“If any man’s work abide (the judgment) he shall receive a reward”... “Do you know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you” 1 Cor. 3:14,16

Paul speaks to Christians purchased by the blood of Christ. He describes their rewards as things that survive fire: gold, silver, precious stones --are opposed to things that burn: wood, hay, stubble.

In 2 Corinthians 5:10, he says we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things we’ve done. Many have asked, “what are the rewards of the believer and how are they qualified for them?”  “What works pass through the fire of judgment?” Paul explains in 2 Cor. 5:14, “the love of Christ compels us for we thus judge, that if one died for all then all died.” This is a simple equation: 1DIED x ALL = ALL DIED. “We thus judge”, in other words: judge this way, all (in Christ) have died.

But someone will ask-  “if we have died already with Christ, what kind of works will be judged?” The judgment is based on this: Are the works of Christ? Dead works will be burned. That is why Paul in 5:11 does not say, “love compels us” but rather, “the love of Christ compels us.” Because Christ is now the life of those who have died, and Paul, accounting it so, realizes this truth in his own works (yet not I, but Christ lives).  You will be rewarded for love’s work, but not because it is from you, for you have died and outside of Christ you can only produce “dead works”. Rather, the reward comes when love’s work is recognized to be of Christ. The carnal love of the religious person, seeking to justify self, is not rewarded.

When Jesus tells the church in Revelation 3 to buy of him gold tried in the fire and white raiment, He reveals Himself as the source (“buy of me”).  This gold is His because it was tried in the fire of His persecution, His suffering and His death. Now Jesus owns the “unsearchable riches of Christ” from his resurrection and acceptance with the Father. WE CANNOT ADD TO THESE RICHES! That is why we must be saved and sanctified by Christ. The riches which abide the fire are of Christ alone. We can only receive and be clothed with Him because we are now, in Christ, alive from the dead.

Jesus graciously imparts in us that which He wrought and which belongs to Him to freely give. But will we come in faith and receive “of Him” by grace? Or do we insist on creating some kind of self-disciplined worthiness with the old (dead) man as the source?

Paul shows us that the “riches of glory” (riches that abide to make it to GLORY) are defined as “Christ in you.”  Dare we try to add to Christ? I sure hope not! We must “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”. This is what will pass through the fire at the judgment seat.  Paul prayed that our eyes be opened to: “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” These riches were not only purchased by Christ, but He is the repository of all riches, “in whom are hid all the riches of wisdom and knowledge”…thus only what is of Christ will be rewarded in that day.  

Abide in Christ, walk in Christ, live by Christ. May our eyes be opened to Christ!

Jay