Rewarded
Our sins have been forgiven but all that we have done will be revealed on the day of judgment
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For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 Amplified
Our faith in Jesus Christ secures our salvation. We have eternal life with God and the forgiveness of all our sins. This passage does not question our place in God's family or doubt His love for us. It does remind us that what we do with God's love is important.
God loves us and from now until our days on earth have been completed, He works in us and with us. Daily, we will encounter opportunities to practice loving others the way God loves us. This means growing beyond our past and reflecting more of Christ.
Verse 13 in the above passage says that the "character and worth" of our actions will be revealed by fire. All that we have done that survives the fire is our reward and all that does not survive the fire we will lose. This does not mean that we do things for God just so we can be rewarded. The rewards are for those who have fully received the love of Christ for themselves and have purposely and freely given it to others.
Why would I say that love is the basis for our rewards in heaven? Well, for starters, God is love (1 John 4:8). And both the commandments given to us by Jesus Christ are based on love - love God, love people, love yourself. In I Cor. 13:1-3 it says that without love nothing we say or do will produce any thing. There is no value to actions not based on love. And lastly, with Jesus Christ as the foundation of our life, what else other than love is good enough to build on it?
Loving others is hard because people are broken, hurting, selfish, and sometimes just mean. In order to build with love on our foundation of Christ, we have to put some effort into it. We may sweat, get hurt, and even fall down, but a house built on love is worth it and knowing that can fuel our determination to keep working on it. When you build a house from the ground up, you start below the surface and work your way up. There is an order and a process that when followed will result in a secure and sound dwelling place.
Our efforts to love others take time and practice to develop. They begin with Christ working in us and then as we grow they are seen. It is in the repetition of doing things over and over that we get better and better at them. At the end of our lives, the fruit of our efforts to love others will determine our reward.
There is a reward set aside in heaven for all of us. On the day of judgement, the quality of our work on earth will decide whether we get it or not.
Heidirn
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For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 Amplified
Our faith in Jesus Christ secures our salvation. We have eternal life with God and the forgiveness of all our sins. This passage does not question our place in God's family or doubt His love for us. It does remind us that what we do with God's love is important.
God loves us and from now until our days on earth have been completed, He works in us and with us. Daily, we will encounter opportunities to practice loving others the way God loves us. This means growing beyond our past and reflecting more of Christ.
Verse 13 in the above passage says that the "character and worth" of our actions will be revealed by fire. All that we have done that survives the fire is our reward and all that does not survive the fire we will lose. This does not mean that we do things for God just so we can be rewarded. The rewards are for those who have fully received the love of Christ for themselves and have purposely and freely given it to others.
Why would I say that love is the basis for our rewards in heaven? Well, for starters, God is love (1 John 4:8). And both the commandments given to us by Jesus Christ are based on love - love God, love people, love yourself. In I Cor. 13:1-3 it says that without love nothing we say or do will produce any thing. There is no value to actions not based on love. And lastly, with Jesus Christ as the foundation of our life, what else other than love is good enough to build on it?
Loving others is hard because people are broken, hurting, selfish, and sometimes just mean. In order to build with love on our foundation of Christ, we have to put some effort into it. We may sweat, get hurt, and even fall down, but a house built on love is worth it and knowing that can fuel our determination to keep working on it. When you build a house from the ground up, you start below the surface and work your way up. There is an order and a process that when followed will result in a secure and sound dwelling place.
Our efforts to love others take time and practice to develop. They begin with Christ working in us and then as we grow they are seen. It is in the repetition of doing things over and over that we get better and better at them. At the end of our lives, the fruit of our efforts to love others will determine our reward.
There is a reward set aside in heaven for all of us. On the day of judgement, the quality of our work on earth will decide whether we get it or not.
Heidirn
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