(1 Corinthians 1:18-25) For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Anyone who becomes a believer in Jesus will not have to stand before God at the White Throne Judgment, where He will judge all sinners according to all of the sins they have committed. For all believers, because all our sins are forgiven and God chooses to remember them no more, we will be judged according to our good deeds at the judgment seat of Christ (the Bema Seat).
The works we have done with impure motives will be burned away; then we will receive rewards for the works we have done with pure motives. Notice in the last verse of this portion, even if all works are burned away, the believer does not lose their eternal life, but they enter into heaven without rewards...
(1 Corinthians 3:8-15) Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Today's takeaway: there are times when we judge fellow Christians harshly - assuming that they did or said something BECAUSE... But when we ascribe evil motives to the actions of others, it becomes more difficult to forgive them or believe them when they explain the misunderstanding, or confess and ask for forgiveness. This is why we are to "believe the best" in others.
There is no way we can judge someone else's heart and know someone else's intentions for doing or saying anything. We can barely assess our own motives. Only God can judge our hearts and our motives...
(1 Corinthians 4:5-6) Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.
Help me Lord, to develop a thick stomach and not be so quickly offended. Help me to be sensitive and understanding toward others, forgiving everyone and everything. Help me to look at and take out the logs in my own eyes, and strive to use pure motives in everything I do and say...
(1 Corinthians 13:1-7) If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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