# Loss in judgment?

December 1, 2025

First Corinthians chapter number three, if you would please tonight. First Corinthians chapter number three. I sometimes think, at least you have an idea why God wants you to preach something. Sometimes you don’t know; you just follow the Lord, and that be tonight. I feel like he wants us to go back to the judgment seat of Christ if you are saved when the Lord comes back. If we’re still living at that point, then we will be in the judgment seat of Christ. If you’re saved and you die before Jesus coming back, you’ll be with the Lord. But a little bit later on comes the judgment seat of Christ. That’s right after his coming. And that’s what we’re going to look at tonight, all right? Just very briefly.

This is a good description of what will happen at the judgment seat of Christ over here in 1st Corinthians chapter 3. So kind of keep your finger here throughout the service tonight. Keep a finger there. We’ll look elsewhere a little bit, but we’ll be in 1st Corinthians. Now think about it: when we do it, this is what it’s going to be like when you stand before the Lord one day as a Christian.

First Corinthians chapter 3. We’re going to start verse number 11. Would you please stand tonight? First Corinthians 3 and verse number 11. We have a lot to cover, so I don’t want to keep you long. How many remember old Bobby Robertson? He would always say, “Not going to keep you long tonight,” but he would keep you long tonight. I’m not going to say that. I’m trying. We’ll see what happens. I know it’s been a busy weekend and a week, but I do think there are some things that God would have us to cover tonight. We’re going to try to do that.

First Corinthians chapter 3, look at verse number 11. If you’re there, First Corinthians 3:11. Amen. You’re there? Good.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Nobody else can lay that, just Jesus. Amen.

“Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man’s work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved, so as by fire.”

Briefly tonight, would you ask that God would speak to your hearts about this judgment?

The Bible mentions several judgments. There are a lot of different judgments in the Bible. I won’t list them all, but I’ll list a couple of them. There’s a judgment of the nations mentioned in Matthew 25, and that’s very much about how they treat Israel. We’ve studied that one time; it’s a little bit of an in-depth study.

Then there’s the self-judgment of a believer. 1 Corinthians 11 talks about that with the Lord’s Supper, not the judgment seat of Christ. I’m going to read it for you: “If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

Then there’s the judgment of God on sin. For a born-again Christian, that was done, was taken care of on the cross of Calvary. Jesus took our judgment on sin. A couple of verses on that: “For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.”

2 Corinthians 5:20: “For he has made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” He took that curse or that judgment on sin on the cross of Calvary.

Then there is the Great White Throne judgment. Revelation 20 talks about that. That is a judgment for the lost people. Some will say there’s a judgment of the works over there, judging if you’re saved or lost by your works. They’ll say that. No, it’s already determined. If you’re standing at the judgment at the Great White Throne judgment, Revelation 20, you’re lost. The lost stand before him, great and mighty, all of them. That’s the judgment of the lost. It’s just sad. We’ve studied it before; it’s a sad thing, Revelation 20.

And then there is the judgment seat of Christ. If you’re saved tonight, would you raise your hand? If you’re saved, you’ve asked Jesus to be your Savior, then you’ll stand before the Lord at this judgment. All of us will. The lost will stand before him at the Great White Throne judgment. By the way, it’s interesting; he says heaven and earth flee away at that point. It’s such a stern, judgmental face, if you will, the Lord, and heaven and earth flee away. But this is not like that. It’s the judgment seat of Christ.

Keep your finger there. Look over, if you will, in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. This is where the name judgment seat of Christ is mentioned. 2 Corinthians 5. Look in verse number 10. By the way, he’s speaking to the church, to saved people at Corinth. Notice what it says here, 2 Corinthians 5 in verse number 10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” That’s the judgment seat of Christ. We’ll go back to that verse here.

First Corinthians chapter 3 dives a little bit into the judgment seat of Christ. Let’s go back over there, please, First Corinthians chapter 3. We’re going to talk about, I think about six things about the judgment seat of Christ here tonight. Look at verse number 11. Here’s verse number 11, First Corinthians 3:11. He says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” We’ve already got this point: The judgment seat of Christ is for saved people. If you’re standing here, it’s already done; you’re already saved. You’ve got the foundation; you’ve accepted the foundation that Jesus has laid. No other man can lay a foundation. That’s why all the works they can do will never save them. No other man can lay that foundation that’s sure—building on the rock, Jesus Christ. So this is for saved people.

Now, let me say this. Look, if you will, in verse number 12, 1 Corinthians 3. Look at verse number 12: “Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, stubble.” Every man’s—what’s the next word?—work shall be made manifest, or open, revealed. “For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man’s—what’s the next word?—work of what sort it is.” Every man’s—what’s the next word?—work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. “If any man’s—what’s the next word?—work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved, so as by fire.”

Here’s the second thing: It is not a judgment of your sins. Jesus has already taken the judgment of your sins. It is a judgment of your works. The foundation is laid. Jesus has borne the judgment of sin. It is a judgment of your works. The purpose of it is to give out rewards.

The purpose of the judgment seat of Christ is not for you to—all your sins have been revealed before everybody. Jesus already took that; He laid on him the iniquity of a soul. No, it’s a judgment of how you have worked. What does Ephesians say? “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that is not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” This next verse: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Every one of the seven churches over there, the first thing it says is, “I know your works.” You don’t say you’re not saved by works, but once you’re saved, we ought to be working for the Lord. He’s concerned about your work.

So this judgment seat of Christ is not about your sins. By the way, if you were to judge you for your sins, the judgment of the wages of sin is what? Death, speaking of eternal death and lack of fire. No, Jesus paid it. This is a judgment of your works. The purpose here is to give out rewards. What do we sing? “Jesus paid it all.” He did pay it all. You’re not going to pay for it. All your sins are not going to be revealed. No, Jesus took the shame of the cross that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

So it’s a judgment of your works, not of your sins, all right?

The purpose is to give out rewards. Go back over there, keep your finger in both books. Go back over there to 2 Corinthians 5 and verse number 10. We already read this verse; I want to see it again, a bit more about it: “For we…” That’s to say, folks, “…must all appear before the…”

Now, that judgment seat, the Greek word there is bema. Sometimes you’ll hear the judgment seat of Christ described as the Bema seat. That comes from the Greek word. In our day and time, like in the Olympic Games, they have the blocks—the bronze, the silver, and the gold. The bema seat is where the Greek Olympic Games athletes would go up to the emperor if they won, and he would place a wreath around their head. One day we will stand before the Lord at the bema seat, and he’ll place a crown. That’s why it’s called the bema seat; that’s where it came from, their Olympic Games. So if someone has been living for the Lord, this is where they’ll stand before Jesus, and he says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” and you will receive crowns for what we’ve done for the Lord—our works.

The purpose of this thing is to give out rewards: the judgment of our works. Now, he says, “whether it be good or bad.” Someone says, “See, they’re the bad; that means your sins.” No, no, no, no. Jesus bore that. That “bad” is you didn’t work for Him. Somebody said, “If I spent all my time working for money instead of working for the Lord, doesn’t that ultimately become a sin?” Watch what it says. Let’s go back here. Look in verse number 12: “If any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, and stubble.” That represents someone that didn’t work for the Lord; they worked for themselves or for their pleasure, for their life, or just all about them. What happens with this wood, hay, or stubble? It burns up. It doesn’t get dealt with; it gets burned up. It’s not like, “Let’s bring it out for the whole world to see it; let’s deal with your sin.” No, it gets burned up. Jesus paid it all.

You’re not standing before Him to get your judgment of your sins. Jesus took that judgment, but it is here we get rewards if you’ve not lived for the Lord. It’s a sad thing. What does it say in verse number 15? “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.”

A lot of people, as far as they tell me, are saved, but they’re not living for the Lord. I’m not the judge, but as far as I can tell them, someone will even say, “I’m not living for the Lord.” They might say, “I don’t have to go to church,” or “I don’t have to read my Bible.” All that’s true regarding going to heaven. But friends, when they get to heaven, they’ll suffer loss because they are not going to get those rewards. They suffer loss. Now they’re still saved, so as by fire; they miss the fires of hell. But, friends, they’re going to regret it.

Is that true, regret it? Look over, if you will, real quickly in 1 John. Keep your fingers here. Look over in 1 John chapter number 2. This is an interesting verse, 1 John chapter number 2. Look in verse number 28, 1 John 2:28. Notice what he says; it’s very amazing.

When you find that, would you say amen? Look what he says: “And now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

So, in other words, somebody can be ashamed. They’re saved, but they’re not living for the Lord. When he comes back, they’ll see him. I think the whole gist of it is they’ll see where they put the crown of thorns, they’ll see where they put the nails in his hand, and they’ll say, “Hey, I’m entering into heaven because of Jesus, nothing of me, and I have no crowns to give back to him.” They’ll be ashamed. “I’ve spent my life living for myself down there and all my pleasures, and I’ve got nothing to offer. And I’m ashamed I didn’t live for you.” Not a judgment of their sins, but they’ve got no works to have rewards to offer him. Sad thing. Sad things.

Can I just say something for those of you—none of us are perfect, but you’re trying to live for the Lord. You’re trying to be faithful. You’re in church on Sunday night, just like he wants you to be. You’re trying to pass out tracks. By the way, there are some Christmas tracks back there; pass them out this Christmas. There’s a good opportunity there. But you’ve been trying; you’re not perfect, but you’re trying to live for the Lord. You’re trying to pray, you’re trying to read the Bible, you’re trying to be a good testimony at work. Payday is coming one day. One day you’ll say, “Praise the Lord, I spent my life trying to serve the Lord however I can,” faithful to the nursing home or my Sunday school class or wherever, loving my husband, my wife, like I ought to do—those things for the Lord. And payday is coming one day. Praise the Lord, he’s going to say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” He has rewards to give out—eternal rewards that last forever and ever and ever. My dad just said this—I don’t know how doctrinally sound it is, but you’ll get the gist of the story—he said a lot of people are going to be street cleaners in heaven; they’re going to make it there, but they’re not going to receive rewards because they spent their time living for themselves down here. They suffer loss.

Oh, friend, you’re going to be so glad. Are there heartaches and troubles and trials and hurts and pains? You know there are, friend. It’s a war you’re in. But one day you’ll say, “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” I’m glad I went through all that for the Lord. I’m glad I did. You said, “I had to dress a little bit different and talk a little bit different.” A lot of people I was around over the holidays, and I was trying to be a good testimony. I wasn’t trying to be Holy Joe, but I was just trying to be a good testimony. You’ll never regret that in eternity. He sees it all.

Now let’s get to this real quickly tonight. Look back in verse number 13 of 1 Corinthians 3. We’re moving all around tonight. Look in verse number 13. He says, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest, so the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire: and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

There are two categories or sorts here, and underneath that, there are three. Let me just say this: It’s not just if we’re working for the Lord or not, but sometimes some people can be doing the same thing, but their motives are not really for the Lord. Our motives will be revealed. Motives are very important. Why do I do what I do? Is it truly for the Lord? Is it to be seen of men? Matthew 6 talks about that—no reward. What are my motives? Is it to boost my ego? Is it to look good? My motives are so very important.

Let me mention three things that can help our motives. Only Jesus had the perfect, pure motives. Let me quickly mention three things that can help your motives.

The Bible. The Bible will purify your motives. It is like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces. The Bible will burn the dross off; it’ll break the rocks. The Bible is very key; it’ll help you. The Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The Bible is a mirror; it will reveal to us our motives.

Then let me say this: the fire of life. Job had some self-righteousness, and God allowed these things, and in it was fire. There’s going to be fire one day at the judgment seat of Christ that will burn our works. Of what sort some of them are going to burn up; some of them are not going to burn up. But there are even things in life that will purify our motives—the trials. Job said, “When he has tried me, I will come forth as gold.” That will purify the motives. It’s amazing sometimes; once you go through a tough time, some of these external motives just fade away. They get a little bit purer. That’s a good thing if you let him.

Then I’d say, just talking about motives, the Holy Spirit is so very, very important. Remember over in the book of Acts, he came down; it was like cloven tongues of fire. If you let the Holy Spirit, he’ll purify your motives. It’s so important because motives can be so tricky. “The heart is deceitful above all things: who can know it?” I have the Lord try the hearts. That’s why you must allow what David said: “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” You need the Holy Spirit to get your motives pure. “Try me, O God, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Our motives.

Let’s go back. Let’s go back. The sorts—there are two sorts here, and we’re maybe a little redundant on something. Look in verse number 12. Verse number 12, if you would please. He says, “Now if any man build upon this foundation…” Help me out: first three, four words: gold. What’s the second one? Silver. And then the third one? Precious stone. Now, that’s one sort over there. By the way, do those things burn up? No, they don’t burn up. We’ll talk about it in a second.

What’s the other category? He says, “wood, hay, stubble.” Will those things burn up? Oh, yeah, they will burn up. Here’s the interesting thing: Even in the category of the ones that burn up, hay will burn up a lot quicker than wood. That’s interesting. Just underneath the two different categories, there are three different levels, if you will.

The category that is going to get burned up—they’re going to burn up no matter what—so we’re not going to spend a lot of time talking about that. Maybe someone just spent their life after money or after sinful things, and man, it’s just stubble; just boom, it’s gone. Then maybe someone was doing good things, but perhaps they were wood. But there are levels. I want you to see that on the ones that burn up.

Now let’s go over to this other side. I want you just to take a minute here about this. This other one, the three that don’t burn up: the gold, silver, precious stones. I want you to realize it’s not just one-size-fits-all in that category. There are three levels in that category, all right? The category that’s not going to burn up, for which you’re going to get rewards, has gold, silver, and precious stone. You see that? It’s not just one thing. No, not biblically. There are three different categories underneath that one category of things that don’t burn up.

Let’s talk about that for a minute. Maybe this is where the Lord really wants us to focus. I think there’s more than just one motive for which you’ll get a reward. Three things, three categories underneath that. Let me mention a couple of them.

There’s this saying: What does the Bible say? It says this more than once—the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In other places, it says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. If there’s someone saved and they live for the Lord, perhaps they fear the Lord; they don’t want to be chastised by God. Is that a sinful motive? No, that’s the beginning of wisdom, the beginning of knowledge. Is that a wrong motive? No, not at all. I would think that is in the category not getting burned up. I don’t think it’s the best motive, but I don’t think it’s a sinful motive.

Gold, silver, precious stone. I’m not sure how that exactly corresponds to the metals. Gold won’t go away, but it will melt. Same thing with silver a little bit; if you put it in the fire too long, it’ll burn a little bit. Precious stone, maybe the highest. I don’t think it’s sinful if someone’s just living for the Lord because they don’t want to get chastised.

Talk about another motive. Another motive is wanting to be a good testimony. Maybe a man or a lady has children and grandchildren, and they have a lot of people watching them, and they want to be a good ambassador for Christ, as the Bible calls it. Is that a sinful motive? No, I don’t think it’s a sinful motive. I appreciate these young guys this morning, Ethan and Macyo. I don’t want to be a pastor that’s a horrible testimony to them. I like for them, when they’re 20 or 30 years old, to say, “Pastor Paul still lives for the Lord.” I want to be able to say that, and I hope that will influence them for the Lord. That’s not a sinful motive. I don’t know that it’s the best, but I’m just talking about this category of right motives.

Here’s another interesting motive. Look over in 2 John real quickly. Second John, look in verse number 8. John is writing to this elect lady and her children, and the missionary team ministered to them. Look what it says in verse number 8: “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”

How many of you have maybe a Sunday school teacher that invested in your life somewhere along the line? How many got a mom or dad that invested in you? Maybe a grandparent? I don’t think it’s a sinful motive if those who invested in my life would receive a full reward. The ripple effect on rewards, Hebrews talks about that. Whoever won you to the Lord had a big part in it. I think of my parents, Mr. Samson, a youth director, Christian school teachers—these people that invested in my life. I would like for them to receive a full reward one day. Is that a bad motive? No, I don’t think so. Is it the best motive? I don’t think that either, but I don’t think it’s sinful. God gives us a lot of motives to live for him.

Sometimes when you’re backsliding, you need that motive. We kind of go to the base of the right motives: “I’m going to keep living for the Lord because I don’t want to get spanked.” I would imagine all of us need that every once in a while, maybe at critical times. But all these different motives—look over in Matthew 6:20. Motives are so very important. If I’m not truly living for the Lord, then all my work is going to be burned up, and I suffer loss.

Here’s a good motive. Matthew 6, look in verse number 20. What does it say? “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Here’s another motive. I don’t think it’s the best, but I don’t think it’s a sinful motive. I like to have some rewards. That’s not a bad motive. Why would he tell us over there to lay it for yourself if that wasn’t a motive? Sure, it’s a motive God gave to us; it’s not sinful. It’s not wrong.

It’s not just one category. If they don’t burn up, there are three different things: gold, silver, precious stone. He gave us that motive. Hey, there’s going to be rewards. Those rewards up in heaven are eternal. They’re not going to go away. Mothballs won’t eat up your rewards in heaven. Rust doesn’t come in heaven. You spend all your lives trying to get that nice car—well, most of them are plastic nowadays—but you see a lot of rusted-out vehicles. He said, no, rewards in heaven—there’s no rust. Thieves break through and steal. That doesn’t happen in heaven. Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven. That’s a secure investment that will last for all eternity.

Is that our purest motive? I don’t know that it’s the purest motive; it might not be the precious stone. Some will say the stones there relate to the foundation of the building, and they built with stones back then. Well, it does say precious stones. I think it would be more like rubies and sapphires and onyx and all the different stones. They have the different stones in the high priest’s garment. Maybe even under each category there are different types of precious stones.

Look, if you will, last place we’ll turn to. Look over in James chapter one. I think the purest motive is not to be seen of men or to build my ego—no reward there; that’s going to burn up. It’s not for me to make money or have that house; that’s going to burn up, and I suffer loss. But even in the categories of doing good things for the Lord, is my motive pure?

I would say this would be the highest in that category, the highest level. Look over in James chapter number one, verse number 12, would you please? He says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life.” That may be the highest of the crowns. Only twice is it mentioned: here in James and then in Revelation for martyrs.

What it says is, “He shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.” What is the purest motive? Love for the Lord. I used to look at that verse and say, “Which one is it, Lord? The first part says those that endure temptations and trials. The last part says those who love him get the crown.” God said, “The guy that really loves me, he’ll endure the trials.” Sometimes, through trials you go through, the only thing that will keep you going is, “I just love him.” You’re tired of all the rest, but you believe this is what God wants, so you keep doing it. That’s probably the purest. “We love him, because he first loved us.” He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Through the trials and temptations, you love him. He says, “I have a crown of life for those folks because you’re serving him because you love him.”

Is that the only thing? No. I think other motives fall under gold, silver, precious stone. But the purest is, by the way, perfect love casteth out fear. As you’re growing, the Christian life is not about being chased anymore. You’re growing. It’s not about that motive; the base is still there, and you might backslide, so you still need that from time to time. But when you walk with the Lord in perfect love, it’s not about fear anymore. It’s, “I love him; I want to please him.” Sometimes, when it gets down to it, I just like to please him. The rewards—I don’t care about the rulers that much at that point. I just love him; I just want to serve him, whether I get rewards in heaven or not. That would be the purest. Are the others wrong? Oh, no. God gives us a lot of motives to serve him, and they’re in that category. They’re not going to get burned up. We’ll stand before him one day, and they’ll be manifest for what sort they are; they’ll be tried by fire. Those that don’t get burned up—there’s some gold, some silver, some precious stones.

It’s interesting. In 1965, McDonald’s went public. Their shares at that point were $22.50 a share. Within a few weeks, if you bought 100 shares, it had already doubled. By 1972, the stock had split for the fifth time, making 100 shares of the original 1965 stock equal to 1,836 shares. In other words, if you invested, you invested. Those that invested just a little bit in McDonald’s stock became multi-millionaires. They were set, as this world says.

Those that say, “I’m going to live for the Lord for all eternity,” they’re going to be set. Daniel 12:3 says, “And they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the brightness of the stars for ever and ever.” These are eternal rewards.

Am I living for you? Are my motives truly for you?

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes? Would you there just ask the Lord—I’m not going to have you raise your hands—but would you tonight just ask the Lord, “Lord, would you search me and know my heart? Show me my motives. Tell me why I’m doing what I’m doing. I want to have your motives.”

Would you spend some time asking that of him tonight? And then would you do this: “Lord, would you purify my motives through your Word, through the trials of life, and through the Holy Spirit?” That’s a worthy prayer for him. And then tonight, “Lord, let me live for you. This old world is so temporal. Help me to spend my life living for you.”

“Only one life, so soon will pass. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” I want to spend my life living for you.

Let’s all stand, please.

Father, thank you for your Word. Lord, I pray that you would just grow us through it. Reveal to us; burn the dross off. Help us to be pure for you. Help us to truly live for you. Father, we’ll thank you for what you do. Bless these people, Father, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

As our instruments play, would you come spend some time with the Lord? Be obedient to him. If my motives aren’t pure, it’s better to find out now than in eternity. Better for him to reveal it through trials, his Word, or the Spirit. I’ve got a lot of folk who will stand before me, many saying, “Lord, Lord,” thinking they’re going to heaven because of all these good works, and he’ll say, “I never knew you.” There may be those that have been doing the right thing, but their motives haven’t been right, and they suffer loss. God, Lord, reveal my motives.

Original File: 2025-12-01 - Pastor Paul Chisgar ＂Loss in judgment？＂- Sunday PM 11⧸30⧸2025