Misguided Works Part 2: What Happens to Them?
Earlier, we found out about misguided works in Misguided Works Part 1: How Do We Know These? Here, we'll find out what happens to the misguided works of someone who mistakenly but genuinely believes that these are God's desires.
At first this may seem like a complex theological question. Misguided works surely cannot please God, but would he be pleased by the reverence and desire to serve that is evident in the person's heart?
Fortunately, this question of what happens to such works has a direct answer to it from the Bible in the book of 1 Corinthians, which was written by the apostle Paul:
For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 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. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 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. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3: 9-15
So the above passage tells us that misguided works will be 'burned up' on the Day of Judgement, and the builder will 'suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames'. The words 'suffer loss' indicate a very distressing situation for the person at that time. Note that the Bible uses the word 'suffer', not the more neutral 'observe' or 'experience'. However, it is made clear that the builder will still be saved (although barely). Clearly, God is making the distinction between the person and their works here, where he saves the person but not the misguided works.
Take-home message:
Misguided works will be burned up on the Day of Judgement and the builder will suffer because of this, but yet still be saved.
If you found this post interesting, you might also like these related posts on this blog:
At first this may seem like a complex theological question. Misguided works surely cannot please God, but would he be pleased by the reverence and desire to serve that is evident in the person's heart?
Fortunately, this question of what happens to such works has a direct answer to it from the Bible in the book of 1 Corinthians, which was written by the apostle Paul:
For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 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. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 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. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3: 9-15
So the above passage tells us that misguided works will be 'burned up' on the Day of Judgement, and the builder will 'suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames'. The words 'suffer loss' indicate a very distressing situation for the person at that time. Note that the Bible uses the word 'suffer', not the more neutral 'observe' or 'experience'. However, it is made clear that the builder will still be saved (although barely). Clearly, God is making the distinction between the person and their works here, where he saves the person but not the misguided works.
Take-home message:
Misguided works will be burned up on the Day of Judgement and the builder will suffer because of this, but yet still be saved.
If you found this post interesting, you might also like these related posts on this blog:
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