FAILING TO LAY UP TREASURE IN HEAVEN
In I Corinthians 3:11-15 we read about a serious subject for believers to consider.
When a Christian sins and gives that sin a place of shelter, fellowship with God is broken, salvation's joy is lost, chastisement is given an open invitation and loss of reward is inevitable.
Out of fellowship means out of service, and out of service means that one is failing to lay up treasure in heaven. At that point, one is building with "wood, hay and stubble" which cannot endure the test of the Rewarding Day.
The Holy Spirit assures us that a foundation has already been laid, none other that the Rock, Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). The laying of this foundation, by the hand of divine wisdom (1:18-31), need never be repeated. It is laid as deep as the grave (15:3-5) and is as stable as the Eternal Throne (Hebrews 1:8).
We are saved, safe, secure, resting on our Rock, Jesus Christ. This security, however, in no way gives us license to live as we please (Colossians 1:9-10). The Lord will one day judge the believer's works (II Corinthians 5:10) and will determine the rewards we will receive at His hand.
What happens if we sin, embrace it and live, for a time, in carnality? God's answer is the Judgment Seat of Christ. The day of reckoning is coming for all believers--a day of reward or loss of reward.
And so, a warning comes to all-- "take heed" (v. 10) and always meditate on "Be ye also patient: stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh"(I Peter 5:8). We must build with the proper material, that which is lasting and of great value ("gold, silver, precious stones," v. 12). Faithful service motivated by the desire to glorify God will abide and be rewarded (4:2, 5), but works performed in the flesh will cause the suffering of loss. Out of fellowship means out of service, and out of service means loss of reward (I John 2:28).
When a Christian sins and gives that sin a place of shelter, fellowship with God is broken, salvation's joy is lost, chastisement is given an open invitation and loss of reward is inevitable.
Out of fellowship means out of service, and out of service means that one is failing to lay up treasure in heaven. At that point, one is building with "wood, hay and stubble" which cannot endure the test of the Rewarding Day.
The Holy Spirit assures us that a foundation has already been laid, none other that the Rock, Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). The laying of this foundation, by the hand of divine wisdom (1:18-31), need never be repeated. It is laid as deep as the grave (15:3-5) and is as stable as the Eternal Throne (Hebrews 1:8).
We are saved, safe, secure, resting on our Rock, Jesus Christ. This security, however, in no way gives us license to live as we please (Colossians 1:9-10). The Lord will one day judge the believer's works (II Corinthians 5:10) and will determine the rewards we will receive at His hand.
What happens if we sin, embrace it and live, for a time, in carnality? God's answer is the Judgment Seat of Christ. The day of reckoning is coming for all believers--a day of reward or loss of reward.
And so, a warning comes to all-- "take heed" (v. 10) and always meditate on "Be ye also patient: stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh"(I Peter 5:8). We must build with the proper material, that which is lasting and of great value ("gold, silver, precious stones," v. 12). Faithful service motivated by the desire to glorify God will abide and be rewarded (4:2, 5), but works performed in the flesh will cause the suffering of loss. Out of fellowship means out of service, and out of service means loss of reward (I John 2:28).
posted by NoHayNada at 2:14 PM
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