Works Tried by Fire

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." — 1 Corinthians 3:13

The Day That Is Coming

The day of judgment approaches, and the works of every child of God will be tested.

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 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." (1 Corinthians 3:13–15)

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Note carefully: this is not about salvation. He himself shall be saved. This is about what a saved person's life amounted to.

The Same Fire, Two Occasions

Here is the connection that makes this section cohere.

The fire that tries our works on that day is the same fire that Jesus baptizes with now.

Which produces a simple and enormously practical conclusion:

How much better to be baptized with fire while here on earth than to wait until the judgment seat of Christ.

What is burned now can be repented of, replaced, and rebuilt. What is burned then is simply lost.

What a tragedy it would be to reach heaven and discover that all of our works are worthless in God's sight.

What Turns Gold Into Ashes

This is the part that should sober every servant.

No matter how wonderful our works appear, if they are done with even a drop of self-gain in our hearts, they will be ashes before the Lord.

Not most of the motive. A drop.

That is a devastating standard, and it is why the previous lessons on motive matter so much. The issue is never the size of the work. It is what was in the worker.

A vast ministry built on a desire to be seen burns. A cup of cold water given in Christ's name, with nothing wanted in return, stands.

Salt That Keeps Its Savor

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." (Matthew 5:13)

How does salt keep its savor?

"For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it?" (Mark 9:49–50)

We become the salt of the earth as we are first baptized with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Fire first. Then savor.

Point to Ponder

What is burned now can be rebuilt. What is burned then is simply lost.

Verse to Remember

"The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." — 1 Corinthians 3:13

Question to Consider

If everything I have done for God were put through fire today, how much would still be standing?

Today's Practice

Do the audit now, while there is still time to change the answer.

List the significant things you have done for God — service, giving, ministry, hospitality, leading, teaching, sacrifice.

Beside each one, write the honest motive. Not the stated motive. The actual one.

Use these categories:

  • Gold — done purely for Him, with nothing wanted in return, unknown to anyone.
  • Mixed — genuinely for Him, and also because it was seen, appreciated, or good for my standing.
  • Wood — done chiefly for recognition, obligation, guilt, or position.

Be ruthless. Most honest people find very little in the first column.

Then bring the second and third columns to God:

"Father, I have built with wood. I would rather it burned now, while I can still rebuild, than at Your judgment seat. Burn it. Purify my motives. And let me build with something that lasts from here on."

Prayer

Father, one day everything I have done will be tried by fire, and I will watch it happen.

I would rather find out now.

Try my works today. Show me what is gold and what is wood — and I already suspect the proportions are not what I would have claimed.

So much of what I have done for You had something in it for me. A little recognition. A better standing. The satisfaction of being the one who helped. A drop of self-gain in every good thing.

Burn it now, while I can still rebuild. I would rather suffer that loss today than on that day.

Salt me with fire so that I do not lose my savor. And let me build the rest of my life with something that will still be standing when the fire has passed.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Not most of the motive. A drop of self-gain, and it is ashes.