I Corinthians 3:12-15 - "The Day Will Declare It"

“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 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, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” Today we want to discuss especially the purpose of the Judgment Seat of Christ that will occur in heaven during the seven year tribulation on earth. Please take time to review these passages of Scripture about the Judgment Seat in Romans 14, I Corinthians 3, 2 Corinthians 5, and in Revelation 22:12, where John hears Jesus saying: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” The Judgment Seat of Christ is not a judgment for our sins but a judgment to reveal the quality and quantity of our stewardship that we as believers had in our service to the Lord while we were on earth. It is a reward judgment! On that Day everyone’s work “will be declared” or make manifest as to what sort or type it was. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) It will be put to the test of God’s holy fire in His presence. This passage then says that if that specific work “endures” the test then you will be rewarded for it. What does this mean? We need to remember what Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  I believe this judgement will reveal your motive behind the work that you thought you were doing for the Lord. It is possible that I taught a Sunday School lesson just because I was expected to do it. Or I gave money to the church or missions because I would feel guilty if I didn’t do it. Or I witnessed to a person simply because I felt sorry for them. And I also did much of the above out of my past experience, or out of my pride in wanting others to see how good I was, or without any dependency on the Holy Spirit to fill me, anoint me and to guide me. I might have served faithfully over a long period of time but again only out of a feeling of obligation. I believe many of us serve the Lord to do “religious compensation”. This means because I was such a mess before I became a follower of Christ that I am now trying to make up for all the bad things that I did in the past with my present acts of service or giving. So, every message I preached, every lesson I taught, every witness I shared, every penny I gave, every mission trip I went on, every song I sang, every act of service I performed will be judged on that Day! It will be revealed if I was depending on the Holy Spirit to fill me, lead me, empower and energize me. If I was simply the “branch” abiding in Christ and it really was Christ in me performing the good work! (Philippians 1:6; 2:13) All of our works for God should be done to glorify the Lord Jesus and done in the power and energy of His Holy Spirit. If that was our motive we will receive a reward!  We might impress people and fool them but we will not fool God! Remember, “The Day will declare it”! God bless!