Living Wisely
1 Corinthians 3:9-23, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
"(9) For we are co-workers in God's field, God's building. (10) By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. (11) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, (13) their 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 person's work. (14) If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames. (16) Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? (17) If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (18) Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise. (19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; (20) and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise are futile." So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, (22) whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future - are all yours, (23) and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God."
"(1) This, then is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. (2) Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (3) I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. (4) My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It i the Lord who judges me. (5) Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise form God."
Living Wisely
Have you ever thought of your life as a building project? That's how the apostle Paul describes it. Although He is specifically referring to the church as a whole, the principles in today's passage also apply to our personal life. But unlike a physical structure that is visible, this one is spiritual, and as such, the quality of the building materials are not immediately discernible. However, there will come a day when the Lord will evaluate what we have built on the foundation of Christ.
None of us want to get to heaven and find out we've used materials that have no value in eternity and will go up in a puff of smoke. Although in our sinful human condition we can't know exactly how God will evaluate our life, there are some guidelines in Scripture to help us live in a manner worthy of Christ's reward.
If we use worldly wisdom to build our life, we will be disappointed. Paul says we are deceiving ourselves if we think that the wisdom, values, pursuits, and ambitions derived from a world ruled by Satan can be used to accomplish God's will. Reliance on anything other than the Word and Spirit of God is wasted effort. Instead, we should make it our ambition to be faithful stewards of all God gives us and to live with a clear conscience.
Are you living as God desires - turning from sin and progressing in holiness? Does His Word fill your mind and shape your thoughts, behavior, and attitudes? Are you yielding to the Holy Spirit so He can produce His fruit in you? Each day is an opportunity to build for eternity.