The Worker & His Wages

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1 Corinthians 3:7-15

- 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
We don’t spend much time sitting idly in front of the television at our house, but our 2-year old gets to watch movies when he’s sick and after a weekend defined by snot and coughing fits, he didn’t go to school Monday. The plan was to watch Cars 1, 2 and 3, but we hit a detour when he could hear banging outside. Much to his amazement there was a real-life construction vehicle, a.k.a. “tractor”, just outside our front window. He quickly ditched the movie in favor of watching this monumental event, smashing his face against the window as he sat before the large pane. Suddenly, he bolted down the hallway, emerging from his room with his own toy tractor. He played with his tractor while watching, even incorporating his toy car into his play whenever a car would drive down our street. Seeing the grandeur, or “big”-ness, of the tractor in person caused him to join the tractor in the tractor’s work, allowing him to take part in the project. The same is true of our work before God. It’s not our company, but we get to partake in the work.

God gives the growth (vv. 7,8)

Paul opens and closes this chapter asserting man’s ineptitude at God’s work in his own right.

We are “fellow workers” with God (v. 9)

Implies a common goal
Denotes a present union/partnership
This status is “according to the grace of God” and not owed to us (v. 10)

Jesus Christ is the foundation (v. 11)

That which is built must begin with a strong foundation.
Your foundation will determine the strength of the structure - parable of the wise and foolish builders in and

We receive our due wages (vv. 8,12-15)

Implies a common goal
Denotes a present union/partnership

We receive our due wages

You can’t not work and expect to get a paycheck
Salvation is independent of your works, but your reward depends on them.
Conclusion: All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable (). We have the freedom to do whatever we choose and still enter into glory, but our transportation there may look different. The children’s song says ya can’t get to heaven in a motor car cuz it won’t go that far, nor in a limousine cuz God don’t sell no gasoline, but the car you drive in heaven - metaphorically speaking, at least - may well be determined by your actions. Your dwelling, your position, and your clothing/crowns will be based on your work for Christ and His kingdom and nothing else.
READ: Are you idly sitting in front of the TV while God builds his kingdom, content to eke by just to squeeze in the back gate of heaven? Or are you partaking in the labor that God is already at work doing, playing tractor as a co-laborer and actively storing up treasures that will last into eternity? already at work doing, actively storing up treasures that will last into eternity?
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