Abiding Works Rewarded 1 Corinthians 3:14

Paul the apostle told the Corinthian church members, “every man's work shall be made manifest” because “the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire”. Paul further shared how “the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is”, and in chapter three and verse fourteen of First Corinthians, Paul shared how “if any man's work abide...he shall receive a reward” where we read:

If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

The verse begins, “If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon,...” Paul began with the word, “If any man's” or “whoever or whatever person's” “work” or “business, employment, enterprise and that which is occupied or undertaken” “abide” which means “remain, sojourn, tarry or not depart” “which he has built” or “what he has reared up or erected”. Paul addressed the idea of when people “build upon” the “foundation” of Jesus Christ and Him “crucified”.

The verse goes on to say, “... thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”. Paul continued with the word, “thereupon, he shall receive” which means “on the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ he will lay hold of, take up, carry away and procure” “a reward” or “wages or hire which is used of the fruit naturally resulting from toils and endeavors”. Should people “build upon” the “foundation” of Jesus Christ and Him “crucified”, they shall receive “wages or fruit” for their labors.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see how God not only promised “eternal salvation” by receiving Jesus Christ, but He also promised to “reward” the “work” that is performed upon that “foundation”. We should “receive” Jesus as our “Savior and Lord” and then begin to “work” in the Kingdom of God by His Spirit and for His cause. When we do, according to Paul the apostle, we shall be rewarded for our efforts and “enterprise”.

Next time Paul declares what happens “if any man's work shall be burned”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.