1 Corinthians 3:8-9, 14-15, 18-19 NIV “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 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. 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. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;” https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.3.9-19.NIV
The Great Commission is the mission of every Christian. This is the work of identifying ourselves with Jesus in order to share the work of Jesus so that men might be reconciled to God through Jesus. Those who hear our message and repent from their sinful ways, turning to God in Jesus as Savior and Lord, we are to then disciple by teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded. This is why we remain on earth, apart from our Savior in the flesh but not in the Spirit. The degree to which we work, the fruit of our labor for God, will be measured by God to be rewarded by Him on the day Christians are judged not for salvation but for their eternal reward. Most work so hard to be successful on earth while ignoring the work of God to become successful in heaven and upon the new earth. We wish to appear wise as the pagans who reject God and have only this world to enjoy. We engage their same purpose and pleasures instead of praying for their souls, sharing the urgency of repentance, and living free from the accumulation of the things of this world that are destined to burn. We must live as though our eternal lives depended upon obeying God and completing His assignment for us. Because they do! We must believe God’s words to us recorded in the Scripture and not the doubts of the pagans who malign, ignore, and disobey God’s words because they find Him irrelevant and non-existent. Every person needs Jesus to be reconciled to God and escape the fires of hell. Every person needs Jesus to live forever with God in joy, peace, love, and abundance, alongside Him and all those who have ever loved Him, on the new earth where Jesus reigns in righteousness and justice. Our purpose is to help all people become reconciled to God. Their eternity is at stake, and our reward for the quality of our eternal living is on the line. Why would we choose to be poor forever when God is inviting us into the fullness of His riches in His world without end?
