Lessons #89 and 90
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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Building in Corinth (1 Cor 3:10-15)
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 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. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
The overall message of this passage is that If you want your activities as a Christian to be rewarded in the future by God then they must be Christ-centered. This message, as we stated previously, requires considering four major assertions of responsibilities of the believer as given in this passage. Our last study was concerned with the fourth major assertion of responsibility which is that you should understand there are two major reasons for caution to be careful regarding your activities as they relate to the advancement of the church of Christ or His cause. We have considered the first two reasons of this fourth major assertion of responsibility. The first is that no one can found another church that deserves the name “church of Christ” in the same location that a community of believers exists by preaching a different Christ, Apostle Paul preached. The second is that every of your activity will be evaluated for reward or loss. This truth, as we stated in our last study, the apostle conveyed figuratively using building analogy in which a building may or may not withstand being subjected to fire depending on the building materials used. In developing this second reason, there are four truthful principles the apostle conveyed. A first truthful principle derived from 1 Corinthians 3:12 is that any activity that will be rewarded in the eternal state must be based on the word of God correctly taught and applied.
We have thus far emphasized the importance of receiving correct biblical teaching but before we get to the second truthful principle associated with the second reason for being careful in the believer’s activities because of reward or loss of it, we should emphasize the importance of correct application of the word of God. It is unfortunate that some believers think that if they devoted themselves to the learning of the word of God that they have met the requirement for being rewarded in the eternal state. That is one essential part involved in the activities of believers, the other being application. It is no wonder that the Lord Jesus, during His earthly ministry, emphasized the importance of application of biblical truths one receives, as we learn from Luke 11:28:
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Correct application of the word of God requires the filling of the Spirit. This means that at the time of study of the word of God, the believer must be filled of the Spirit and this should also be the case at the time of application. We are saying that any activity that is not carried out under the filling of the Spirit would be equivalent to building with a building material that is combustible and therefore unable to be rewarded. There should be no doubt that the filling of the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the activities of believers because living correctly as a believer is related to the instruction to be filled of the Spirit, as we read in Ephesians 5:15–18:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
The point is that it is important that whatever activity the believer is involved in, if it is going to be rewarded should be carried out under the control of the Holy Spirit. With this caveat, we continue to consider the second truthful principle that apostle intended for us to learn regarding the second reason for cautioning believers about their activities intended to advance the church of Christ or the cause of Christ.
A second truthful principle that every believer should recognize as it related to his/her activities in the advancement of the church of Christ or in the cause of Christ is that all your activities will be divinely evaluated. By the way, believers’ activities are described in terms of works as indicated in the first sentence of 1 Corinthians 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is. An alternative translation is the work of each will become evident. The alternative translation enables the sentence to be applied to every believer although the Greek that literally reads each man’s work will be revealed implies a man is involved which will limit its application either to those who are ministers of the word of God or male believers. But that is not what the Holy Spirit intends to convey since the epistle contains truthful principle applicable to all believers. Of course, we should understand that the word “man” when used in most cases in the Scripture refers to both male and female. Hence, the literal phrase the work of each or his work of the NIV refers to the work of every believer.
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
The clause if their purpose or activity is of human origin may alternatively be translated if this plan or this matter is from people although literally the word “matter” is “work.” The Greek word may mean “deed, action”, that is, that which displays itself in activity of any kind. It is with the meaning “deed” that Apostle Paul used it to convey that every activity of the believer should be carried out with glorifying God in the mind of the believer in Colossians 3:17:
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
It is in the sense of “action” that the word is used in the instruction of the Holy Spirit through Apostle John as it pertains displaying of love in 1 John 3:18:
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
The Greek word may mean “work, occupation, task” in the sense of that which one does as regular activity. It is in the sense of “task” that the word is used to describe the desire to occupy the office of an overseer of a local church in 1 Timothy 3:1:
Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.
It is with the meaning “work” that the Greek word is used by Apostle Paul to describe the activities of Epaphroditus that nearly cost him his life, as we read in Philippians 2:30:
because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
The Greek word may mean “product, undertaking, work” in the sense of that which is brought into being by work. Although our Greek word is translated “work” in many passages but in some passages the meaning is that of product as in Romans 14:20:
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
The phrase the work of God refers either to the weak believer or the church in general as the product of what God has done. It is in the meaning of “undertaking” that the word is used to describe devil’s activity in 1 John 3:8:
He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:13, because of building metaphor the apostle uses, the word has the meaning of “work” or “product”, that is, that accomplished through effort or activity of a person.
The work or product involved here is that associated with two major categories of activities of believers. The first is the activity that involves ministration in the local churches that will include teaching and administering the affairs of the local church. These two actions are implied in what Apostle Paul stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:12:
Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.
The clause who are over you in the Lord is concerned with directing and caring for believers so that we have a case of administering the affairs of the church while the clause who admonish you is concerned with teaching believers. Anyway, the second major category of activities of believers is concerned with doing good. This will include help of different types rendered to believers, as implied in Hebrews 6:10:
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Thus, the work or product that the apostle would have had in mind in the clause of 1 Corinthians 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is would include instruction of the word of God delivered by the ministers of God’s word and help rendered by believers to others.
In any event, the apostle is concerned that each believer’s work or product will be revealed as he stated in the words of the NIV his work will be shown. The word “shown” is translated from a Greek adjective (phaneros) that pertains to that which appears clear or evident hence means “clear, evident, clearly, plain, known.” It is with the meaning “widely known” that the word is used to describe the popularity of Jesus in Mark 6:14:
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
It is the sense of “clear” that Apostle Paul used it to describe the activities of the sinful nature that should be clear to every believer in Galatians 5:19:
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
The translators of the NIV used the meaning “obvious” that is synonymous to “clear” to translate our Greek word here in Galatians 5:19. In our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:13, it is used in the sense of “being clearly revealed.” Of course, Apostle Paul implied the nature of the work or product is presently not fully known but in a future time it will be. You see, the expression will be is translated from a Greek verb (ginomai) that has the distinctive characteristic of being used to describe something that was not but at a later time comes into a existence. Thus, the nature of the work or product will be revealed in the future.
This revelation of the nature of the work or product of every believer will be clearly revealed because there is a time of reckoning or judgement that is in the future as in the clause of 1 Corinthians 3:13 because the Day will bring it to light. The word “day” is translated from a Greek word (hēmera) that may mean “day” in the sense of the period between sunrise and sunset. It is in this literal sense that the word is used to describe the length of the time of the fasting of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4:2:
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
The word may refer to an indefinite unit of time and so means “period, time” as it is used to describe the length of service of Zechariah’s ministration in the temple in Luke 1:23:
When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
The phrase his time of service is literally the days of his service. The Greek word may mean “daylight” as it is used in Jesus’ statement recorded in John 11:9:
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light.
The question Are there not twelve hours of daylight? is literally Are there not twelve hours in the day? Figuratively, the word may be used for the period of human life, as it is used in John 9:4:
As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
The word “day” here refers to the period that Jesus was on this planet so that the phrase as long as it is day means while Jesus is still with the disciples in a physical sense. The Greek word may mean “court of justice” as Apostle Paul used it in 1 Corinthians 4:3:
I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
The phrase by any human court is literally by man’s day. The Greek word may be used to describe the day of God’s final judgment. It is in this sense that the human author of Hebrews used it in warning believers about absenting themselves from place of worship in Hebrews 10:25:
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The verbal phrase the Day approaching refers to time of judgment by God. It is also in this sense of day of God’s final judgment that the word is used in 2 Peter 3:10:
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
It is in the sense of the day of judgment that God had fixed that the Greek word is used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:13. It is the judgment of believers the apostle mentioned in his second epistle to the Corinthians, that is, 2 Corinthians 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Hence, the apostle indicates that the reason every person’s work or product of each person will be fully revealed is because of the day of God’s judgment will come as in the clause of 1 Corinthians 3:13 because the Day will bring it to light.
The expression “bring to ...light” of the NIV is translated from a Greek verb (dēloō) that means to make some matter known that was unknown or not communicated previously hence means “to reveal, make clear, show.” It is with the meaning “to show” that the word is used in Luke 20:37:
But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
The sentence Moses showed may alternatively be translated Moses revealed. In some contexts, the word may mean “to inform, give information” as it is used by Apostle Paul regarding the information he received about the state of affairs in Corinth, as he stated in 1 Corinthians 1:11:
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
It is in this sense of “to inform” that the apostle used it to indicate he received information concerning Colossians’ affection or love in Colossians 1:8:
and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
The word may mean to make something clear by explanation, hence means “to explain, clarify, make clear”, as it is used by Apostle Peter in referencing his coming death as the Lord Jesus made clear to him in 2 Peter 1:14:
because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
The apostle not only tells us that every work or product will be revealed because of the day of judgment coming but he also figuratively repeats that it is because of the judgment that is to come that each person’s work or product will be revealed. It is this reason that is given in the next sentence of 1 Corinthians 3:13 It will be revealed with fire. The translators of the NIV and many of our English versions omitted a Greek conjunction (hoti) that begins this sentence in the Greek. Of course, some of our English versions began this sentence with either “because” or “for” so that instead of It will be revealed with fire we have because it will be revealed with fire. In this way, we know that the reason of each person’s work or product will be revealed is because of the judgment that is coming.
The coming judgment of God is conveyed in the phrase with fire of the NIV. The Greek preposition (en) translated “with” in the NIV is probably better translated “by means of” or “through” to remove any ambiguity of the use of the word “with.” You see, the word “with” may mean “a marker showing attendant circumstances, often implying means” or “a marker to show an instrument” or “to indicate a manner in which an event occurs.” This being the case, it may not be clear what is intended by the word “with.” On the contrary, the use of the phrase “by means” of enables the reader to understand that fire is the means of revealing the work or product of each person.
Be that as it may, the question is to understand what the phrase with fire of the NIV means. To do this, we need to examine the word “fire” as used in the Scripture. Fire is used in the Scripture in ordinary senses both in beneficial and destructive ways. The beneficial uses of fire are described in the Scripture. It is used for cooking, as stated in Exodus 12:8:
That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.
It is used to keep warm both in the OT and NT times. It is for keeping warm that fire was used in the winter home of King Jehoiakim, who destroyed the initial manuscript of Prophet Jeremiah, as indicated in Jeremiah 36:22:
It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him.
In the NT, it is for keeping warm that fire was used by those who stood around during the trial of Jesus, as indicated in John 18:18:
It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
Fire is used for seeing in the dark, as stated in Isaiah 50:11:
But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.
Fire is used for refining of metals, as indicated in Malachi 3:2–3:
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,
The destructive uses of fire are also mentioned in the Scripture. It was used as an instrument of warfare in burning of cities as it was used during Israel’s conquest of Canaan, as, for example, in Joshua 6:24:
Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.
Fire was used as an instrument of execution or punishment of criminals. It is in this usage that it is given in the law to punish those involved in illegal sexual relationship. Thus, a man who has sex with a woman and her mother because of being married to both was to be executed by burning in the fire, as stated in Leviticus 20:14:
“‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you.
Likewise, the daughter of a priest involved in prostitution is to be burned by fire, according to Leviticus 21:9:
“‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.
It is in this negative usage of fire that we found it used to burn the bodies of Achan and his family in Joshua 7:25:
Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
This usage is in a sense that of cremation as it is also used in Amos 6:10:
And if a relative who is to burn the bodies comes to carry them out of the house and asks anyone still hiding there, “Is anyone with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD.”
Fire, besides its use in non-religious sense, was used in the OT Scripture in religious senses. Thus, it was used in Israel’s worship that involved different kinds of offering, as for example, in Leviticus 2:2:
and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
It was used for ceremonial purifications of things that are not combustible, as we find it in Numbers 31:22–23:
22 Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead 23 and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water.
Fire was used in the OT Scripture to describe God’s appearances to His people. Thus, God appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush in Exodus 3:2:
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
It was through fire that the Lord appeared to His covenant people Israel on Mount Sinai, as given in Exodus 19:18:
Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently,
Fire was associated with the one associated with the heavenly throne in Ezekiel’s vision that he had difficulty describing what he saw but did so using fire in Ezekiel 1:27:
I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.
It is not only that God’s appearances are associated with fire but also His throne is associated with fire as per the description in Daniel 7:9:
“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
It is not only that fire is used to describe God’s appearance, but it is used in the Scripture both in portraying His approval and as an instrument of divine judgment. God’s approval using fire is evident in His answering of prayer by sending fire from heaven to consume offerings made to Him. Hence, during the classical show down between Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal, God showed His approval and proved He is the true God by sending fire to consume Elijah’s offerings, according to 1 Kings 18:38:
Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When David offered his sacrifice to the Lord following His displeasure with his ill-advised census in Israel, God showed His approval by sending fire to consume David’s offering, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 21:26:
David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
Several years later, when Solomon dedicated the temple, God showed His favor or pleasure with him by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices made on that day, as stated in 2 Chronicles 7:1:
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
As we indicated, fire is used by the Lord for divine punishment. When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, we learn that God did so by sending fire in Genesis 19:24:
Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens.
When Aaron’s two sons Abihu and Nadab offered unauthorized fire in the Tent of Meeting, the Lord killed them by sending fire from heaven, as stated in Leviticus 10:1–2:
1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
God used fire to punish Israel for murmuring against Him regarding their hardship, as per Numbers 11:1:
Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
It is not only for punishment on this planet that fire from God is used but it will also be used for eternal punishment, as stated in Matthew 25:41:
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
The same concept of eternal punishment is given in Revelation 20:14–15:
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Fire is used metaphorically in different senses. It is used to describe God’s word. Thus, we have the word of God compared to fire in Jeremiah 5:14:
Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says: “Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes.
Similar concept is stated in Jeremiah 23:29:
“Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
Fire is used symbolical for God’s judgment in Malachi 4:1:
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
Fire is compared to the destructive power of the tongue in James 3:6:
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Fire is used for tested faith or proven faith in 1 Peter 1:7:
These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
We have noted the various usages of fire, so in what sense is it used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:13? It is in the sense of judgment or divine scrutiny although some take it to be literal fire of God’s judgment but is unlikely because the judgment in view is that of believers and not of unbelievers that will involve God’s wrath. Thus, the phrase of 1 Corinthians 3:13 with fire of the NIV means that fire is the means of God’s judgment. In other words, every activity of a believer will be revealed as to its nature because of God’s judgment. This interpretation may appear redundant because we have already referenced the day of judgment, but it is not; because the Holy Spirit through the Apostle wants to emphasize the concept of God’s coming judgment.
In any case, the Holy Spirit through the apostle tells us that every work or product of each believer will be divinely scrutinized to determine its nature. It is this fact that is stated in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:13 and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
The word “test” is translated from a Greek word (dokimazō) that may mean to make a critical examination of something to determine its genuineness and so means “to put to the test, examine.” It is in the sense of “to examine oneself” that the word is used in the challenge of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians to check if they are living as Christians should in 2 Corinthians 13:5:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
It is in the sense of “to test” that the word is used by the apostle in encouraging the Galatians to take a close look at their activities without comparing to another in Galatians 6:4:
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
It is in the sense of “to test” by critical examination to determine the genuineness of spirits that the word is used in 1 John 4:1:
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
The word may mean to draw a conclusion about worth of something or someone on the basis of testing, where the focus is on the result of a procedure or examination, hence means “to prove, to approve.” It is in the sense of “to approve, accept as proved” that the word is used by Apostle Paul to describe a believer he was sending to the Corinthians that he considered to have been proven although he did not say how in 2 Corinthians 8:22:
In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you.
It is in the sense of “prove by testing” that the word is used in a passage we cited previously, that is, 1 Peter 1:7:
These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:13, the word is used in sense of “to scrutinize” to determine the nature of each person’s work or product as in the phrase the quality of each man’s work of the NIV.
The word “quality” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (hopoios) that may mean “as”, as it is used when Apostle Paul expressed his desire for Agrippa and those listening to him to become believers in Christ, as stated in Acts 26:29:
Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
The clause what I am is more literally as I also am. The word may mean “of what sort” as it is used to describe an individual who forgets what sort of person he is after having looked in the mirror in James 1:24:
and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
The clause what he looks like is literally of what kind he was or what sort of person he is. It is the sense of “what sort of, what kind of” that the Greek word is used in 1 Corinthians 3:13 which the translators of the NIV interpreted to mean “quality.”
It is our assertion that the divine scrutiny of each person’s work or product is to determine of what sort it is so that the Lord would take the right action that is in keeping with the work divinely scrutinized. When the Lord scrutinizes our work or product, He would certainly apply certain criteria. We mention three possible criteria based on what is revealed in the Scripture. The first criterion will be whether the work or product was done for show so that people will applaud or admire it. This will be in keeping with what our Lord condemned among the religious leaders of Israel in His time, in Matthew 23:5:
“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
A second criterion, related to the first, will be a person’s motive. We derive this criterion from the assertion of the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul that indicates that some people will witness for Christ based on impure motive, as we read in Philippians 1:15–18:
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
A third criterion is the attitude of the soul when a person carried out a given work. The Lord will evaluate based on whether the individual is guided by humility or not, as that is implied in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit through James regarding the doing of good deeds, as we read in James 3:13:
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
The three criteria we stated imply that if you want your work or product to pass the test of divine scrutiny you should operate through the filling of the Spirit since only what is achieved through the empowerment of the Spirit would pass the divine scrutiny.
11/02/18