Let’s read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For not other foundation can anyone lay that that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and THE FIRE WILL TEST EACH ONE’S WORK, OF WHAT SORT IT IS. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, yet so as THROUGH FIRE” (NKJV).

This passage has been so misunderstood. Some believe the subject is SALVATION, but the subject is the believer’s SERVICE. The Day is coming when all believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ as we see in 2 Corinthains 5:10, “For we must all appear before the JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” In that Day Jesus Christ will review our “works of SERVICE” to see if they were done for His glory and man’s blessing or if they were done for one’s self-glory. When Paul said, “it will be revealed by fire” it means that Christ will “JUDGE our works” (the word FIRE in Scripture often speaks of judgment) with His perfect knowledge of our works. He is “all-knowing” and this will be a “JUDICIAL analysis” of our service to see “of what sort it is.” If one’s works of service ENDURES the fire (like gold, silver, precious stones), he will be REWARDED. If one’s works of service ARE BURNED (like wood, hay, straw), he will suffer LOSS OF REWARD. Yet the believer will not lose their salvation.

Mr. William MacDonald says (in his commentary “Believer Bible Commentary”) this about verse 15: “Through failure to distinguish between salvation and rewards, the Roman Catholic Church has used this verse to try to support its teaching of purgatory. There is no thought that the fire purifies the character of a man. Rather, the fire tests a man’s work or service, of what sort it is. The man is saved despite the fact that his works are consumed by fire.” Mr. J. Hunter says (in his commentary “What The Bible Teaches“): “It is now stated that failure in service does not affect the salvation of the person. No true child of God can ever be lost. ‘Saved yet so as by fire’, means ‘through fire’, not ‘by means of it.’ It is one dashing through the flames to safety. He is saved in spite of the fire.”

If my reader IS SAVED through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:9 & Acts 16:31), you can look forward to this day when the Lord Jesus will review your entire life of service (from the moment you were saved until the moment you were taken home to heaven). Your goal should be to serve Him faithfully in view of “that Day” when all will be revealed and faithful service will be rewarded. There is no thought whatsoever of our “SINS being judged,” for our sins were judged when Christ died for them on the cross (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; and 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). We will all be glad to have everything “out in the open” before we enter eternal glory with our blessed Lord. Yet is vital to see that our “entrance into HEAVEN” is a GIFT, bought and paid for by the work Jesus Christ did on the cross (see John 14:1-6). The REWARDS we receive are based on WORKS we have done, and they will determine our “entrance in Christ’s coming KINGDOM” where our place in His kingdom is determined by our faithful service now in this world” (see 2 Peter 1:10-11 with the parable of the kingdom in Luke 19:11-19).  (DO)  (712.3)