The Bema Seat of Christ 1

Our greatest understanding of the Bema seat of Christ comes from 1 Corinthians 3. 

  So I want to look at verses 10-15 more carefully with you. 

Paul writes:  AS AN EXPERT BUILDER USING THE GRACE THAT GOD GAVE ME, I LAID THE FOUNDATION, AND SOMEONE ELSE IS BUILDING ON IT.  BUT EACH PERSON MUST BE CAREFUL HOW HE BUILDS ON IT.  AFTER ALL, NO ONE CAN LAY ANY OTHER FOUNDATION THAN THE ONE THAT IS ALREADY LAID, AND THAT IS JESUS THE MESSIAH.  WHETHER A PERSON BUILDS ON THIS FOUNDATION WITH GOLD, SILVER, EXPENSIVE STONES, WOOD, HAY, OR STRAW, THE WORKMANSHIP OF EACH PERSON WILL BECOME EVIDENT, FOR THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT WILL SHOW WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE IT WILL BE REVEALED WITH FIRE, AND THE FIRE WILL TEST THE QUALITY OF EACH PERSON'S ACTION.  IF WHAT A PERSON HAS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION SURVIVES, HE WILL RECEIVE A REWARD.  IF HIS WORK IS BURNED UP, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS.  HOWEVER HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, BUT IT WILL BE LIKE GOING THROUGH FIRE. (ISV )

 I had read this for years and pondered what this could possibly mean.  Then, one day, I made an exciting discovery. I understood exactly the difference between wood, hay and straw, things of this world.  Verses gold, silver, and expensive stones.. materials for the world to come.  This is what happened:  I drove over to Post Falls to interview Nancy Missler on her work "Way of Agape". 

So there I was in Chuck's office getting the lighting and camera set up.  I looked up and saw displayed all around the walls awards for Chuck.  Commendations for service, awards from companies,  certificates of great achievements and success, degrees, etc.  I was impressed at such credentials.  Then I read what Chuck had written underneath them:  "Wood, hay, and stubble."  It was at that moment I understood what wood, hay and stubble are; works of this world.