Hi Bill Thank you for all your teachings in general. My good wife has been passing them on to me throughout my days at work. Bill, on this topic of rewards in heaven. I’m a Kiwi living in Australia. I guess my evangelical journey has been similar to what the American evangelical experience would be. We would listen to anything that came out of the USA over the last 38 years, so we were fairly well influenced. Like what others have experienced. We lost trust in the way church was going. We still struggle to commit to a local church. We find what they are about is still following the same old patterns of what they think church is. For the last 2 and1/2 years we have been continuously awakened and hungry for what I call the meat of Gods word. Coming first from the chaps at FAI and then all of those they have learnt from, influence and journey with. God is doing great things in small, humble and broken, but hungry hearts. This is where we are at. Back to my kind of question. Or maybe more a topical challenge is. Rewards in Heaven. I think of what I’ve heard in the past. preachers teaching about the gold silver and precious stones. And the reward seat of Christ. Or the Bema or Bimah Seat of Christ. I’ve heard it portrayed in a way that has left a picture in my head that looks like the Olympic Games ceremonies. But it will be Jesus giving out medals 🏅 of gold silver and stones. And all this is rewards earned from our works. Hay wood and stubble is selfish and misguided works that will burn up. This message (above) of your I heard today has already changed the look of this image I had. I’m wondering if you have your thoughts on the reward seat of Christ. I’m keen to see if they line up at all with my more up to date thoughts on how every believers rewarded works will look to us all when we all live in community during the new heaven and the new earth. It’s a big topic I know, but keen to hear your views. Kindest regards Paul.
Hi, Paul. Thanks for sharing. Those are good thoughts, and I'm not sure I can answer your questions in this format very well. I'll give it a stab. Certainly there will be rewards - some with more, some with less. The Sermon on the Mount is a good example, and other 2nd temple Jews talked in the same manner. Acknowledging that this age can be very difficult, and that the righteous don't often end up at the top, the subject of rewards in the age to come has long been a motivation to maintain a vibrant life of faith and sacrifice for God. Hope that addresses what you had in mind.
I have currently been reading this book of the gospel and it makes more since and more of confirmation after watching this video that this part of the scripture is talking about teachers!
Recently have across your stuff. Thank you for the teachings and insight. They have been encouraging and imparting strength and perseverance and endurance for me. Once again cheers brother.
Love the message of a foundation the imparts endurance. So necessary for all times, whether we live in comfort or persecution. The intent of our hearts will be, and is, tested by fire.
Hello Bill i would just like to say that i just found your channel and this video was great. You seem very doctrinally sound and intelligent. I’m looking forward to learning more from your videos about the Word.
Brother. I am halfway through the final session of your 5 part discipleship class. I wept many times and am thoroughly convicted. It made clear to me areas I have surrendered to the Lord and other areas that I am still Lording over. 80% of the ideas were rattling around in my head, but not in order and not with much clarity. I wanted to send an encouragement and thank you for your faithfulness.
Ray, thanks so much for the note. Really appreciate the encouragement. So glad to hear that your faith has been strengthened. May God's grace be with, bro.
I wish you explained MORE about being saved after one’s WORK is burnt up & through the Fire definition because the misunderstanding is immense, and it is unfortunately very vague in bible itself.
So basically when you teach while it's important to teach the peace and comfort parts taught in scripture you must also teach the necessity of growing a strong relationships with the Lord that will endure and you also need to make know that persecution will happen and that they need to be ready so they can endure when it happens. Am I correct
Thanks for the question. That is a fair explanation. I think the emphasis on the latter is quite important, and a vital part of trustworthy leadership. I hope that answers your question.
Hi. Good question. I wasn't commenting on John 15, nor only theology in general. I was just pointing out what it seems to me that I Corinthians 3 is saying. John 15 can still be saying something different. 👍🏻
Brother, are you saying that when it mentions “for the Day will make it clear”, it means to say during the Great tribulation, right before God’s wrath? And when it says that the work “endures”, you mean the teaching for the believers going through the trials, tribulation of “that Day”? I always read this thinking it was what it says, “on that Day”. God will judge our works, and reward each accordingly, on that Day. How do you get that this has to do with teachings on preparing the saints for persecution?
Sorry for the delay. Didn't see your question until today. In brief, already in the prophets "the day" has a pretty broad application. It basically references the entirety of Jewish eschatological expectation. By the time of Jesus and the Apostles there is already an expectation of a time of testing for the righteous prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of God (sometimes called the "footsteps of Messiah"). Elsewhere, (cf. Rev. 3:10) there is a time of great testing that will come upon the whole earth before the Messiah comes. Paul seems very conscious of this at other points. I assume he is referencing this here. Hope that helps. Grace to you, friend.
William Scofield thank you for the reply! I’ll rewatch and read the passage again. That is a new perspective on this passage, but it is definitely not a “twisting” like some unfortunately do. Thank you brother, and God bless you!
Hi there. This isn't a commentary on Catholic theology. I am not a Catholic, and disagree with with many of their views. Yet, that isn't because of a Protestant/Catholic dispute. I think many of their views fail accommodate what history has proven true about first century Judaism. This is one example, in my opinion. The language used in 1 Cor. 3:10-15 is most at home within a first century Jewish view of eschatology. Hope that helps. Feel free to reach out with any other questions. Blessings.
Does 1 Cor 3:15 support once saved always saved (osas) even if someone doesn't live a repentant life? I just found your site seeking other interpretations as Missler was teaching osas on this verse. But I didn't agree with his take on Lot as an analogy that Lot was living in sin and was saved from the city's fiery destruction, but where in the Bible does it say Lot was himself living in sin? It doesn't. EVen Peter called Lot 'just' and talked well of him. There are so many verses that appear not to support osas. Why would Jesus warn all the churches about having their lampstands removed if they didn't overcome (especially Rev 3:5); James 5:19-20 James is speaking to believers/brethren, a nonbeliever wouldn't know how the truth to go back to it; Matthew 7:21 ; 1 John 1:5-10; Matt 16:24-28; Matthew 10:38-39; why did Jesus say the path is narrow and few will find it but many will go the wide path to destruction? I do not understand osas, what am I missing that others are seeing about it being ok to sin and be a Christian, no repentance necessary you will go to heaven? I thank you for your exegesis of this passage, 1Cor 3:15, it doesn't seem to support osas but rather if a teacher's doctrines were solid to help believers persevere and overcome, which makes much more sense to me. If you have verses that actually support osas I would love to know them. It seems 90% of teachers teach this but I can't seem to understand it in light of the Scriptures shared above...and there are so many more, but only so much space and time to share. God bless you with your ministry as you seek to place brick by brick His doctrines onto His foundation so that all may be ready to see His Holy precious face
Hi Jean. Sorry for the delay in getting back with you. There is certainly no teaching of eternal security in 1 Cor; or in any other NT letters. During this period, being ‘saved’ was primarily an eschatology concern. The way we think about has changed significantly. John Wesley addressed the subject well (with a very cheeky tone): “Calvinists, who deny that salvation can ever be lost, reason on the subject in a marvelous way. They tell us, that no virgin’s lamp can go out; no promising harvest be choked with thorns; no branch in Christ can ever be cut off from unfruitfulness; no pardon can ever be forfeited, and no name blotted out of God’s book! They insist that no salt can ever lose its savor; nobody can ever ‘receive the grace of God in vain’; ‘bury his talents’; ‘neglect such great salvation’; trifle away ‘a day of grace’; ‘look back’ after putting his hand to the gospel plow. Nobody can ‘grieve the Spirit’ till He is ‘quenched,’ and strives no more, nor ‘deny the Lord that bought them’; nor ‘bring upon themselves swift destruction.’ Nobody, or body of believers, can ever get so lukewarm that Jesus will spew them out of His mouth.” Shalom
There’s a reason Jesus has Paul write Paul laid the foundation of Jesus Christ. Rom 16:25Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Jesus identifies this preaching according to a mystery as Pauls gospel. Paul is preaching his gospel according to the mystery given to him for the body of Christ and Peters kingdom gospel is for the jews times past and future. If there’s any question they are different gospels look at the Acts 2 kingdom program. Acts 3:19-21 says when these jews have their sins blotted out which is the second coming. The body of Christ doesn’t just get remission/temporary forgiveness of sins till the second coming. We are forgiven immediately upon believing Pauls gospel.
Wow! Thank you so much for this! I have always wondered about this passage and you made it immediately apparent! God Bless you!
This brings clarity to the scriptures thanks for posting. God Bless you and your ministry
Thank you, Sandeep. May God's grace be with you as well.
Hi Bill
Thank you for all your teachings in general. My good wife has been passing them on to me throughout my days at work. Bill, on this topic of rewards in heaven. I’m a Kiwi living in Australia. I guess my evangelical journey has been similar to what the American evangelical experience would be. We would listen to anything that came out of the USA over the last 38 years, so we were fairly well influenced. Like what others have experienced. We lost trust in the way church was going. We still struggle to commit to a local church. We find what they are about is still following the same old patterns of what they think church is.
For the last 2 and1/2 years we have been continuously awakened and hungry for what I call the meat of Gods word. Coming first from the chaps at FAI and then all of those they have learnt from, influence and journey with. God is doing great things in small, humble and broken, but hungry hearts.
This is where we are at.
Back to my kind of question. Or maybe more a topical challenge is. Rewards in Heaven.
I think of what I’ve heard in the past. preachers teaching about the gold silver and precious stones. And the reward seat of Christ. Or the Bema or Bimah Seat of Christ. I’ve heard it portrayed in a way that has left a picture in my head that looks like the Olympic Games ceremonies. But it will be Jesus giving out medals 🏅 of gold silver and stones. And all this is rewards earned from our works. Hay wood and stubble is selfish and misguided works that will burn up.
This message (above) of your I heard today has already changed the look of this image I had.
I’m wondering if you have your thoughts on the reward seat of Christ.
I’m keen to see if they line up at all with my more up to date thoughts on how every believers rewarded works will look to us all when we all live in community during the new heaven and the new earth. It’s a big topic I know, but keen to hear your views.
Kindest regards
Paul.
Hi, Paul. Thanks for sharing. Those are good thoughts, and I'm not sure I can answer your questions in this format very well. I'll give it a stab.
Certainly there will be rewards - some with more, some with less. The Sermon on the Mount is a good example, and other 2nd temple Jews talked in the same manner. Acknowledging that this age can be very difficult, and that the righteous don't often end up at the top, the subject of rewards in the age to come has long been a motivation to maintain a vibrant life of faith and sacrifice for God.
Hope that addresses what you had in mind.
Bill, this was great. I was reading in this chapter and wondered about this, so thank you for confirming this for me.
Thank You Brother for sharing this Passage I clearly understand now the context of that passages that You're sharing God Bless You 😇🙏
I have currently been reading this book of the gospel and it makes more since and more of confirmation after watching this video that this part of the scripture is talking about teachers!
Thanks for the feedback, Robert. Glad you found it helpful.
The best explanation I’ve received so far, thank you!
Keep spreading God's word...thank you Jesus💚
Recently have across your stuff. Thank you for the teachings and insight. They have been encouraging and imparting strength and perseverance and endurance for me. Once again cheers brother.
Thanks for the encouraging words. Grace to you, friend.
Love the message of a foundation the imparts endurance. So necessary for all times, whether we live in comfort or persecution. The intent of our hearts will be, and is, tested by fire.
Amen. Great to hear from you, Preston. Pray you guys are well. :-)
Just wao.... Short and very informative... Thank you and God bless you
Hello Bill i would just like to say that i just found your channel and this video was great. You seem very doctrinally sound and intelligent. I’m looking forward to learning more from your videos about the Word.
Brother. I am halfway through the final session of your 5 part discipleship class. I wept many times and am thoroughly convicted. It made clear to me areas I have surrendered to the Lord and other areas that I am still Lording over. 80% of the ideas were rattling around in my head, but not in order and not with much clarity. I wanted to send an encouragement and thank you for your faithfulness.
Ray, thanks so much for the note. Really appreciate the encouragement. So glad to hear that your faith has been strengthened. May God's grace be with, bro.
many thanks
This was very helpful.
Glad it was helpful, friend.
I wish you explained MORE about being saved after one’s WORK is burnt up & through the Fire definition because the misunderstanding is immense, and it is unfortunately very vague in bible itself.
So basically when you teach while it's important to teach the peace and comfort parts taught in scripture you must also teach the necessity of growing a strong relationships with the Lord that will endure and you also need to make know that persecution will happen and that they need to be ready so they can endure when it happens. Am I correct
Thanks for the question. That is a fair explanation. I think the emphasis on the latter is quite important, and a vital part of trustworthy leadership. I hope that answers your question.
Didn't Jesus say that if you don't bear fruit you would be cut off? (John 15:2 and 6) How do these verses fit in with the saved as by fire verse?
Hi. Good question. I wasn't commenting on John 15, nor only theology in general. I was just pointing out what it seems to me that I Corinthians 3 is saying.
John 15 can still be saying something different. 👍🏻
It means that anyone's work not built on the foundation of Jesus Christ will not stand judgment.
Brother, are you saying that when it mentions “for the Day will make it clear”, it means to say during the Great tribulation, right before God’s wrath? And when it says that the work “endures”, you mean the teaching for the believers going through the trials, tribulation of “that Day”?
I always read this thinking it was what it says, “on that Day”. God will judge our works, and reward each accordingly, on that Day.
How do you get that this has to do with teachings on preparing the saints for persecution?
Sorry for the delay. Didn't see your question until today. In brief, already in the prophets "the day" has a pretty broad application. It basically references the entirety of Jewish eschatological expectation. By the time of Jesus and the Apostles there is already an expectation of a time of testing for the righteous prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of God (sometimes called the "footsteps of Messiah"). Elsewhere, (cf. Rev. 3:10) there is a time of great testing that will come upon the whole earth before the Messiah comes. Paul seems very conscious of this at other points. I assume he is referencing this here. Hope that helps. Grace to you, friend.
William Scofield thank you for the reply! I’ll rewatch and read the passage again. That is a new perspective on this passage, but it is definitely not a “twisting” like some unfortunately do. Thank you brother, and God bless you!
Is it about purgotary? M a Catholic n I need to Kno whether Catholicism is true/noy
Hi there. This isn't a commentary on Catholic theology. I am not a Catholic, and disagree with with many of their views. Yet, that isn't because of a Protestant/Catholic dispute. I think many of their views fail accommodate what history has proven true about first century Judaism.
This is one example, in my opinion. The language used in 1 Cor. 3:10-15 is most at home within a first century Jewish view of eschatology. Hope that helps. Feel free to reach out with any other questions. Blessings.
Does 1 Cor 3:15 support once saved always saved (osas) even if someone doesn't live a repentant life? I just found your site seeking other interpretations as Missler was teaching osas on this verse. But I didn't agree with his take on Lot as an analogy that Lot was living in sin and was saved from the city's fiery destruction, but where in the Bible does it say Lot was himself living in sin? It doesn't. EVen Peter called Lot 'just' and talked well of him.
There are so many verses that appear not to support osas. Why would Jesus warn all the churches about having their lampstands removed if they didn't overcome (especially Rev 3:5); James 5:19-20 James is speaking to believers/brethren, a nonbeliever wouldn't know how the truth to go back to it; Matthew 7:21 ; 1 John 1:5-10; Matt 16:24-28; Matthew 10:38-39; why did Jesus say the path is narrow and few will find it but many will go the wide path to destruction? I do not understand osas, what am I missing that others are seeing about it being ok to sin and be a Christian, no repentance necessary you will go to heaven?
I thank you for your exegesis of this passage, 1Cor 3:15, it doesn't seem to support osas but rather if a teacher's doctrines were solid to help believers persevere and overcome, which makes much more sense to me.
If you have verses that actually support osas I would love to know them. It seems 90% of teachers teach this but I can't seem to understand it in light of the Scriptures shared above...and there are so many more, but only so much space and time to share.
God bless you with your ministry as you seek to place brick by brick His doctrines onto His foundation so that all may be ready to see His Holy precious face
Hi Jean. Sorry for the delay in getting back with you. There is certainly no teaching of eternal security in 1 Cor; or in any other NT letters. During this period, being ‘saved’ was primarily an eschatology concern.
The way we think about has changed significantly. John Wesley addressed the subject well (with a very cheeky tone):
“Calvinists, who deny that salvation can ever be lost, reason on the subject in a marvelous way. They tell us, that no virgin’s lamp can go out; no promising harvest be choked with thorns; no branch in Christ can ever be cut off from unfruitfulness; no pardon can ever be forfeited, and no name blotted out of God’s book! They insist that no salt can ever lose its savor; nobody can ever ‘receive the grace of God in vain’; ‘bury his talents’; ‘neglect such great salvation’; trifle away ‘a day of grace’; ‘look back’ after putting his hand to the gospel plow. Nobody can ‘grieve the Spirit’ till He is ‘quenched,’ and strives no more, nor ‘deny the Lord that bought them’; nor ‘bring upon themselves swift destruction.’ Nobody, or body of believers, can ever get so lukewarm that Jesus will spew them out of His mouth.”
Shalom
There’s a reason Jesus has Paul write Paul laid the foundation of Jesus Christ. Rom 16:25Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith
Jesus identifies this preaching according to a mystery as Pauls gospel. Paul is preaching his gospel according to the mystery given to him for the body of Christ and Peters kingdom gospel is for the jews times past and future.
If there’s any question they are different gospels look at the Acts 2 kingdom program. Acts 3:19-21 says when these jews have their sins blotted out which is the second coming. The body of Christ doesn’t just get remission/temporary forgiveness of sins till the second coming. We are forgiven immediately upon believing Pauls gospel.