Dear All:

Whether or not you are ready depends on how you live your life.  It is never too late to start.  Read on.

I suggest that many people do not know what it means to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” in the proper way that the Bible presents it.  I believe that it is just another way of saying that “faith without works is dead, being alone”.  In other words faith ALWAYS exhibits in works of some sort.

Why this subject at this time?  Because Yahushua (Jesus Christ) is coming to get His bride, WHO IS CHASTE, WITHOUT SPOT OR BLEMISH, who is obedient and surrendered to Him, who is working for His Kingdom when He comes.  That’s why!

The Apostle Paul told us all about it in I Corinthians 3:15 and following.  There he presented the FACT that all born again ones, secure in their salvation, are just the same building a heavenly house.  One day, that house will be tried by the fiery eyes of our Lord.  The question is, will it stand?

The Bible is in perfect harmony on the matter of salvation by grace alone, yet that conversion which brings the entry of the blessed Holy Spirit produces a life of good works in the believer.  And these works are the BUILDING MATERIALS that form the heavenly house.  So, when we work out our salvation by good works, we build a house.  Isn’t that neat?

Oh, but what about the house?  That can be quite a story in itself.  The house consists of several elements.  These are given by Paul as:

1.  The foundation
2,  The materials
      a.  Gold
      b.  Silver
      c.  Precious stones
      d.  Wood
      e.  Hay
      f.  Stubble

The foundation is Jesus Christ Himself.  Our belief in Him secures for us an eternal life where He is.  We do nothing to obtain the foundation other than believe in Him for everlasting life (John 3:16).  God has given gifts to men who have accepted His Son.  These gifts come with repentance, that is, God will never take His gift back.  So, it falls to the Holy Spirit to determine the sincerity of the profession of faith to the saving of the soul and rebirth of the spirit of the man or woman, boy or girl.  This is called eternal security.

But as posited above, what about the house?  Good works following salvation are stored in heaven and described as gold, silver and precious stones.  Upon that blessed foundation, Jesus Christ, each of us builds a house.  Do as God leads and commands and your house will be as huge as God gives you time and opportunity to build it, and do as He directs and much gold will be there.  Some silver and precious stones to be sure, but hopefully gold.  Disobey God’s direction and the house will be made of wood, hay, or even stubble.  Gold, silver and precious stones cannot dissolve in fire, but wood, hay, and stubble can. 

Now get the picture.  At the judgment seat of Christ, our house will be displayed and then tried by the fiery eyes of our Savior and Lord.  If it is mostly wood, hay and stubble, it will burn up.  But if it is mostly gold, silver, and precious stones, it will abide.  To the extent that the house survives the fire, you will receive rewards.  To the extent that it burns in the fire, you will suffer loss of rewards. 

If, God forbid, the entire house burns because there is no gold, or silver, or precious stones in it, you will nevertheless be saved.  Why?  Because the foundation cannot be destroyed.  You have the foundation already, because you have been saved and therefore are eternally secure, because it depends on God alone and not you or me.  You have the foundation therefore before you can stand at the judgment seat of Christ.  Otherwise, you won’t even be there.

There is much talk today about the soon coming rapture of the Bride.  Beloved, this is no joke.  You and I have little time left in which to build up our house.  We can only do this as Paul N. F. kept saying in his daily devotions posted here on Five Doves.  He said, “obedience is the main key”.  We must obey God in order to please Him.  And that means we obey His word, the Holy Bible as the ONLY guide for faith and practice in our daily walk with Him.  This is gold building material

The hallmark of Christians is that they loved on another.  This, I believe, is the most pleasing work we can do for our Lord after obedience.  Trust and obey, love without dissimulation, and keep on keeping on.  Buy up the time, for the days are evil. 

Resolve to leave the cesspool of this world’s system with its greed and sinfulness, and turn to God.  Live for Him in prayer, and whatever works God puts your hands to.  He will guide you, He said He would. 

Christ is at the door, beloved fellow Christians. 

YBIC

Gerry Almond