testing of our lives for quality by the fire will reveal if we get a reward or we get nothing.
Those that have lives that consist of wood, hay, or straw will go up in flames. They will suffer a loss, (1 Cor. 3:15). Living their entire life will be like working and not getting anything; no reward or no pay for their lives, which is their job or project. Sound pretty bad, right? Well it is.
Just think about your attitude. To think that living for God is not important is to live a life made of wood, hay, and straw. If you would not reward a half done job or poor quality work, how much more do you think God would?
To live a life without anything to give Christ on judgment day is to suffer a great loss. Are you living to give him the fruit that your life produces? Are you fruitless? Christian service that has no lasting value is like junk food.
Junk food has very little nutritional value. It may look good and taste good. But when melted down for digesting purposes there is nothing but grease, fat, and sugar. Most people spiritual lives consist of these harmful things.
To make sure you are able to live for God you must be born again. You can never live to please God in a unsaved, unrepentant condition. You cannot go to heaven, except you have been born again. You must be born again, (St. John 3:8).
How do you become born again you might ask? Well, first pray:
“Lord, I know that I am a sinner. I believe your Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me of my sins and make me a new person. Come into my heart and save me from your wrath and eternal hell.”
Now if you prayed this prayer and it reflects the desires of your heart you now belong to Christ. Please let us know here at EDIFY Community Fellowship by contacting us. The information of how to contact us is at the end of the article.
Spiritual birth must happen to every Christian. If there is no spiritual birth there will not be a life to be lived for God. Everyone alive and dead has had a natural birth. The question is have you had a spiritual birth? Examine yourself to be sure you have had a spiritual birth?
Everyone that dies experiences an eternal birth, either a birth into eternal heaven or a birth into eternal hell. The natural birth, the spiritual birth, and the eternal birth will be experienced. Everyone will experience at least two of the births natural and eternal. Everyone that is born again will experience all three births.
Understanding your spiritual birth helps you to understand who you are and how you are to live. If you don’t know who you are you cannot know where you are going. You will not know who to live for and why?
Like the young lady that was complaining about her future husband spending to much money on her during their dates. She asked her mother what she could do to stop him from spending so much? Her mother answered, “Marry Him.”
Every Christian must regularly use A.F.C. Admit their Sin, Forsake that Sin, and Confess the Sin to God.(Prov. 28:13)
- Admit (Psalm 32:5)
- Forsake (Colossians 3:5,8,9)
- Confess (1 John 1:9)
Once you have admitted your sin and forsaken that sin, then confessed the sin to God. God wants you to go on to live for Him. Living for God is a Christian’s most important goal in life. Are you living for God? What will your reward be? Ask yourself do I deserve that pay I am about to get?
Reference:(1 Corinthians 3:12-15)