The Building Inspector

Early in my ministry, the church I served as an associate pastor assigned me the job of supervising the building of a new worship center. From early morning until late afternoon, I spent every day on the site, reviewing plans, talking with the contractors, meeting with the architect and engineers, watching the project take shape. Despite the hard work, that year, 1979, was one of the most fun in my memory!  

Today, I am pastor of the church that meets in that building.  My prayer now, as it was 35 years ago, is that God will bless those who walk through the doors and that He will use our congregation to make His Name known in our community.

And, I am still a temple builder!  (and so are you)  The Scripture teaches us thatour lives are God’s temple, that He lives in us.  What an awesome privilege and responsibility we have.  "Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have-Jesus Christ.

Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials-gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 

But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 
Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:10-16, NLT)

The Word solemnly reminds that God will inspect our lives. He will subject us to rigorous review.  No, it’s not about ‘getting to Heaven,’ as some mistakenly conclude. Our salvation is a gift, not a reward. Christ Jesus provides redemption from sin and the assurance of Eternal Life with the Father.  

But, He will look at what we did with our opportunities, how we related to others, our motives, our secret desires- yes, all that goes into making a life. Some will find all they have done gone, as in a puff of smoke! The rickety structure, cobbled together with halfhearted devotion - built out of prayers focused only on Self and service done to earn applause and admiration will burn up under His fiery gaze.  What glory for others.  As the Lord looks over their life, He will make known the deep devotion, the hidden service, the love that would not quit, the faithfulness of the saint- and a temple of glorious splendor will emerge.

Does that Day cause you to tremble with fear or feel a surge of anticipation? 

Do you know that you have built well?

Our lives are not a ‘do it yourself’ project! We are not left without resources or help. God builds His church and He invests Himself in giving us all we need to live for His glory. "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. " (Ephesians 2:21-22, NIV)

Here’s the word from the Word.  

Temple-builders, let’s make Him a beautiful home!

"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you-your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others.

With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus." (2 Peter 1:3-8, The Message)

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