Laboring For Christ

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

LABORING FOR CHRIST

1 Cor 3:10-15

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

NIV

Paul is still making the case that the Corinthians should not be quarreling about whether they follow Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, but that everything is about Jesus Christ. What we should understand is that according to the gracious act of God this Greek word charin, carries that meaning, along with it being used to demonstrate the divine influence upon a person's heart and how that is expressed, or reflected. In other words, it is the work of God in Paul’s life that he was able to lay a foundation as an expert builder. Someone else is building upon that foundation, as a co-worker in Christ. We think that we have to be careful of this thinking that we are co-workers with Christ, but that we should see ourselves as co-workers for Christ. But, at the same time, we should be aware that it is God who does the work in and through us. It would be as if we could plant a tree, but we cannot make the sap flow up from the roots making the tree grow, that is only done by the work of God. However, Paul is making the point that as we serve the Lord, and do it through the foundation of Jesus Christ crucified, and are faithful to that truth, instead of trying to build using the ways the world, then on that day, we will hear, “Enter my good and faithful servant”. What is most difficult to understand is this comment about if our work survives, and this is mostly directed toward the ministers of God, although it could also be applied to every believer, we shall receive our reward. This reward is not defined, although we can find a list of rewards within the letters to the churches in the revelation given to John. They are the list of rewards given to those who overcome. 1. The right to eat from the tree of life.2.We will not be hurt by the second death. 3. Given hidden manna and dressed in white. 4. Given a white stone with a new name written on it. 5. be a pillar in the temple of God. 6. Give authority to sit on the throne with Jesus. 7. Given authority over all the nations. Then we could also see crowns as a reward, however, they are listed as the crown of righteousness, the crown of life, and the crown of Glory. This is not to be understood that someone will have more crowns or more jewels in their crown, for that is not anywhere in the scripture. There is also the thought that those whose work is burned up, but will be saved, will have a lesser place in heaven. First, we need to know that we will not be living in heaven, but on earth in the new creation. Second, if there are levels in the salvation of God, then we would have to believe he shows favoritism, which we are told he does not. This idea of levels or some having a greater reward than others comes from the concept that everything depends on our work. Then it becomes a work contract, and not by the grace of God, and then we are right back in the old covenant which Jesus set aside for a greater new covenant of grace. Let us simply labor as we have been called to do and surely, we will receive all that God has for us, everything Jesus prepared for us.