Of What Sort It Is, Part 3

Today we conclude our series of meditations on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Recall that the passage deals with how God’s ministers build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Of what sort are their works? Are their works gold, silver, and precious stones that will abide the trial of fire? Or are they works of wood, hay, and stubble that will be burned?

Recall from the first meditation that we established that God is concerned with what sort or kind of work His ministers are building rather than with how much they are building. Now it is very interesting to notice that Paul describes the works by comparing them to substances like gold, silver, and precious stone, which abide the fire; and wood, hay, stubble, which do not abide the fire. However, there is something else very striking about this description. Wood, hay, and stubble are far more plentiful in nature than gold, silver, and precious stones. This would indicate, therefore, that there is a lot more of the wrong kind of building being done upon the foundation of Jesus Christ than of the right kind of building. Indeed, there are many works going on that claim to be founded upon Jesus Christ. And yet those works have no authorization from Jesus Christ in His word. Doesn’t it strike you as inconsistent to profess that a work is based on Jesus Christ that has no commandment from Jesus Christ to support it? As we showed last time, these works are wood, hay, and stubble. Again, there are many such works. In fact, there are more of these kinds of works than the works that are gold, silver, and precious stones. So we must not judge the value of a religious work by how much of it there is. As you consider the works being built by ministers upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, bear in mind that there is more of the wrong stuff being built than of the right stuff. And if you want your service to Jesus Christ to be of enduring value, be sure you have the authority of Jesus Christ for it. Make sure that you are doing His work, His way, for His reasons!

Lastly, note that the works that a minister builds upon the foundation of Jesus Christ have no bearing on his eternal salvation. If his works are burned up, “he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” But although he will himself be saved, his works will be destroyed and he shall suffer loss. Now if a minister truly loves the Lord Jesus Christ as he ought, he does not want his works in Christ’s name to be good for nothing but to be burned. He wants the things he does in service to Christ to be of lasting value. He wants his service to have an impact on generations to come, to be serviceable in the furtherance of God’s kingdom in this earth. He wants to hear the Lord say to him at the last, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” And if you, believer, desire your works to count, then be sure to check out your minister’s teaching and example by the word of God. Otherwise, you, too, shall suffer loss.

Today’s meditation is a short one. But, then, it is not how much I write that is of chief importance. Rather, it is of what sort it is.