2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
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You’ve seen the sad scene repeated on the evening news. A broken person interviewed in front of the charred remains of their home. They are grateful to be alive but they lost everything! Their entire life lies in smoldering ruins behind them.

It may come as a surprise to many Christians that they will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and the Bible says some will find their life work consumed and destroyed by fire.

“But I thought all my sins were forgiven!”. They are. The judgment seat of Christ is not a matter of being judged for sin, like in a court of law, but rather, a judging for reward, more like the judging of an art exhibit. Reward will be handed out based upon what we did with what God gave us – talent, resources, opportunities, abilities, skills.

According to 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, our works will be subjected to fire which will destroy all the works of the flesh leaving only what we did of eternal value – those treasures we stored in heaven. Some will lose everything yet they “will be saved” because of their faith in Christ.

This awareness caused Paul to live deliberately rather than casually (1 Corinthians 9:25-27). It created a sense of urgency in his ministry and message. A wise person, aware of the coming flames, will store treasure where it is safe.

Lord, it is so easy to be distracted by the “stuff” of this world – accumulating it, maintaining it, upgrading it, protecting it, replacing it, etc. I want to be wise enough to live for eternity, living for THAT day not this day. Father, when the fire is applied to my life I want to have something left to present to You.
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1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.