Steven A. Bush - August 11, 2024
Truth & Consequences
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says: "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (ESV) So what are gold, silver, and precious stones, wood, hay, and straw? What do these materials represent? In the narrowest sense they represent the teachings of sound vs errant doctrine, God's truth vs falsehoods. In a broader sense they represent all of our life's production as believers, both in word and deed. As Christians, we dare not look past the cross as we ruminate on Paul's words—instead we look to it and through it. Our salvation, pure and simple, is not earned--this we know. But it is certainly to be evidenced in our words and deeds. If our salvation is beyond epic, and it truly is, then the fruitfulness of such epicness should manifest accordingly. The Day will eventually come when the works of our faith are fully exposed and assessed by our Lord...
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 3:10-17, Matthew 7:24-27, Romans 14:11-12, 2 Corinthians 5:10, James 3:1