If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Christ alone is the foundation on which every life is built as God's temple, and the final day will test each person's work by fire to show what sort it is. Work of gold, silver and precious stones will abide and receive a reward, while work of wood, hay and stubble will be burned so the builder suffers the loss of his work and its reward. To be saved yet so as by fire is to be saved narrowly as one escaping with everything burned, like a brand snatched from the burning, and such salvation comes only through straightforward repentance and conversion. Each person is the architect of his own character building, laying it daily brick by brick in small choices, where faith, love, kindly deeds and self-denying sacrifice endure, but selfishness, covetousness, ambition and sin are consumed. Therefore every builder must take heed how he builds, for leading souls to holiness and training children for God stands forever, while careless teaching, faultfinding, worldly conformity and selfish use of means and influence leave only ashes.
Foundation Fire and Materials
Jesus Christ is the only foundation that can be laid, and no other foundation is possible for any builder. Those built upon Him are God's husbandry and God's building, laborers together with God with differing works yet one object, each receiving his own reward according to his own labor. Together they are the holy temple of God where the Spirit of God dwells, which no one may defile without destruction, and no one should deceive himself with worldly wisdom which is foolishness with God or glory in men. Every builder must take heed how he builds upon that foundation, working out his own salvation while God works within to will and to do, consecrating body, soul, and spirit to Jesus, being transformed to His likeness and not conformed to worldly principles. Devising plans and suggesting methods for advancing God's work in this solemn period of earth's history is itself building on that one foundation, and the lesson applies to labor for souls where hardened hearts must be broken and subdued like soil under plough and harrow so the gospel seed of the Word can find favorable ground and produce a harvest.
Every person's work will be made manifest because the day will declare it by revealing fire that tries what sort each work is. That day is the day of judgment and final conflagration, when God places His estimate upon each work just as it is and tests its character and quality. Words, acts, spirit, and character are being formed for eternity, so people are warned to build carefully and faithfully as laborers together with Him bearing fruit to His glory. Work that fails the test is burned, and its builder suffers the loss of that work and its reward, though the builder himself is saved as one escaping through fire.
Gold, silver, and precious stones abide the trial, endure, shine through it, and receive a reward, while wood, hay, and stubble are consumed and bring loss with the whole life-work lost. Unfaithfulness in spiritual and eternal matters brings loss throughout eternity, in contrast to spiritual work that helps souls come to Jesus rather than spending time and energy on needless work with no lasting return. Worthless material includes false religion and selfishness, while true, simple, humble faith and steadfast principle are imperishable precious materials that retain their value. A person's consecration to God shapes future advancement and the place his work has in God's temple, but those who do not remain steadfast in confidence until the last great day face consumption of their worthless building with loss, though themselves saved through the fire.
God alone judges work by its quality rather than its quantity, keeping the ledger of heaven and measuring every action and the spirit that prompted it. The Lord looks upon the work that comes from the hands of His people and will judge every piece to see of what sort it is, and only He can tell the difference between worthless human devising and the true doctrines of grace that come through Jesus Christ. Therefore no one can estimate the influence of fellow workers, read the human heart, stand aloof as holier, measure himself against others by human standards, or exalt anything but His truth. Stinginess and selfishness, which is covetousness which is idolatry, is worthless material on the foundation stone that will be burned, even when a man thinks himself a sincere believer yet self has been the mainspring of action. To be saved yet so as by fire is to be saved as though his house with all his goods were burned and he alone escapes, suffering loss with a valueless lifework condemned by the Lord, as when a man traded unwisely on his Lord's goods, failed to increase his talents by the right kind of work, felt able to care for himself and too wise to need instruction, and at last sees himself bankrupt with life labors lost through miscalculation for want of unconsumable material. Such a one is saved only by repentance and conversion when he sees the wrong, and work taken as a whole that does not stand will secure him no reward in this life nor in the life to come, leaving him not proud to own such work in the judgment.
The fire is also purifying and refining, consuming dross and worthless material so that what remains is purified. Character and service built on the foundation are tested by those purifying fires of the last day, where gold, silver, and precious stones represent enduring traits and unprofitable service is represented by wood, hay, and stubble. The fires of affliction likewise reveal what character and religion are made of, for genuine faith endures suffering with patience and trust in Jesus while false hope and spurious religion are exposed as worthless to be consumed in the day of judgment. Gossiping, accusing brethren, and laying suspicion and distrust are worthless material on the foundation, bringing affliction, sorrow, and loss until those who engage in it are refined to see their errors, repent, return to the Lord, and are forgiven and accepted despite the loss from unused opportunities. Work in the heart represented by wood, hay, and stubble is fit to be consumed by purifying fire, and that corrupting spirit must be cleansed or the soul will be lost. The church is God's temple built after a heavenly pattern, where every stone is hewn and squared by divine measurement and polished to shine as an emblem of heaven radiating the bright beams of the Son of Righteousness, fed with manna from heaven and kept under grace and clad in complete armor of light and righteousness for her final conflict.
Division and Unity Call
Paul wrote to correct party division, envy and strife among believers who said I am of Paul and I am of Apollos, showing carnality and spiritual infancy as babes in Christ rather than sanctification through the truth. Such division into parties, withdrawing from some for reasons existing only in the imagination and binding up with others, is the cause of weakness in the church. Those who claim to believe yet link themselves to the one man under whose labors they received the light of present truth, acting as independent atoms instead of living in love and unity with brethren, need reconversion lest their claimed conversion become a stumbling block to sinners. Paul did not abandon such divided believers as irreclaimable but labored to bring them to a better understanding.
Paul and Apollos are only ministers by whom believers believed as the Lord gave to every man, with one planting and another watering but God giving the increase. He that planteth and he that watereth are one in object though their work differs in some respects, and all do not have the same work to do but are laborers together with God. Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor, while abiding work receives a reward and building of wood, hay and stubble that is burned brings loss of reward.
Believers must not cling to the human leader under whom they received light instead of standing in unity in love from one Source, with harmonious action in which each strengthens the other. If a man draws apart from his brethren over misconceived opinions and builds in self-confidence after his own notions, plans and desires without reference to his brethren, he lays a mass of suppositions which is only rubbish of wood, hay and stubble that shall be burned so he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved so as by fire. No one is to make a move independently or in opposition to fellow workers, but all are to counsel together and have seasons of prayer together, sinking self out of sight, since Christ is the living head and all are members of His body dependent on the head. Individuality in manner and bearing is allowed, but working together in perfect harmony is required, with the work of one matching the work of another, and each using God-given ability to the utmost for the upbuilding of Christ's kingdom because how workers build is for time and for eternity.
The chapter belongs to instruction and reproof given to ministers of the gospel and to all churches wherever located, to be read in every church and received for the soul's sake in searching of the Scriptures, with warning that unless hearts are humbled before God names will not be placed in the book of life. It is to be read and understood as a whole, and the words of the third chapter of First Corinthians are to be read, studied and prayed over. It is instruction of greatest importance to all who have entered the Lord's army, urging them to examine how they are carrying out their work for God and to give careful accounting of how God's resources are used in service that strengthens rather than damages the whole person and the cause. Its truth stands where men given to worldly pursuits and sharp worldly business traits count the preaching of the cross as foolishness, where not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, where God makes foolish the wisdom of this world and chooses the foolish, weak, base and despised things to confound the wise and mighty and bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh glories except in the Lord, who of God is made wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Faith and practice need to be energized by the Holy Spirit, no ruling power should compel men to obey dictates of the finite mind, and turning minds to lean on human wisdom places a veil between God and man so that He who is invisible is not seen.
Christian work is individual and each person is accountable for the work entrusted to him and must take diligent heed to his own course in presenting sanctifying truth to souls ready to die, making straight paths for feet and being controlled by the spirit proper to believers as sanctified channels of grace to the world and to angels and to men. No one should find fault with another's work but should improve himself, and no one should condemn a minister who emphasizes another phase of truth or presents the Word in a different way. Instead of criticizing others' work and accusing them of bringing wood, hay and stubble to the foundation, each person should make sure his own work will endure the testing purifying fire. The quality and beauty of God's building depend on the faithfulness and unity of His builders, and eternity will reveal results, with faithful workers receiving reward while indulgence of sin and careless service mar the work. All are called to be of one mind, love as brethren, be pitiful and courteous, rejecting prejudice, discord, envy, jealousy and evil surmisings that separate brethren from each other and from God and hinder manifestation of the Spirit.
Loss and Narrow Salvation
If the work built on Christ does not endure the testing fire of the day, it will be burned and the builder will suffer the loss of that work and its reward, with the whole lifework left in ashes and nothing to show for life, while work of gold, silver and precious stones that abides receives a reward according to labor. A Christian teacher who faithfully presents truth in purity and leads converts to holiness of heart and life brings precious material that stands and is honored as a wise builder, but one who neglects purity or spends the best of life teaching error gathers converts who will not stand, and though he may by repentance and faith be saved at last his work is lost, his life has failed of the good it might have secured, and souls have gone to ruin who might have been saved. The fire reveals and tests what sort each work is, placing God's estimate upon it just as it is, warning all to build carefully and faithfully since words, acts, spirit and character are being formed for eternity as laborers together with God, His husbandry, His building and His temple where His Spirit dwells and which must not be defiled.
To be saved yet so as by fire is to be saved narrowly, as one escaping with house and goods burned and he alone escaping, like brands snatched from the burning. It is bare personal rescue with lifework in ashes, the reward of faithful stewardship eternally forfeited, as when selfish economy in giving to broaden and build up God's work and robbing God by withholding time and physical and mental talents lays wood, hay and stubble that the fires of the last day consume, and the souls that might have been saved are lost through neglect of soul-winning. Worthless material brought to the foundation is things grasped by the human mind and held fast as if afraid to lose them, costing time and money and strength, taking on too many responsibilities instead of higher nobler use of capabilities, without proving self, weighing motives or possessing the love of God, pressing on in one's own way and obeying one's own will, with stinginess and selfishness which is covetousness which is idolatry, where self has been the mainspring of action though a man thinks himself a sincere believer. Only what is represented by gold, silver and precious stones should be brought, for continuing in the worthless course may cost life itself with eternity left out of the reckoning, and those who have piled wood, hay and stubble by abusing physical, mental and moral powers till injured almost beyond recovery will be saved only barely with total loss of life work. Such escape is as hurrying from rooftop to rooftop without returning for belongings to escape Jerusalem's ruin.
Such salvation is only if the builder sees his wrong and sincerely repents, with straightforward repentance and conversion that purifies and makes white and tried, bringing forgiveness. A deceived man who repents, a man who traded unwisely on his Lord's goods and did not increase his talents by doing the right kind of work, who felt able to take care of himself and too wise to need instruction, may at last see himself bankrupt and his life labors lost through miscalculation because he failed to bring good unconsumable material, and yet be saved by repentance and conversion. Those who have blundered along making little spiritual advancement and have worked in wrong lines, each charged with gaining his own salvation through Christ and able to do work as enduring as eternity, can still be narrowly saved if they repent and God forgives, the measure of honor and reward depending on unselfish giving of self to God and faithful cooperation in warning others and caring for souls for whom Christ paid the price. Even one who formed fixed habits of ambition, covetousness, love of pleasure and following the world, building character not after the divine likeness and living to serve and please self rather than to love and obey God, can still be saved at the last moment when affliction comes and hold on this life loosens, brought face to face with death, convicted of guilt, seeing lack of preparation, realizing Christ died for him, making genuine deathbed repentance and being received by Christ, but with loss of a wasted life.
Pardon does not change the character of the seed sown and does not turn briers and thistles into precious wheat, so when the harvest comes there will be only poisonous weeds where there should have been fields of waving grain because what was sown in wicked heedlessness still does its work of death. A man may repent of years of putting hay, wood and stubble on God's foundation — manufactured tests, claims to truth that cannot be substantiated syllable by syllable from the Word, falsehoods, human suppositions, fabrications presented as truth, error, heresies, sophistries and misinterpretations of Scripture — and still be saved as by fire with the rubbish consumed, but his loss is great. Souls he unsettled from the foundation may follow his example and never repent, and he cannot cure the mind he led astray, for time lost and harm done cannot be undone and souls may be lost through his influence, with the influence remaining to wound the cause and shame Jesus' name and the full consequences revealed at judgment, even though he may have acted conscientiously believing he worked in harmony with the Word. Safety requires taking heed how to build, entertaining faith and truth and righteousness in the heart, testing self by the Word and not by human ideas, and presenting only truth that will stand the fire of the last days and the judgment, because building is for eternity.
Solomon may be saved as by fire despite ruinous consequences of sin, yet his repentance could not erase the high places and stones that remained as evidence of his crimes, and his salvation did not undo the dishonor he brought to God by choosing lust over a life shaped by the divine nature. Lot's rescue so as by fire likewise illustrates grievous consequences of choosing worldly advantage over influences that foster Christian character, for though rescued from Sodom's destruction his possessions were destroyed, some of his children perished, his wife became a pillar of salt, and his other children were morally corrupted by the city. Faithful Waldensian missionaries who sowed the word of God at great personal risk may also lose fruit of labor yet themselves be saved, with the harvest of souls their work produced revealed on the day of God. A useless life brings infinite and eternal loss, for abilities and character cultivated with God's help and all refinement and elevation gained here are carried into heaven, but dwarfed capabilities, neglected self-culture, diminished and deteriorated talents and unimproved mental powers cannot be recovered or redeemed there. One who lets life slip away in idle dreaming builds wood, hay and stubble, and though through repentance he can still be saved as by fire he suffers loss of treasure that all eternity will testify to, just as education gained apart from character for service with God must be stripped away as having no value in the higher school, leaving the learner saved with all useless learning burned. To avoid that loss character must be purified and perfected now by moving forward step by step adding to faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, with God present so there is no fall and Christ multiplying human working for time and eternity in lawful striving for an imperishable crown, glorifying the Father, overcoming faults, for not one wrong will be righted and not one error of character removed after Jesus comes.
Character Building Tested
Every person must erect his own character building upon Jesus Christ as the only sure foundation, taking careful heed to the material brought to the foundation stone in faithful cooperation with the divine Builder. To a great extent each is the architect of his own character, endowed with intellectual and moral power for the work, with the structure drawing nearer to completion every day until life ends. The building is wrought point by point and stroke upon stroke, as bricks and stones laid by small daily choices, words, and acts, with faculties separate and distinct yet dependent on one another, so that one stone mislaid affects the whole and no flaw can remain. Every man's work so built will be made manifest and tried by fire in the day that declares what sort it is; if the material is faulty the lifework will burn and prove a failure with loss of reward, yet the builder himself can still be saved if he sees his wrong and sincerely repents.
Durable material that never perishes and abides the test is thank offerings and praise offerings, kindly deeds and self-denying sacrifices, more enduring and valuable than the gold of Ophir. It is gold, silver, and precious stones in the form of faith, hope, and love partaking of the divine nature and overcoming the corruption in the world through lust, with compassion, consideration, charity, patience, meekness, courtesy, guarded lips, and holiness proved by brotherly love and just dealing. Such building is done as laborers together with God by uniting with angels in ministering to others, living in companionship with heavenly angels by faith, teaching those in darkness, praying for faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and seeking living power from above with strengthened mental faculties. These lasting works improve both the doer and those connected with him, add to future happiness, and result in souls standing before God's throne.
Perishable material is selfishness and stinginess, which is covetousness which is idolatry, with self as the mainspring of action even while professing sincere belief. It includes ambition, love of pleasure, irritability and loss of self-control, sin, wasting time to weaken the soul, harmful habits that must be retraced, and a person's own inventions and human wisdom brought into character building instead of Christ the true wisdom. Such material is like rotten timbers put into the building, like base alloy destroying the value of gold so the divine impress is missing, and like filthy garments clung to as if precious which render the builder unfit for the mansions above. To be saved yet so as by fire in this sense is to escape as one whose house with all goods is burned, with lifework valueless and condemned, saved only by repentance and conversion after seeing bankruptcy through unwisely trading on entrusted goods and failing to bring unconsumable material.
Character must be built now in probation with no time to lose, by bringing the virtues of Christ's life into daily life while constantly watching, praying, striving earnestly, and going daily to Christ for help with present weakness to conquer as overcomers. Building with hay, wood, and stubble will not stand the test of the judgment, and failure in character building loses eternal life, whereas right building makes ready for Christ's appearing to receive eternal life. There is no preparation after Jesus comes, for the same character possessed when He comes is retained, and rough stones taken from the quarry must now be hewn by axe, hammer, chisel, burnishing and polishing, putting the will on God's side, overcoming every passion and fault with angelic help, since no imperfect character with jealousy or evil surmising will see inside the kingdom. A useless life brings infinite and eternal loss, for all refinement and elevation gained here by close connection with heaven is carried into heaven, but dwarfed capabilities, neglected self-culture, and deteriorated talents cannot be redeemed in the better world.
Education gained only in literary or scientific lines apart from the Bible is wood, hay, and stubble that must be stripped from the learner before he is counted worthy to enter the life that measures with the life of God. Years spent on textbooks from authors with no vital connection with God, books mixed with infidelity and unsound theories that exclude the Word, lessen its brightness, eclipse faith, and leave students unable to receive truth with reverence, are unnecessary work that wearies the mind, has no value with God, will die with those who obtain it, and will be consumed in the last great conflagration. To be saved in that way is to suffer loss with all useless learning burned away, entering eternity with only what is fit for heaven. God gives the present probation to prepare for the school above, forming characters He can approve by training in Christ's lines rather than worldly customs and amusements, weeding out unnecessary matters so the mind rises to the great themes of salvation and becomes fitted to co-labor with heavenly intelligences.
A repentant sinner who has injured body, soul, and faculties by sinful indulgence, liquor, tobacco, tea, and continual excitement may still in mercy be saved as by fire when light convinces of sin and there is repentance and seeking of pardon. God in pity, grace, and tenderness accepts the poor remnant of such an abused and suffering life, yet what is offered to a pure and holy God is at best an inferior and pitiful sacrifice. Wrong habits have paralyzed noble faculties, perverted aspirations, defaced soul and body, destroyed the body, dishonored God, and deprived Him of acceptable service. Salvation is real, but the loss and diminished service caused by sin remain, though Christ has made provision to restore God's moral image in those who cooperate with Him rather than oppose Him through self-indulgence and intemperance.
Soul Winning Enduring Work
A faithful teacher who presents truth in its purity and leads converts to holiness of heart and life lays precious, enduring material on the foundation and will be honored as a wise builder in the kingdom of God, while a teacher who neglects purity gathers converts who are not holy in heart and life and lays material that will not stand but will be burned in the day of God with loss to himself. Work prompted by love to God with His law as foundation, done in the character of Christ by the Spirit from above and wisdom from above, endures and stands the test, while work done in reliance on own strength and wisdom accomplishes little and is consumed as hay, wood, and stubble. One who has spent the best of life teaching error may yet by repentance and faith be saved at last, but his work is lost, his life has failed of the good it might have secured, and souls have gone to ruin who might have been saved by faithful presentation of truth, so every man must take heed how he builds.
Making soul-saving the life-work is building valuable, imperishable material of gold, silver, and precious stones on the true foundation, using means and influence and wisdom and tact with diligence and consistent example to gather children, relatives, neighbors, and friends separated from God by love of the world into the fold of Christ. Such building is faith and hope and love partaking of the divine nature, overcoming the corruption in the world through lust, studying the Bible, holding up discouraged hands, talking and praying and seeking to elevate those for whom Christ died. It secures a harvest of souls to stand before God's throne and insures a rich reward in the day of God, for those won through influence through Christ will when the redeemed are gathered home cast their glittering crowns at the Redeemer's feet, fill heaven with rich music, praise the Lamb that was slain upon the throne, and thank those who led them to accept truth of heavenly origin and brought them into right relation to God. God does not desire mere personal salvation with nothing to show for the life-work and only the worker's own soul saved, but work that brings others to Him and enters through the gates into the city to hear the benediction on the good and faithful servant and enter the joy of the Lord in seeing souls saved and travail of soul satisfied.
Spending life gathering earthly treasure while neglecting unsaved souls is building perishable wood, hay, and stubble that will be consumed in the fires of the last days when every man's work is tried of what sort it is. Making selfish economy in giving to broaden and build up God's work and robbing God by withholding means lays time and physical and mental talents as worthless material, and all improvements of years will be burned, leaving bare personal escape with the whole lifework in ashes, the reward of faithful stewardship eternally forfeited, and souls that might have been saved lost. Selfish spending of the Lord's money on photographs of human faces for selfish pleasure, fine crocheting and decorative work for personal or household pleasure, costly houses for dogs, dress extravagance, and other self-gratification builds upon the foundation what bears silent witness against the doer, for every dollar was required in saving souls and heralding the truth and proclaiming the last message of warning with self-denial and entire consecration, sowing seed beside all waters. Work that endures is done with an eye single to God's glory while abiding in Christ, with deep love for Christ, the mind of Christ, and tender sympathy and care for souls, especially the motherless and fatherless, grown through lifetime sanctification bearing good fruit and working the works of Christ.
Neglecting or indulging children and letting them follow their own way because it is easier lays wood, hay, and stubble and forms defective characters in parents and children that trouble churches. Indulging and pleasing those under charge by passing over faults lightly and giving the impression sin is not very offensive is unfaithful work that will not bear the test of the searching eye of God in the investigative judgment in the courts above, where the Lord will call such a worker unfaithful rather than pronounce the work well done. Training children as God's property to be educated, trained, restrained, polished, and refined for the heavenly courts, setting before them an example of self-denial and piety that leads them to avoid cheap indulgence and seek most earnestly to be children of God, lays gold, silver, and precious stones that endure for time and eternity, while setting affections on the world and disregarding truth and righteousness builds a family influence like a false signboard pointing the wrong way. Parents and children who built defectively may still be saved if they at last awaken to their defects, but they will not stand on the same footing or be regarded in the same light as those who followed God's will and way and devoted life to perfecting children's characters, for saints in light will differ in glory as one star differs from another star.
Teachers of youth will meet those in their care again around the great white throne, where work grounded in love to God and His law and influencing them for their eternal good endures, but careless conduct, uncultivated manners, and uncontrolled tempers that harm their spiritual good bring grave consequences. Workers must therefore be faithful to God and guard against letting human traits distort their representation of truth, for work lacking lasting worth will be consumed in the final judgment and the last conflagration.
The church is to be built on Jesus Christ, the only true foundation, with heavenly principles that endure through time and eternity as gold, silver, and precious stones, and it is marred when worldly-policy principles and objectionable material as wood, hay, and stubble that will not bear trial are introduced. Right building refuses to be guided by those who long knew present truth but have not yielded to its claims, refuses conformity to the world to gain influence with worldlings, separates from enemies of God, and stands firm for truth in all places, forming characters that make men laborers together with God and worthy of His commendation.
Enduring building is being laborers together with God after God's order with God's mold upon it and not man's, with an eye single to His glory and not from finite judgment, the willing and obedient doing His work wrought in righteousness as enduring as eternity and imperishable for the last days and ripening for the future life. It is uniting with angels in ministering to others, living in companionship of heavenly angels by faith, teaching those in darkness the truths that gave light, praying for faith that works by love and purifies the soul, seeking living power from above, with God strengthening mental faculties as He did Daniel's mind and giving apt words through the angel standing by. All human activity and zeal sanctified and directed by the Word into proper channels lays gold and silver and precious stones instead of hay, wood, and stubble, bringing unsearchable riches and treasures in heaven, the peace Christ gives, a home in the mansions prepared for obedient children, and an immortal inheritance as heir of God and joint heir with Christ, with every capability and talent brought to Christ to be blessed and sanctified to His service in readiness to meet Him in peace at the soon-coming end. Such good work done through truth, presenting principles of truth, carrying urgent influence from center to cities including the work in Washington against Sunday legislation, and laying a health institution's very foundation in solid timber with no defective timbers but only characters under special control of the Spirit and not working at cross purposes in variance and dissension, leads to God's approval.
Worthless Materials and Faithful Building
False doctrine laid on the foundation is hay, wood, and stubble that the fire will expose and consume, including manufactured tests and claims that cannot be substantiated syllable by syllable from the Word, false spiritualistic and corrupting theories, human suppositions and fabrications presented as truth, superficial and fictitious things, fables received in place of obedience to purifying truth, and fanciful speculations about the divine mystery of God's essence, strange new ideas, human theories, false science, and worthless ideas taught as food and made essential without a plain Thus saith the Lord. Such material will not stand the test of the last days and the judgment but will burn as chaff to wheat, and even conscientious builders who thought they worked in harmony with the Word suffer great loss when souls unsettled by error, heresies, sophistries, and misinterpretations follow their example and never repent, leaving a wound no cure can repair. Safety is to take heed how to build for eternity, to entertain faith and truth and righteousness in the heart, to test self by the Word and not by human ideas, to present only truth that will stand, and to be saved if at all only through conversion, repentance, humiliation, purification, and trial with no reward for that life's work. Scripture supplies the enduring gold, silver, and precious stones, while dealing in common things in place of the sacred brings only loss.
Faultfinding, harshness, and censure in work for children and for the church are wood, hay, and stubble to be laid no longer, and gossiping and accusing others are worthless material that brings affliction, sorrow, and loss until the worker is refined to see error, repent, and be converted. Talking together about mistakes and faults of brethren instead of searching the own heart with prayer and confession, pressing self in to make things appear in a wrong light, speaking unwise words manifesting suspicion and distrust of men bearing responsibilities, magnifying trifling things until a mote becomes a mountain, and grieving the Holy Spirit are bringing that perishable material to the foundation. Spending time thinking and speaking evil, carrying evil reports from church to church and conference to conference, criticizing fellow workers, and hindering gospel work, especially in the Southern field, weakens churches, institutions, and conferences, will be consumed by the fires of the last day, and will call every man engaged in it to account before God who hates this work. Instead of criticizing what others bring, each must make sure his own work will endure the purifying fire, bringing truth into the inner sanctuary of the soul with charity that suffers long and is kind, with the meekness and gentleness of Christ, with guarded lips and kind instruction.
Intellect, pleasant manners, life, activity, and precious time consumed in selfish gratification and indulgence are hay, wood, and stubble that will be burned with loss, while dishonest business and evading honest debt shape a worthless character that the test exposes. Dishonoring truth in works, denying truth, absorbing the Lord's money to make a show in dress and worldly extravagance, teaching in pride and selfishness, cheapening everything undertaken, amusing associates with wit and cheap nonsense, dragging others down, and using unsanctified cleverness to erect false standards pile perishable material whose fun and frolic will be seen as eternal loss when the Judge renders to every man according to deeds done in the body. Willfully degrading soul and body and defiling God's temple by continual excitement, cricket and football matches, horse-racing, liquor, tobacco, tea-drinking and other destroying drugs perverts reason, intelligence, talents, powers, and senses given for high and holy purposes, lessens healthful action of mind and body, and builds only what fire consumes. Such unworthy building brings loss in judgment, as when dangerous sentimentalism and spiritualistic affection toward one not a spouse forfeits blessing until there is repentance, conversion, guarding of mind and heart from impurity, giving the spouse first place in affection, and being true as steel to marriage vows in thought, word, and deed.
The mind becomes the same character as the food it is fed, so living on the superficial and fictitious builds an unreal, imaginary life that the last day consumes, while dealing with realities, solid truth, and practical verity builds what will stand through the stern realities just opening. Feeding on cheap, worthless, light, and fictitious reading, jesting and foolish talking, frivolous words, joking and cheap remarks, unsound textbooks, and publishing comic pieces, romances, novels, and coarse presentations without the Holy Spirit corrodes thought, dwarfs and cripples spiritual experience, separates from God, shows the heart holds no good treasure, turns minds from important subjects, and leaves words, actions, and attitudes toward others to reveal the result. It is leaving the cool snow waters of Lebanon for turbid streams of the valley, leaving study of God's word which is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, and no one continuing in that food can do God's work with clear-sighted perception. Only solid food must be taken into the hands and given to the mind, for advancement or weakness of conception follows the food fed, and a person is assimilated to the standard of the matter handled; becoming conversant with the Scriptures is the remedy for affections depraved and a heart made deceitful and false, and the Bible cannot be studied too much. Using capable workers for cheap, common business likewise squanders ability and does not prepare them to serve God intelligently, bringing loss rather than strengthening faith, knowledge, or ability for His work.
Bringing rubbish instead of gold, silver, and precious stones includes defective plans that exalt medical missionary work above gospel ministry, distract the church over their proper relation, retard God's work, and undermine confidence in last-day warnings, for which those who assisted must clear it away and can themselves be saved only if they repent and are pardoned by God's great mercy. Taking money sacredly dedicated to the Lord and donated for the Southern field and using it to cancel other debts, even debts owed to publishers by institutions elsewhere, mingles man's inventions with God's work and robs that field of its donated treasure under God's displeasure. Choosing commercial gain and worldly plans, including food work pursued for greater financial gain, over the ordained work of presenting truth as evangelists, ministers, canvassers, and in other responsible roles piles worthless material and leaves Christ's work undone. Enduring building requires dying to self, experimental religion pure and undefiled, humbled self bound to Christ, conviction allowed its work, breaking Satan's yoke and false paths bound on others, taking Christ's yoke, and gathering gems of truth that grow brighter under purifying fires instead of burning.
Those who all their lives abuse physical, mental, and moral powers till injured almost beyond recovery pile wood, hay, and stubble that will all be consumed, and if saved at all are saved barely as by fire with total loss of life work, so the greatest labor is not to be put forth for that outcast class while more promising work that will stand royally for truth is left undone. Neglecting God-given responsibilities brings loss in this life and the future, and a useless life leaves talents neglected and diminished through inaction beyond recovery hereafter, though abilities and character cultivated with God's help can be carried into heaven. A youth letting life slip in idle dreaming builds the same perishable material and, though repentance may save as by fire, suffers loss of treasure that all eternity will testify to, whereas building rightly moves forward step by step adding to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, with God present so there is no fall and Christ multiplying labor for time and eternity toward an imperishable crown. Misusing ability in cheap nonsense that drags others down is controlled by the tempter to ruin souls, for which Christ paid ransom by self-denial, self-sacrifice, humiliation, shame, and reproach.
Every builder must take heed how he builds on Jesus Christ the only foundation, in co-partnership with God who works in the person to will and to do while the person works out salvation, consecrating body, soul, and spirit, cooperating with Christ, and being transformed to His likeness and not conformed to worldlings. The day will declare every man's work of whatever sort by revealing fire that tries it, giving reward if it abides and loss if it burns, as in labor for souls where hardened hearts must be broken and subdued like soil under plough and harrow for gospel seed to yield harvest. Building in self-confidence after own notions, plans, and desires without reference to brethren, and drawing apart over misconceived opinions, lays only rubbish of suppositions, and laying every stone perfectly on the Rock requires solid timber and no haphazard work, hungering for righteousness and fighting the good fight of faith. God has given intellectual and moral power for character building, each person is largely architect of his own character with the structure nearing completion daily, and now is the time to cultivate those powers on the eternal rock for usefulness here and higher life hereafter, since words, acts, spirit, and character are forming for eternity.
Fireproof work is walking in the light and keeping in the channel of light, carefully economizing entrusted means, using every talent to increase, doing good and saving souls as faithful stewards, laying gold, silver, and precious stones instead of seeking worldly gain that fails. Work prompted by love to God with His law as foundation, done in Christ's character by the spirit and wisdom from above, in His strength, prayer, and consecration rather than own strength and wisdom, endures, while reliance on self accomplishes little and burns. True godliness with charity longsuffering and kind, meekness, gentleness, guarded lips, kind instruction, a high sense of sacred things, being imbued with Jesus' Spirit, doing all known duty so God can cooperate, helping associates to pure thoughts, holy conversation, and holy works, and living in self-denial and self-sacrifice will stand the last fires and bring unsearchable riches, peace, a mansion, and immortal heirship with Christ. Mere outward form without living experience leaves a person exposed, and mingling missionary efforts with commonplace things and bringing sacred things down to the common must perish.
To be saved when work is burned requires hearty repentance before God, conversion, cleansing the temple and the foundation from all falsehood and all that leads away from God and truth, overcoming faults, confessing secret sins recorded in the books, and seeking purification, sanctification, and reformation instead of remaining a fruitless consumer stone emitting no light. Many in every church have built that perishable amount and need humbling before the Lord with purification of His Spirit as first work unto great reformation, for defective, objectionable work that undermines confidence in God's warnings will be estimated by the Bible standard and consumed. Those who did such work suffer loss of works yet if they repent are pardoned by God's great mercy and made white and tried through straightforward repentance. Scheming, robbery, and trickery plant tares and block the way to one's own and family's salvation at cost of eternal life, and the work instead is to cleanse from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in fear of God by representing Christ's faultless character under temptation. Sin is too expensive to afford.
Each must think over and personally apply the chapter to test readiness for the Lord's coming, for many who think themselves prepared are not, and God helps those who apply it to confess Christ, bear testimony, separate from hindrances, know His will, walk in that pathway, come into marvelous light, and become free and all light in the Lord. Carelessness, foolishness, and entering things that have no business to be entered forfeit eternal life, and escape requires morning prayer when things go wrong, asking for the Spirit, receiving orders from above, and exercising living, active, working faith growing in grace and knowledge, with God giving words, courage, and building up to perfect character and keep from loss. Worthless material grasped and held fast at cost of time, money, and strength, taking too many responsibilities without proving self, weighing motives, or possessing God's love, pressing in own way and will, will be consumed, and to be saved under such loss is to be saved narrowly with all that work gone, with continuance risking life itself and eternity left out. Ministers must do thorough work with only imperishable material, for the bringer of hay, wood, and stubble is in danger of being burned with it, and building for eternal life now by bringing Christ's virtues into daily life with watching, prayer, earnest striving, and daily coming to Christ for help with present weakness decides between standing the judgment and losing eternal life. Constant self-examination is urged, since careless work brings no spiritual gain, degrades powers, and leaves underhanded conduct and unimportant pursuits without burden for souls to face exposure of every evil work.
Christ alone is the foundation on which every life is built as God's temple, and the final day will test each person's work by fire to show what sort it is. Work of gold, silver and precious stones will abide and receive a reward, while work of wood, hay and stubble will be burned so the builder suffers the loss of his work and its reward. To be saved yet so as by fire is to be saved narrowly as one escaping with everything burned, like a brand snatched from the burning, and such salvation comes only through straightforward repentance and conversion. Each person is the architect of his own character building, laying it daily brick by brick in small choices, where faith, love, kindly deeds and self-denying sacrifice endure, but selfishness, covetousness, ambition and sin are consumed. Therefore every builder must take heed how he builds, for leading souls to holiness and training children for God stands forever, while careless teaching, faultfinding, worldly conformity and selfish use of means and influence leave only ashes.
Foundation Fire and Materials
Jesus Christ is the only foundation that can be laid, and no other foundation is possible for any builder. Those built upon Him are God's husbandry and God's building, laborers together with God with differing works yet one object, each receiving his own reward according to his own labor. Together they are the holy temple of God where the Spirit of God dwells, which no one may defile without destruction, and no one should deceive himself with worldly wisdom which is foolishness with God or glory in men. Every builder must take heed how he builds upon that foundation, working out his own salvation while God works within to will and to do, consecrating body, soul, and spirit to Jesus, being transformed to His likeness and not conformed to worldly principles. Devising plans and suggesting methods for advancing God's work in this solemn period of earth's history is itself building on that one foundation, and the lesson applies to labor for souls where hardened hearts must be broken and subdued like soil under plough and harrow so the gospel seed of the Word can find favorable ground and produce a harvest.
Every person's work will be made manifest because the day will declare it by revealing fire that tries what sort each work is. That day is the day of judgment and final conflagration, when God places His estimate upon each work just as it is and tests its character and quality. Words, acts, spirit, and character are being formed for eternity, so people are warned to build carefully and faithfully as laborers together with Him bearing fruit to His glory. Work that fails the test is burned, and its builder suffers the loss of that work and its reward, though the builder himself is saved as one escaping through fire.
Gold, silver, and precious stones abide the trial, endure, shine through it, and receive a reward, while wood, hay, and stubble are consumed and bring loss with the whole life-work lost. Unfaithfulness in spiritual and eternal matters brings loss throughout eternity, in contrast to spiritual work that helps souls come to Jesus rather than spending time and energy on needless work with no lasting return. Worthless material includes false religion and selfishness, while true, simple, humble faith and steadfast principle are imperishable precious materials that retain their value. A person's consecration to God shapes future advancement and the place his work has in God's temple, but those who do not remain steadfast in confidence until the last great day face consumption of their worthless building with loss, though themselves saved through the fire.
God alone judges work by its quality rather than its quantity, keeping the ledger of heaven and measuring every action and the spirit that prompted it. The Lord looks upon the work that comes from the hands of His people and will judge every piece to see of what sort it is, and only He can tell the difference between worthless human devising and the true doctrines of grace that come through Jesus Christ. Therefore no one can estimate the influence of fellow workers, read the human heart, stand aloof as holier, measure himself against others by human standards, or exalt anything but His truth. Stinginess and selfishness, which is covetousness which is idolatry, is worthless material on the foundation stone that will be burned, even when a man thinks himself a sincere believer yet self has been the mainspring of action. To be saved yet so as by fire is to be saved as though his house with all his goods were burned and he alone escapes, suffering loss with a valueless lifework condemned by the Lord, as when a man traded unwisely on his Lord's goods, failed to increase his talents by the right kind of work, felt able to care for himself and too wise to need instruction, and at last sees himself bankrupt with life labors lost through miscalculation for want of unconsumable material. Such a one is saved only by repentance and conversion when he sees the wrong, and work taken as a whole that does not stand will secure him no reward in this life nor in the life to come, leaving him not proud to own such work in the judgment.
The fire is also purifying and refining, consuming dross and worthless material so that what remains is purified. Character and service built on the foundation are tested by those purifying fires of the last day, where gold, silver, and precious stones represent enduring traits and unprofitable service is represented by wood, hay, and stubble. The fires of affliction likewise reveal what character and religion are made of, for genuine faith endures suffering with patience and trust in Jesus while false hope and spurious religion are exposed as worthless to be consumed in the day of judgment. Gossiping, accusing brethren, and laying suspicion and distrust are worthless material on the foundation, bringing affliction, sorrow, and loss until those who engage in it are refined to see their errors, repent, return to the Lord, and are forgiven and accepted despite the loss from unused opportunities. Work in the heart represented by wood, hay, and stubble is fit to be consumed by purifying fire, and that corrupting spirit must be cleansed or the soul will be lost. The church is God's temple built after a heavenly pattern, where every stone is hewn and squared by divine measurement and polished to shine as an emblem of heaven radiating the bright beams of the Son of Righteousness, fed with manna from heaven and kept under grace and clad in complete armor of light and righteousness for her final conflict.
Division and Unity Call
Paul wrote to correct party division, envy and strife among believers who said I am of Paul and I am of Apollos, showing carnality and spiritual infancy as babes in Christ rather than sanctification through the truth. Such division into parties, withdrawing from some for reasons existing only in the imagination and binding up with others, is the cause of weakness in the church. Those who claim to believe yet link themselves to the one man under whose labors they received the light of present truth, acting as independent atoms instead of living in love and unity with brethren, need reconversion lest their claimed conversion become a stumbling block to sinners. Paul did not abandon such divided believers as irreclaimable but labored to bring them to a better understanding.
Paul and Apollos are only ministers by whom believers believed as the Lord gave to every man, with one planting and another watering but God giving the increase. He that planteth and he that watereth are one in object though their work differs in some respects, and all do not have the same work to do but are laborers together with God. Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor, while abiding work receives a reward and building of wood, hay and stubble that is burned brings loss of reward.
Believers must not cling to the human leader under whom they received light instead of standing in unity in love from one Source, with harmonious action in which each strengthens the other. If a man draws apart from his brethren over misconceived opinions and builds in self-confidence after his own notions, plans and desires without reference to his brethren, he lays a mass of suppositions which is only rubbish of wood, hay and stubble that shall be burned so he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved so as by fire. No one is to make a move independently or in opposition to fellow workers, but all are to counsel together and have seasons of prayer together, sinking self out of sight, since Christ is the living head and all are members of His body dependent on the head. Individuality in manner and bearing is allowed, but working together in perfect harmony is required, with the work of one matching the work of another, and each using God-given ability to the utmost for the upbuilding of Christ's kingdom because how workers build is for time and for eternity.
The chapter belongs to instruction and reproof given to ministers of the gospel and to all churches wherever located, to be read in every church and received for the soul's sake in searching of the Scriptures, with warning that unless hearts are humbled before God names will not be placed in the book of life. It is to be read and understood as a whole, and the words of the third chapter of First Corinthians are to be read, studied and prayed over. It is instruction of greatest importance to all who have entered the Lord's army, urging them to examine how they are carrying out their work for God and to give careful accounting of how God's resources are used in service that strengthens rather than damages the whole person and the cause. Its truth stands where men given to worldly pursuits and sharp worldly business traits count the preaching of the cross as foolishness, where not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, where God makes foolish the wisdom of this world and chooses the foolish, weak, base and despised things to confound the wise and mighty and bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh glories except in the Lord, who of God is made wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Faith and practice need to be energized by the Holy Spirit, no ruling power should compel men to obey dictates of the finite mind, and turning minds to lean on human wisdom places a veil between God and man so that He who is invisible is not seen.
Christian work is individual and each person is accountable for the work entrusted to him and must take diligent heed to his own course in presenting sanctifying truth to souls ready to die, making straight paths for feet and being controlled by the spirit proper to believers as sanctified channels of grace to the world and to angels and to men. No one should find fault with another's work but should improve himself, and no one should condemn a minister who emphasizes another phase of truth or presents the Word in a different way. Instead of criticizing others' work and accusing them of bringing wood, hay and stubble to the foundation, each person should make sure his own work will endure the testing purifying fire. The quality and beauty of God's building depend on the faithfulness and unity of His builders, and eternity will reveal results, with faithful workers receiving reward while indulgence of sin and careless service mar the work. All are called to be of one mind, love as brethren, be pitiful and courteous, rejecting prejudice, discord, envy, jealousy and evil surmisings that separate brethren from each other and from God and hinder manifestation of the Spirit.
Loss and Narrow Salvation
If the work built on Christ does not endure the testing fire of the day, it will be burned and the builder will suffer the loss of that work and its reward, with the whole lifework left in ashes and nothing to show for life, while work of gold, silver and precious stones that abides receives a reward according to labor. A Christian teacher who faithfully presents truth in purity and leads converts to holiness of heart and life brings precious material that stands and is honored as a wise builder, but one who neglects purity or spends the best of life teaching error gathers converts who will not stand, and though he may by repentance and faith be saved at last his work is lost, his life has failed of the good it might have secured, and souls have gone to ruin who might have been saved. The fire reveals and tests what sort each work is, placing God's estimate upon it just as it is, warning all to build carefully and faithfully since words, acts, spirit and character are being formed for eternity as laborers together with God, His husbandry, His building and His temple where His Spirit dwells and which must not be defiled.
To be saved yet so as by fire is to be saved narrowly, as one escaping with house and goods burned and he alone escaping, like brands snatched from the burning. It is bare personal rescue with lifework in ashes, the reward of faithful stewardship eternally forfeited, as when selfish economy in giving to broaden and build up God's work and robbing God by withholding time and physical and mental talents lays wood, hay and stubble that the fires of the last day consume, and the souls that might have been saved are lost through neglect of soul-winning. Worthless material brought to the foundation is things grasped by the human mind and held fast as if afraid to lose them, costing time and money and strength, taking on too many responsibilities instead of higher nobler use of capabilities, without proving self, weighing motives or possessing the love of God, pressing on in one's own way and obeying one's own will, with stinginess and selfishness which is covetousness which is idolatry, where self has been the mainspring of action though a man thinks himself a sincere believer. Only what is represented by gold, silver and precious stones should be brought, for continuing in the worthless course may cost life itself with eternity left out of the reckoning, and those who have piled wood, hay and stubble by abusing physical, mental and moral powers till injured almost beyond recovery will be saved only barely with total loss of life work. Such escape is as hurrying from rooftop to rooftop without returning for belongings to escape Jerusalem's ruin.
Such salvation is only if the builder sees his wrong and sincerely repents, with straightforward repentance and conversion that purifies and makes white and tried, bringing forgiveness. A deceived man who repents, a man who traded unwisely on his Lord's goods and did not increase his talents by doing the right kind of work, who felt able to take care of himself and too wise to need instruction, may at last see himself bankrupt and his life labors lost through miscalculation because he failed to bring good unconsumable material, and yet be saved by repentance and conversion. Those who have blundered along making little spiritual advancement and have worked in wrong lines, each charged with gaining his own salvation through Christ and able to do work as enduring as eternity, can still be narrowly saved if they repent and God forgives, the measure of honor and reward depending on unselfish giving of self to God and faithful cooperation in warning others and caring for souls for whom Christ paid the price. Even one who formed fixed habits of ambition, covetousness, love of pleasure and following the world, building character not after the divine likeness and living to serve and please self rather than to love and obey God, can still be saved at the last moment when affliction comes and hold on this life loosens, brought face to face with death, convicted of guilt, seeing lack of preparation, realizing Christ died for him, making genuine deathbed repentance and being received by Christ, but with loss of a wasted life.
Pardon does not change the character of the seed sown and does not turn briers and thistles into precious wheat, so when the harvest comes there will be only poisonous weeds where there should have been fields of waving grain because what was sown in wicked heedlessness still does its work of death. A man may repent of years of putting hay, wood and stubble on God's foundation — manufactured tests, claims to truth that cannot be substantiated syllable by syllable from the Word, falsehoods, human suppositions, fabrications presented as truth, error, heresies, sophistries and misinterpretations of Scripture — and still be saved as by fire with the rubbish consumed, but his loss is great. Souls he unsettled from the foundation may follow his example and never repent, and he cannot cure the mind he led astray, for time lost and harm done cannot be undone and souls may be lost through his influence, with the influence remaining to wound the cause and shame Jesus' name and the full consequences revealed at judgment, even though he may have acted conscientiously believing he worked in harmony with the Word. Safety requires taking heed how to build, entertaining faith and truth and righteousness in the heart, testing self by the Word and not by human ideas, and presenting only truth that will stand the fire of the last days and the judgment, because building is for eternity.
Solomon may be saved as by fire despite ruinous consequences of sin, yet his repentance could not erase the high places and stones that remained as evidence of his crimes, and his salvation did not undo the dishonor he brought to God by choosing lust over a life shaped by the divine nature. Lot's rescue so as by fire likewise illustrates grievous consequences of choosing worldly advantage over influences that foster Christian character, for though rescued from Sodom's destruction his possessions were destroyed, some of his children perished, his wife became a pillar of salt, and his other children were morally corrupted by the city. Faithful Waldensian missionaries who sowed the word of God at great personal risk may also lose fruit of labor yet themselves be saved, with the harvest of souls their work produced revealed on the day of God. A useless life brings infinite and eternal loss, for abilities and character cultivated with God's help and all refinement and elevation gained here are carried into heaven, but dwarfed capabilities, neglected self-culture, diminished and deteriorated talents and unimproved mental powers cannot be recovered or redeemed there. One who lets life slip away in idle dreaming builds wood, hay and stubble, and though through repentance he can still be saved as by fire he suffers loss of treasure that all eternity will testify to, just as education gained apart from character for service with God must be stripped away as having no value in the higher school, leaving the learner saved with all useless learning burned. To avoid that loss character must be purified and perfected now by moving forward step by step adding to faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, with God present so there is no fall and Christ multiplying human working for time and eternity in lawful striving for an imperishable crown, glorifying the Father, overcoming faults, for not one wrong will be righted and not one error of character removed after Jesus comes.
Character Building Tested
Every person must erect his own character building upon Jesus Christ as the only sure foundation, taking careful heed to the material brought to the foundation stone in faithful cooperation with the divine Builder. To a great extent each is the architect of his own character, endowed with intellectual and moral power for the work, with the structure drawing nearer to completion every day until life ends. The building is wrought point by point and stroke upon stroke, as bricks and stones laid by small daily choices, words, and acts, with faculties separate and distinct yet dependent on one another, so that one stone mislaid affects the whole and no flaw can remain. Every man's work so built will be made manifest and tried by fire in the day that declares what sort it is; if the material is faulty the lifework will burn and prove a failure with loss of reward, yet the builder himself can still be saved if he sees his wrong and sincerely repents.
Durable material that never perishes and abides the test is thank offerings and praise offerings, kindly deeds and self-denying sacrifices, more enduring and valuable than the gold of Ophir. It is gold, silver, and precious stones in the form of faith, hope, and love partaking of the divine nature and overcoming the corruption in the world through lust, with compassion, consideration, charity, patience, meekness, courtesy, guarded lips, and holiness proved by brotherly love and just dealing. Such building is done as laborers together with God by uniting with angels in ministering to others, living in companionship with heavenly angels by faith, teaching those in darkness, praying for faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and seeking living power from above with strengthened mental faculties. These lasting works improve both the doer and those connected with him, add to future happiness, and result in souls standing before God's throne.
Perishable material is selfishness and stinginess, which is covetousness which is idolatry, with self as the mainspring of action even while professing sincere belief. It includes ambition, love of pleasure, irritability and loss of self-control, sin, wasting time to weaken the soul, harmful habits that must be retraced, and a person's own inventions and human wisdom brought into character building instead of Christ the true wisdom. Such material is like rotten timbers put into the building, like base alloy destroying the value of gold so the divine impress is missing, and like filthy garments clung to as if precious which render the builder unfit for the mansions above. To be saved yet so as by fire in this sense is to escape as one whose house with all goods is burned, with lifework valueless and condemned, saved only by repentance and conversion after seeing bankruptcy through unwisely trading on entrusted goods and failing to bring unconsumable material.
Character must be built now in probation with no time to lose, by bringing the virtues of Christ's life into daily life while constantly watching, praying, striving earnestly, and going daily to Christ for help with present weakness to conquer as overcomers. Building with hay, wood, and stubble will not stand the test of the judgment, and failure in character building loses eternal life, whereas right building makes ready for Christ's appearing to receive eternal life. There is no preparation after Jesus comes, for the same character possessed when He comes is retained, and rough stones taken from the quarry must now be hewn by axe, hammer, chisel, burnishing and polishing, putting the will on God's side, overcoming every passion and fault with angelic help, since no imperfect character with jealousy or evil surmising will see inside the kingdom. A useless life brings infinite and eternal loss, for all refinement and elevation gained here by close connection with heaven is carried into heaven, but dwarfed capabilities, neglected self-culture, and deteriorated talents cannot be redeemed in the better world.
Education gained only in literary or scientific lines apart from the Bible is wood, hay, and stubble that must be stripped from the learner before he is counted worthy to enter the life that measures with the life of God. Years spent on textbooks from authors with no vital connection with God, books mixed with infidelity and unsound theories that exclude the Word, lessen its brightness, eclipse faith, and leave students unable to receive truth with reverence, are unnecessary work that wearies the mind, has no value with God, will die with those who obtain it, and will be consumed in the last great conflagration. To be saved in that way is to suffer loss with all useless learning burned away, entering eternity with only what is fit for heaven. God gives the present probation to prepare for the school above, forming characters He can approve by training in Christ's lines rather than worldly customs and amusements, weeding out unnecessary matters so the mind rises to the great themes of salvation and becomes fitted to co-labor with heavenly intelligences.
A repentant sinner who has injured body, soul, and faculties by sinful indulgence, liquor, tobacco, tea, and continual excitement may still in mercy be saved as by fire when light convinces of sin and there is repentance and seeking of pardon. God in pity, grace, and tenderness accepts the poor remnant of such an abused and suffering life, yet what is offered to a pure and holy God is at best an inferior and pitiful sacrifice. Wrong habits have paralyzed noble faculties, perverted aspirations, defaced soul and body, destroyed the body, dishonored God, and deprived Him of acceptable service. Salvation is real, but the loss and diminished service caused by sin remain, though Christ has made provision to restore God's moral image in those who cooperate with Him rather than oppose Him through self-indulgence and intemperance.
Soul Winning Enduring Work
A faithful teacher who presents truth in its purity and leads converts to holiness of heart and life lays precious, enduring material on the foundation and will be honored as a wise builder in the kingdom of God, while a teacher who neglects purity gathers converts who are not holy in heart and life and lays material that will not stand but will be burned in the day of God with loss to himself. Work prompted by love to God with His law as foundation, done in the character of Christ by the Spirit from above and wisdom from above, endures and stands the test, while work done in reliance on own strength and wisdom accomplishes little and is consumed as hay, wood, and stubble. One who has spent the best of life teaching error may yet by repentance and faith be saved at last, but his work is lost, his life has failed of the good it might have secured, and souls have gone to ruin who might have been saved by faithful presentation of truth, so every man must take heed how he builds.
Making soul-saving the life-work is building valuable, imperishable material of gold, silver, and precious stones on the true foundation, using means and influence and wisdom and tact with diligence and consistent example to gather children, relatives, neighbors, and friends separated from God by love of the world into the fold of Christ. Such building is faith and hope and love partaking of the divine nature, overcoming the corruption in the world through lust, studying the Bible, holding up discouraged hands, talking and praying and seeking to elevate those for whom Christ died. It secures a harvest of souls to stand before God's throne and insures a rich reward in the day of God, for those won through influence through Christ will when the redeemed are gathered home cast their glittering crowns at the Redeemer's feet, fill heaven with rich music, praise the Lamb that was slain upon the throne, and thank those who led them to accept truth of heavenly origin and brought them into right relation to God. God does not desire mere personal salvation with nothing to show for the life-work and only the worker's own soul saved, but work that brings others to Him and enters through the gates into the city to hear the benediction on the good and faithful servant and enter the joy of the Lord in seeing souls saved and travail of soul satisfied.
Spending life gathering earthly treasure while neglecting unsaved souls is building perishable wood, hay, and stubble that will be consumed in the fires of the last days when every man's work is tried of what sort it is. Making selfish economy in giving to broaden and build up God's work and robbing God by withholding means lays time and physical and mental talents as worthless material, and all improvements of years will be burned, leaving bare personal escape with the whole lifework in ashes, the reward of faithful stewardship eternally forfeited, and souls that might have been saved lost. Selfish spending of the Lord's money on photographs of human faces for selfish pleasure, fine crocheting and decorative work for personal or household pleasure, costly houses for dogs, dress extravagance, and other self-gratification builds upon the foundation what bears silent witness against the doer, for every dollar was required in saving souls and heralding the truth and proclaiming the last message of warning with self-denial and entire consecration, sowing seed beside all waters. Work that endures is done with an eye single to God's glory while abiding in Christ, with deep love for Christ, the mind of Christ, and tender sympathy and care for souls, especially the motherless and fatherless, grown through lifetime sanctification bearing good fruit and working the works of Christ.
Neglecting or indulging children and letting them follow their own way because it is easier lays wood, hay, and stubble and forms defective characters in parents and children that trouble churches. Indulging and pleasing those under charge by passing over faults lightly and giving the impression sin is not very offensive is unfaithful work that will not bear the test of the searching eye of God in the investigative judgment in the courts above, where the Lord will call such a worker unfaithful rather than pronounce the work well done. Training children as God's property to be educated, trained, restrained, polished, and refined for the heavenly courts, setting before them an example of self-denial and piety that leads them to avoid cheap indulgence and seek most earnestly to be children of God, lays gold, silver, and precious stones that endure for time and eternity, while setting affections on the world and disregarding truth and righteousness builds a family influence like a false signboard pointing the wrong way. Parents and children who built defectively may still be saved if they at last awaken to their defects, but they will not stand on the same footing or be regarded in the same light as those who followed God's will and way and devoted life to perfecting children's characters, for saints in light will differ in glory as one star differs from another star.
Teachers of youth will meet those in their care again around the great white throne, where work grounded in love to God and His law and influencing them for their eternal good endures, but careless conduct, uncultivated manners, and uncontrolled tempers that harm their spiritual good bring grave consequences. Workers must therefore be faithful to God and guard against letting human traits distort their representation of truth, for work lacking lasting worth will be consumed in the final judgment and the last conflagration.
The church is to be built on Jesus Christ, the only true foundation, with heavenly principles that endure through time and eternity as gold, silver, and precious stones, and it is marred when worldly-policy principles and objectionable material as wood, hay, and stubble that will not bear trial are introduced. Right building refuses to be guided by those who long knew present truth but have not yielded to its claims, refuses conformity to the world to gain influence with worldlings, separates from enemies of God, and stands firm for truth in all places, forming characters that make men laborers together with God and worthy of His commendation.
Enduring building is being laborers together with God after God's order with God's mold upon it and not man's, with an eye single to His glory and not from finite judgment, the willing and obedient doing His work wrought in righteousness as enduring as eternity and imperishable for the last days and ripening for the future life. It is uniting with angels in ministering to others, living in companionship of heavenly angels by faith, teaching those in darkness the truths that gave light, praying for faith that works by love and purifies the soul, seeking living power from above, with God strengthening mental faculties as He did Daniel's mind and giving apt words through the angel standing by. All human activity and zeal sanctified and directed by the Word into proper channels lays gold and silver and precious stones instead of hay, wood, and stubble, bringing unsearchable riches and treasures in heaven, the peace Christ gives, a home in the mansions prepared for obedient children, and an immortal inheritance as heir of God and joint heir with Christ, with every capability and talent brought to Christ to be blessed and sanctified to His service in readiness to meet Him in peace at the soon-coming end. Such good work done through truth, presenting principles of truth, carrying urgent influence from center to cities including the work in Washington against Sunday legislation, and laying a health institution's very foundation in solid timber with no defective timbers but only characters under special control of the Spirit and not working at cross purposes in variance and dissension, leads to God's approval.
Worthless Materials and Faithful Building
False doctrine laid on the foundation is hay, wood, and stubble that the fire will expose and consume, including manufactured tests and claims that cannot be substantiated syllable by syllable from the Word, false spiritualistic and corrupting theories, human suppositions and fabrications presented as truth, superficial and fictitious things, fables received in place of obedience to purifying truth, and fanciful speculations about the divine mystery of God's essence, strange new ideas, human theories, false science, and worthless ideas taught as food and made essential without a plain Thus saith the Lord. Such material will not stand the test of the last days and the judgment but will burn as chaff to wheat, and even conscientious builders who thought they worked in harmony with the Word suffer great loss when souls unsettled by error, heresies, sophistries, and misinterpretations follow their example and never repent, leaving a wound no cure can repair. Safety is to take heed how to build for eternity, to entertain faith and truth and righteousness in the heart, to test self by the Word and not by human ideas, to present only truth that will stand, and to be saved if at all only through conversion, repentance, humiliation, purification, and trial with no reward for that life's work. Scripture supplies the enduring gold, silver, and precious stones, while dealing in common things in place of the sacred brings only loss.
Faultfinding, harshness, and censure in work for children and for the church are wood, hay, and stubble to be laid no longer, and gossiping and accusing others are worthless material that brings affliction, sorrow, and loss until the worker is refined to see error, repent, and be converted. Talking together about mistakes and faults of brethren instead of searching the own heart with prayer and confession, pressing self in to make things appear in a wrong light, speaking unwise words manifesting suspicion and distrust of men bearing responsibilities, magnifying trifling things until a mote becomes a mountain, and grieving the Holy Spirit are bringing that perishable material to the foundation. Spending time thinking and speaking evil, carrying evil reports from church to church and conference to conference, criticizing fellow workers, and hindering gospel work, especially in the Southern field, weakens churches, institutions, and conferences, will be consumed by the fires of the last day, and will call every man engaged in it to account before God who hates this work. Instead of criticizing what others bring, each must make sure his own work will endure the purifying fire, bringing truth into the inner sanctuary of the soul with charity that suffers long and is kind, with the meekness and gentleness of Christ, with guarded lips and kind instruction.
Intellect, pleasant manners, life, activity, and precious time consumed in selfish gratification and indulgence are hay, wood, and stubble that will be burned with loss, while dishonest business and evading honest debt shape a worthless character that the test exposes. Dishonoring truth in works, denying truth, absorbing the Lord's money to make a show in dress and worldly extravagance, teaching in pride and selfishness, cheapening everything undertaken, amusing associates with wit and cheap nonsense, dragging others down, and using unsanctified cleverness to erect false standards pile perishable material whose fun and frolic will be seen as eternal loss when the Judge renders to every man according to deeds done in the body. Willfully degrading soul and body and defiling God's temple by continual excitement, cricket and football matches, horse-racing, liquor, tobacco, tea-drinking and other destroying drugs perverts reason, intelligence, talents, powers, and senses given for high and holy purposes, lessens healthful action of mind and body, and builds only what fire consumes. Such unworthy building brings loss in judgment, as when dangerous sentimentalism and spiritualistic affection toward one not a spouse forfeits blessing until there is repentance, conversion, guarding of mind and heart from impurity, giving the spouse first place in affection, and being true as steel to marriage vows in thought, word, and deed.
The mind becomes the same character as the food it is fed, so living on the superficial and fictitious builds an unreal, imaginary life that the last day consumes, while dealing with realities, solid truth, and practical verity builds what will stand through the stern realities just opening. Feeding on cheap, worthless, light, and fictitious reading, jesting and foolish talking, frivolous words, joking and cheap remarks, unsound textbooks, and publishing comic pieces, romances, novels, and coarse presentations without the Holy Spirit corrodes thought, dwarfs and cripples spiritual experience, separates from God, shows the heart holds no good treasure, turns minds from important subjects, and leaves words, actions, and attitudes toward others to reveal the result. It is leaving the cool snow waters of Lebanon for turbid streams of the valley, leaving study of God's word which is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, and no one continuing in that food can do God's work with clear-sighted perception. Only solid food must be taken into the hands and given to the mind, for advancement or weakness of conception follows the food fed, and a person is assimilated to the standard of the matter handled; becoming conversant with the Scriptures is the remedy for affections depraved and a heart made deceitful and false, and the Bible cannot be studied too much. Using capable workers for cheap, common business likewise squanders ability and does not prepare them to serve God intelligently, bringing loss rather than strengthening faith, knowledge, or ability for His work.
Bringing rubbish instead of gold, silver, and precious stones includes defective plans that exalt medical missionary work above gospel ministry, distract the church over their proper relation, retard God's work, and undermine confidence in last-day warnings, for which those who assisted must clear it away and can themselves be saved only if they repent and are pardoned by God's great mercy. Taking money sacredly dedicated to the Lord and donated for the Southern field and using it to cancel other debts, even debts owed to publishers by institutions elsewhere, mingles man's inventions with God's work and robs that field of its donated treasure under God's displeasure. Choosing commercial gain and worldly plans, including food work pursued for greater financial gain, over the ordained work of presenting truth as evangelists, ministers, canvassers, and in other responsible roles piles worthless material and leaves Christ's work undone. Enduring building requires dying to self, experimental religion pure and undefiled, humbled self bound to Christ, conviction allowed its work, breaking Satan's yoke and false paths bound on others, taking Christ's yoke, and gathering gems of truth that grow brighter under purifying fires instead of burning.
Those who all their lives abuse physical, mental, and moral powers till injured almost beyond recovery pile wood, hay, and stubble that will all be consumed, and if saved at all are saved barely as by fire with total loss of life work, so the greatest labor is not to be put forth for that outcast class while more promising work that will stand royally for truth is left undone. Neglecting God-given responsibilities brings loss in this life and the future, and a useless life leaves talents neglected and diminished through inaction beyond recovery hereafter, though abilities and character cultivated with God's help can be carried into heaven. A youth letting life slip in idle dreaming builds the same perishable material and, though repentance may save as by fire, suffers loss of treasure that all eternity will testify to, whereas building rightly moves forward step by step adding to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, with God present so there is no fall and Christ multiplying labor for time and eternity toward an imperishable crown. Misusing ability in cheap nonsense that drags others down is controlled by the tempter to ruin souls, for which Christ paid ransom by self-denial, self-sacrifice, humiliation, shame, and reproach.
Every builder must take heed how he builds on Jesus Christ the only foundation, in co-partnership with God who works in the person to will and to do while the person works out salvation, consecrating body, soul, and spirit, cooperating with Christ, and being transformed to His likeness and not conformed to worldlings. The day will declare every man's work of whatever sort by revealing fire that tries it, giving reward if it abides and loss if it burns, as in labor for souls where hardened hearts must be broken and subdued like soil under plough and harrow for gospel seed to yield harvest. Building in self-confidence after own notions, plans, and desires without reference to brethren, and drawing apart over misconceived opinions, lays only rubbish of suppositions, and laying every stone perfectly on the Rock requires solid timber and no haphazard work, hungering for righteousness and fighting the good fight of faith. God has given intellectual and moral power for character building, each person is largely architect of his own character with the structure nearing completion daily, and now is the time to cultivate those powers on the eternal rock for usefulness here and higher life hereafter, since words, acts, spirit, and character are forming for eternity.
Fireproof work is walking in the light and keeping in the channel of light, carefully economizing entrusted means, using every talent to increase, doing good and saving souls as faithful stewards, laying gold, silver, and precious stones instead of seeking worldly gain that fails. Work prompted by love to God with His law as foundation, done in Christ's character by the spirit and wisdom from above, in His strength, prayer, and consecration rather than own strength and wisdom, endures, while reliance on self accomplishes little and burns. True godliness with charity longsuffering and kind, meekness, gentleness, guarded lips, kind instruction, a high sense of sacred things, being imbued with Jesus' Spirit, doing all known duty so God can cooperate, helping associates to pure thoughts, holy conversation, and holy works, and living in self-denial and self-sacrifice will stand the last fires and bring unsearchable riches, peace, a mansion, and immortal heirship with Christ. Mere outward form without living experience leaves a person exposed, and mingling missionary efforts with commonplace things and bringing sacred things down to the common must perish.
To be saved when work is burned requires hearty repentance before God, conversion, cleansing the temple and the foundation from all falsehood and all that leads away from God and truth, overcoming faults, confessing secret sins recorded in the books, and seeking purification, sanctification, and reformation instead of remaining a fruitless consumer stone emitting no light. Many in every church have built that perishable amount and need humbling before the Lord with purification of His Spirit as first work unto great reformation, for defective, objectionable work that undermines confidence in God's warnings will be estimated by the Bible standard and consumed. Those who did such work suffer loss of works yet if they repent are pardoned by God's great mercy and made white and tried through straightforward repentance. Scheming, robbery, and trickery plant tares and block the way to one's own and family's salvation at cost of eternal life, and the work instead is to cleanse from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in fear of God by representing Christ's faultless character under temptation. Sin is too expensive to afford.
Each must think over and personally apply the chapter to test readiness for the Lord's coming, for many who think themselves prepared are not, and God helps those who apply it to confess Christ, bear testimony, separate from hindrances, know His will, walk in that pathway, come into marvelous light, and become free and all light in the Lord. Carelessness, foolishness, and entering things that have no business to be entered forfeit eternal life, and escape requires morning prayer when things go wrong, asking for the Spirit, receiving orders from above, and exercising living, active, working faith growing in grace and knowledge, with God giving words, courage, and building up to perfect character and keep from loss. Worthless material grasped and held fast at cost of time, money, and strength, taking too many responsibilities without proving self, weighing motives, or possessing God's love, pressing in own way and will, will be consumed, and to be saved under such loss is to be saved narrowly with all that work gone, with continuance risking life itself and eternity left out. Ministers must do thorough work with only imperishable material, for the bringer of hay, wood, and stubble is in danger of being burned with it, and building for eternal life now by bringing Christ's virtues into daily life with watching, prayer, earnest striving, and daily coming to Christ for help with present weakness decides between standing the judgment and losing eternal life. Constant self-examination is urged, since careless work brings no spiritual gain, degrades powers, and leaves underhanded conduct and unimportant pursuits without burden for souls to face exposure of every evil work.