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Will our works be tested as to th eir quantity or as to th e ir QUALITY? 1 Cor. 3:13: “E v e ry m a n ’s w o r t s h a ll be m ad e m a n ife s t; fo r th e d a y s h a ll d e c la re it, b e c a u se i t s h a ll be re v e a le d b y fire; a n d th e fire s h a ll t r y e v e ry m a n ’s w o rk of w h a t s o r t i t is.’’ ■ Suppose in th a t day, it is found th a t a Christian’s works are not of endur ing character—w hat will he lose and what will he still have left? 1 Cor. 3:15: “I f a n y m a n ’s w o rk sh a ll be b n rn e d , he s h a ll su ffe r lo ss ; b u t h e h im se lf sh a ll be sa v e d ; y e t so a s b y fire.” (The fact th a t th ere will be degrees of rew ard does not mean th a t anyone in heaven will be unhappy, but it does mean th a t some will have far g reater capacity for happiness th an others. All will be as happy as it is possible for them to be. Every m an’s cup will be full but not every cup will hold thé same qu an tity ). In view of all this, what should the Christian be careful to do? T itus 3:8: « T h is is a f a ith fu l s a y in g , a n d th e s e th in g s I w ill t h a t th o u affirm c o n s ta n tly , th a t th e y w h ic h h a v e b eliev ed in God m ig h t h e c a re fu l to m a in ta in good w o rk s.’’, MS sir “IT WORKS WELL !” The famous American preacher Dr. Pentecost once met a freethinker, who tw itted the divine for pu tting any faith in the Bible, seeing th a t the au tho r ship of some of its p arts was so un certain, and the subject of such de bate. “Look here,” said the doctor, “who wrote th e m ultiplication-table?” “I don’t know ,” confessed th e sceptic. “W h at a man you a re !” said .D r. Pen tecost. “You believe it and you use it, and yet you don’t know who w rote it.” This placed th e caviller in some diffi culty, bu t th ink ing he saw a way of wriggling ou t of it, he said: “But the multiplication tab le works w ell!” “Doubtless,” was th e trium ph an t re to rt of the preacher, "and so does the B ible!”
Why cannot an unsaved man appeal to God th rough h is works? Eph. 2 j 2: “W h e re in in tim e p a s t y e w a lk e d a c c o rd in g to th e c o u rse o f th is w o rld , a c c o rd in g to th e p rin c e o f th e p o w e r o f th e a ir, th e s p ir it t h a t w o rk e th in th e c h ild re n o f d iso b ed ien ce.” Another distinction between salva tion and rew ards is th a t salvation is a present possession whereas rewards are to be bestowed in th e future. When do we receive our salvation? Jn. 5:24; 6:47: “V erily , v e rily , I s a y u n to y o u , H e t h a t h e a re th m y w o rd , a n d b e lie v e th o n h im th a t s e n t m e, h a th e v e rla s tin g life , a n d s h a ll n o t com e in to c o n d em n a tio n ; b u t is p a sse d fro m d e a th u n to life .” “H e t h a t b e lie v e th on m e h a th e v e r la s t in g life .” When will Christians be rewarded? Mt. 16:27; 1 Pet. 5 :4 ; Mt. 25:19: “F o r , th e Son o f m a n s h a ll com e in th e g lo ry o f h is F a th e r w ith h is a n g e ls : a n d th e n h e s h a ll r e w a r d e v e ry m a n a c c o rd in g to h is w o rk s.” “A nd w h e n th e c h ie f S h ep h erd sh a ll a p p e a r, y e s h a ll re c e iv e a c ro w n o f g lo ry t h a t fa d e th n o t a w a y .” “A fte r a lo n g tim e th e lo rd o f th o se s e rv a n ts co m eth , a n d re c k o n e th w ith them .?’ F o r w hat will a special “ crown” be awarded? Jas. 1:12: “B lesse d is th e m a n t h a t e n d u re th te m p ta tio n : fo r w h e n h e is trie d , h e s h a ll re c e iv e th e c ro w n o f life , w h ic h th e L o rd h a th p ro m ise d to th e m th a t lo v e h im .” W ill it be made w orth while to the Christian to have lived a tem perate life? 1 Cor. 9:25: “A nd e v e ry m a n t h a t s tr iv e th fo r “th e m a s te ry is te m p e ra te in a ll th in g s . N ow th e y do i t to o b ta in a c o rru p tib le c ro w n ; b u t w e a n in c o rru p tib le .” F o r w hat service is a special reward promised in Dan. 12:3? “A nd th e y t h a t b e w ise s h a ll sh in e a s th e b rig h tn e s s of th e firm a m e n t; a n d th e y th a t tu r n m a n y to rig h te o u s n e s s as th e s t a r s fo r e v e r a n d ev e r.” Does it make any difference wbat foundation a man builds his work upon? 1 Cor. 3:11-12: « F o r o th e r fo u n d a tio n c a n n o m a n la y th a n th a t is laid , w h ic h is J e s u s C h rist. N ow if a n y m a n b u ild u p o n th is fo u n d a tio n g o ld , s ilv e r, p re c io u s sto n e s, w ood, h ay , stu b b le ,” (Gold, silver and precious stones are symbolical of works which will stand th e test. Wood, hay and stubble are perishable m aterials and speak of th e works which are not enduring.)
AND NIGHT. (See Inside Front Cover)
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