Christian is spiritually proud, self- seeking, vainglorious—and Satan all too often causes the Christian’s testi mony to be so marred—to such a man the Holy Spirit says, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.” [A.S.V.] With Job, such a man could say, “I am escaped with the skin of my teeth” (Job 19:20); except that Job referred to physical suffering, whereas the man described in I Cor. 3:15 is speaking of being saved from eternal condemna tion—just barely saved. That man who barely gets to heaven will have no trophies of grace, in the form of souls won to Christ, to be to the praise of His glory. He will have received his reward from men here on earth, if his motives in service were selfish. If he endowed a hospital, for example, just to make a name for himself, yet in the name of Christian charity, he will have received his praise from men. Then why should he expect a “Well done” from the Lord Jesus? He will be saved, but will have no crowns laid up in glory for soul-winning, for sacrificial service for Jesus’ sake. Yes, there will be degrees of reward in heaven, as well as degrees of pun ishment in hell. The God of all justice will rightly reward the Apostle Paul in ways that the repentant thief on the cross does not deserve; for think of the difference in the work accom plished by these two for the glory of God! Read what God says about the crowns He offers for those who will put Christ first: 1. “The Crown of Life” (James 1:12). “Blessed is the man that en- dureth temptation (or ‘trials,’ A.S.V.): for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” 2. “A Crown of Righteousness” (II Tim. 4:8). When Paul was nearing the end of his earthly pilgrimage, he wrote these familiar words: “I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
BODIES OF THE DEAD Q. In what body will the wicked dead be raised to stand before the great white throne? We know that the Christian’s body is sown a material body, and raised a glorified body, like Christ’s. But what of the wicked dead? A. The Spirit of God describes the resurrection body of the believer, but is strangely silent in regard to the nature of the resurrection body of an unbeliever. All we know is that the body of the unbeliever will come forth from the grave at the resurrection of the unjust, will stand before the great white throne, and will there be judged. Read John 5:29; Rev. 20:11-15. ETERNAL SECURITY Q. If the believer in Christ is eter nally secure, why should the Lord give him the warning of Rev. 3:11: “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”? A. The Lord Jesus did not say, “. . . that no man take thy salvation,” but He did say, “. . . that no man take thy crown.” These two statements mean entirely different things. Salva tion is the free gift of God. The crowns are rewards for service rendered in Jesus’ name and for His glory, after one has been born again. They are to be given at “the judgment seat of Christ,” where only the redeemed shall stand before God and His holy angels. [See Rom. 4:10; II Cor. 5:10.] I can not see any difficulty in this passage. If you are a really born-again soul, no one can take your salvation from you. But if you neglect your duty, and allow others to step in and do what Christ intends you to do, then they will receive your crown, or re ward. A careful reading of I Cor. 3:11-15 makes very clear the meaning of re wards, as distinguished from the gift of salvation. “If any man’s work abide,” which he has done in the serv ice of Christ—after believing in His finished work on Calvary, “he shall receive a reward.” But suppose a
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at the day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 3. “An Incorruptible Crown” (I Cor. 9:25). “Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a cor ruptible crown; but we an incorrupt ible”—for running the Christian race with singleness of purpose. 4. “A Crown of Glory” (I Pet. 5:4). “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” The con text shows that this reward is to those who are faithful in feeding “the flock of God.” 5. The Martyr’s Crown (Rev. 2:10). “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” 6. The “Crown of Rejoicing” (I Thess. 2:19,20). “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” This is the soul-winner’s crown. But concerning the free gift of sal vation, read: Rom. 1:16,17; 5:6-8; Eph. 2:8-10; Col. 1:14; Titus 3:5; I Pet. 1:18,19; 2:24; and literally dozens of similar passages! PRAYER FOR UNSAVED Q. Should we pray for the unsaved? A. By all means! We find in the Bible a number of such prayers. The Lord has set an example in Luke 23: 34 where He prayed for His own murderers. There is no greater joy than that of soul-winning. “He that winneth souls is wise . . . And they that be wise shall shine as the bright ness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Prov. 11:30; Daniel 12:3). And how can a mere mortal point a human soul to the living God, except through prayer and utter dependence upon Him?
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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