ALL WILL GO THROUGH FIRE Paul says that the FOUNDATION IS JESUS CHRIST. I want to share with you today this passage from the words of Paul in the book of 1 Corinthians 3.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on ((( IT ))) endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, YET SO AS THROUGH FIRE.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone DEFILES the temple of God, God will ((( DESTROY ))) him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Dear brothers and sisters, each one of us Christians will have to go through fire and that is ALONG WITH OUR WORKS. The apostle Paul says that any work we do, whether it is ministry, witnessing, preaching, teaching, helping the poor, evangelizing, any missionary work will have to GO THROUGH FIRE to be tested. If that work is BURNED UP by the fire and DOES NOT ENDURE the fire of judgment, we will SUFFER LOSS. There will be NO REWARD for that work, It will be COMPLETELY and UTTERLY USELESS.
In order for a work to endure, it has to be BUILT ON JESUS and that means ON HIS WORDS, ON HIS ESSENCE, ON HIS TEACHINGS. If the works we are doing are NOT BUILT ON JESUS, if they are not with the TRUE INTENTION of bringing lost sheep TO CHRIST, saving people and putting their hands in the hand of Jesus Christ, these works will be BURNED UP.
Now something interesting is that Paul switches focus from the work to the man himself. He says that even if the works suffer loss, we can STILL BE SAVED but ONLY AS THROUGH FIRE. What does that mean? That means that even if some works we accomplished for Him did NOT SURVIVE THE TEST OF FIRE, we ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT FIRE to show what WE are made from. Are we genuine, are we TRULY followers of Christ, were we TRUE disciples of Jesus, were we living in OBEDIENCE, were we GENUINELY REPENTANT?
Paul says that we will have to pass through that fire to be saved with our works. EVERYTHING will have to go through that FIRE of judgment when we stand before Jesus Christ.
Notice also the warning that comes later in verse 16:
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone DEFILES the temple of God, God will ((( DESTROY ))) him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Paul is speaking to BELIEVERS WHO HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD. He is saying that we are THE TEMPLE of the Spirit and he says that if we DEFILE that temple, if we desecrate it with sin, we would be in reality DESTROYING the temple of God, that temple that He purchased with the blood of His Own Son. And that means GOD WILL ((((((( DESTROY ))))))) us.
That says something to us about that "Once Saved Always Saved" doctrine. How clearer can it be dear friends?
Today brothers we have to be serious about our walk with the Lord. In everything we do, our intention will be revealed on that day where God will REVEAL THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF MEN. Our works will be manifested, what was the intention behind these works? Was it to bring glory to ourselves? or was it to bring glory to God and Jesus Christ?
Also we will have to go through that fire ourselves. OUR WHOLE BEING and OUR THOUGHTS will go THROUGH THAT FIRE. If we were living in sin, if we were not justified, if we were not TRUE disciples and followers of Jesus, FOUNDED ON HIM AND HIS WORDS, we will BE BURNED UP, WE WILL NOT BE SAVED.
Make no mistake dear friends, today there are many deceivers out there, many preachers, teachers, brothers who claim the Lord with their works. They do a lot of missionary work, they think they can buy God with their works BUT many of these works will NOT BE ABLE TO STAND THE FIRE. WHY? It is because these works were NOT BUILD ON JESUS and HIS WORDS. These works were not GEARED TOWARD BRING LOST SOULS TO JESUS CHRIST.
This is what God wants us to be busy with, TO SNATCH PEOPLE from the fire and BRING THEM to JESUS CHRIST. His commission NEVER CHANGED. It is not about how spiritual WE are. It is not about how much we DO for Him. It is about BRINGING LOST SHEEP TO HIS FOLD, SAVING THEM. That is IF we TRULY CARE.
May God bless you
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