February 25, 2002 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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 3:11-15).

THE PURPOSE OF THIS JUDGMENT. (1) It is for believers, not for the unsaved (1 Cor. 3:1,11-12). In this passage, Paul is addressing brethren in Christ. (2) It is to examine the believer's service, not to determine his salvation (1 Cor. 3:8,10,13). The believer is judged as a son and an heir (Gal. 4:6,7). The believer's judgment is not for punishment, but is to manifest his service for reward or loss of reward. It is the judgment of an athlete or the worker on the job or a son in the family business.

THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS JUDGMENT. The foundation is Jesus Christ and the eternal riches of Calvary (1 Cor. 3:12). While the believer can fall on this Foundation; praise God, he cannot fall off!

THE ELEMENT OF THIS JUDGMENT. The fire that shall try the believer's work is the Word of God (Jer. 23:29; Jn. 12:48). We don't have to wait until eternity to know God's will. He has revealed this in the Scriptures, and it is therefore imperative that we study it diligently (2 Tim. 2:15), and sit faithfully under the sound of its preaching, and obey it implicitly.

THE MATERIALS OF THIS JUDGMENT. The "wood, hay, and stubble" are associated with that which is of this world, temporal. These are things like worldly living, carnality, and walking in the flesh, unfaithfulness in the service of God, spiritual slothfulness. The "gold, silver, and precious stones" denote that which is of God, that which has eternal value. We see that it is not the size of one's labor, but its value before God that is important. Some of the things that are "gold, silver, and precious stones" would be being a loving, providing husband (Ep. 5:25; 1 Ti. 5:8); being a submissive, serving wife (Ep. 5:22; Tit. 2:4); being an obedient child (Ep. 6:1); gospel preaching and world evangelization (Mk. 16:15); training children in the way of God (Pr. 22:6); being filled with the Spirit (Ep. 5:18); seeking God (Heb. 11:6; Pr. 8:34-35); faithful church membership (1 Cor. 4:2; 1 Ti. 3:15; Heb. 10:25; 13:7,17); sacrificing for Christ (Mk. 10:29); approving excellent things in one's Christian life (Ph. 1:10); being pure in spirit and body (2 Co. 7:1).

THE LOSS OF THIS JUDGMENT. The loss will NOT be salvation (1 Co. 3:15). The loss will be crowns; reigning positions (2 Ti. 2:12; Rev. 2:25-26; 3:21; 20:4). No one who appears at this judgment will lose salvation for poor service; but he WILL lose rewards and suffer shame (1 Co. 3:15; 1 Jn. 2:28; 2 Jn. 8). Salvation is not gained through faithful service, but through faith in the blood of Christ (Rom. 3-4; Eph. 2:8-9). For the Christian, the judgment of God's wrath upon his sin is forever past. It was poured out upon the Savior on Calvary (Jn. 3:18, 36).

THE GRACE OF THIS JUDGMENT. It is God's nature to be gracious (Ps. 103:8-14), and His marvelous, free grace in Jesus Christ will be manifest in the believer's judgment. "In the counsels of God I am elect before the foundation of the world; hence I think that my own history will be detailed before the judgment seat, and, parallel with it, the history of the grace and of the mercy of God toward me. The why and the how we did this or that will be manifested then. For us the scene will be declarative, not judicial. We are not in the flesh before God; in His eyes, by His grace, we are dead. But then, if we have walked according to the flesh, we must see how we lost in blessing thereby, and what loss we have incurred. On the other hand, the ways of God towards us, all ways of wisdom, of mercy, and of grace, will be perfectly known and understood by us for the first time" (J.N. Darby). The great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 were only frail men and women, and it is by God's grace that they are listed as people of faith. Noah got drunk. Abraham doubted the promise of God at one point and laughed; he also lied about his wife. Sarah laughed at God's promise at one point. Jacob was a tricky man by nature, always trying to manipulate people and situations. Moses got angry and disobeyed God in smiting the rock and could not go into the promised land. Gideon made an idol. Barak was too weak to lead the battle himself and had to follow a woman. Samson was immoral. Jephthah made a foolish vow and possibly sacrificed his own daughter. David committed adultery and had a man killed in his attempt to hide his sin. Samuel did not raise his sons properly and they became corrupt judges. The heroes of the faith were only weak people who believed in God, and in each case, God's grace was sufficient to cover their sins and to reward them for their faith and service.

THE MOTIVATION OF THIS JUDGMENT. The Judgment Seat of Christ is one of the greatest motivators in the Christian life. It should motivate the Christian to be spiritual (1 Co. 3:1-3), to be busy (1 Co. 3:9,10), and to be faithful (1 Co. 4:2-4).