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Now
if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work
will become evident; for the day will show it, because
it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will
test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s
work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive
a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall
suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as
through fire. (NASB) 1 Cor. 3:12-15
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God knows everything we have done, even things we do not know
about. There will also be some things for which we may believe
we will receive credit that God will reject.
God
has told us that He will look for one key characteristic in
our Christian life.
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Therefore
do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait
until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the
things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives
of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise
will come to him from God. (NASB) 1 Cor. 4:5
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He will look at our motives. I believe Daniel had
a strong passion to please God, just as the apostle Paul did.
They both wanted to “fight the good fight.” They
were both willing to sacrifice themselves for they knew there
was a day of reward ahead. God is not unjust. Hebrews 6:10 says,
“ . . . so as to forget your work and the love which you
have shown toward His name . . .” God calls us to sacrifice
ourselves for Him just as Paul did.
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I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the course,
I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up
for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not
only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
(NASB) 2 Tim. 4:7-8 |
Conclusion.
A three year old girl once asked her father who lived in a cemetery
that they passed by almost every day. Her father told her that
dead people lived there and their spirits went back to God.
Some months later during a holiday, the family went on a bicycle
ride and rode by the cemetery. Some people had stopped by to
leave fresh flowers at the grave sites of their loved ones.
This three year old girl saw these people and shouted, “They
are alive. They are alive, Daddy. They are alive!”
The little girl was wrong but
she was also right. All of us will some day be alive again.
Non-Christians will go to hell. But for Christians, God ends
this book with a promise that is true for all those who are
depending on Jesus to forgive their sins. It is the same promise
He gave to Daniel.
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