Fire is something I have always feared. I was never one of those kids that was fascinated by matches and the lighting of a fire. That has not changed I still am fearful of fire. Fire is never something to be played with. The Bible has a lot to say about fire. The most common theme where a fire is involved that we think of is the Lake of Fire or Hell. This is a place of eternal punishment for those who refuse to trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This place was created for the devil and his angels. It was never intended for the human race.
Matthew 45:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
Christ died for all, but all will not receive him. So, some have chosen Hell over Heaven. Those who are doomed to Hell reveal that they did not trust Jesus as the sacrifice for their sins.
Another way fire is used in scripture is to refine. When something is refined, it does not destroy it, and it does not consume it completely like it would in an incinerator. To refine is to purify. When gold or precious metals need to be pure, they melt it down so that the dross or impurities separate out. This process increases the value of the gold. God does the same thing with us, he “turns up the heat” to see what we are really made of. Will we keep following even when it is very difficult? Will we allow Him to purify us for His glory?
Malachi 3:2-3 “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”
The next passage is a place where all Christians will “face the fire.” Those who are saved will stand before God one day, not to determine if we will go to Heaven or Hell, which was settled at our moment of salvation but to determine if our works were of value to God. This will be a time to determine our rewards from God. We will present to him what we have done for Him. He will throw it into the fire to see if it is made of wood, hay, stubble or gold, silver, or precious stones. We all know what happens to wood, hay, and stubble when thrown into the fire, it burns! It not only burns but burns up fast and furious until it is destroyed. If your works pass through the fire unhurt, they will come out genuine and be pleasing to the Lord. Those rewards will be the basis for the crowns we receive. Crowns not for our glory, but crowns we will cast at His feet as a gift to Him.
I Corinthians 3:12-15 “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. “
So much of what we do on this earth in the name of Jesus doesn’t mean anything to Him. His desire for our lives is to please Him by valuing the things he values. We should have a pure, sincere, desire to please Him in all that we do. We are to love others as ourselves, to love God above everything else. He loves people, he died for people, but he wants us to be his legs, feet, and mouth, to bring others to him. Nothing will be of greater value to God than bringing others to Him through salvation. Those are the kind of works that will be viewed as gold. These works, the fire will not destroy! These are the works I want for my life. I want so much to be given rewards that I can give back to Him. I long to influence others to accept Him as their Savior and influence others to live a holy life to please Him.
What will you have to offer Him?
Excellent