Testing Our Works

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This is Today With Derek Prince. The internationally recognized Bible teacher and author presents to you Keys To Successful Living.

In yesterday’s talk we heard Derek Prince talk about the three remaining principles of God’s judgment and then how all Christians will face the judgment seat of Christ. Today continuing with the topic ‘Eternal Judgment’ he’ll give us three requirements for being certain that our works will withstand the fire of God’s judgment. Derek then tells us about patterns of judgment as seen in two New Testament parables. Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the program for our address and this week’s special offer.

Derek Prince:

So we’re not talking about a judgment of condemnation, we’re talking about judgment which will assess the service that you’ve offered to Jesus during your life. The clearest place that this is described is 1 Corinthians chapter 3:11 and following. Paul is speaking about building the church and he says:

“No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become manifest; for the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

And the NIV says ‘like one escaping from the flames.’ So that’s the essence of the judgment of Christians. First of all, we have to be built on the foundation of Jesus Christ, there is no other foundation. Then we have to determine what’s the value of the service that we’ve offered. And things that are easy to acquire can be offered in large quantities: wood, hay and stubble. But they’ll all be burnt up. The things that are valuable are not obtained in large quantities: gold, silver, precious stones. See, some people just assess the quantity of their service but that’s not the way God assesses it.

I examine myself continually. What am I producing? Is it just wood, hay, stubble that will be burned up? What a tragedy when you’ve worked all your life for something, you’ve piled it all up and in the day of judgment you see the fire sweep through it and finish it all off. There’s nothing left but you’re a naked soul that escapes like one escaping through the flames. What a solemn thought.

Now I want to offer you some suggestions as to how we can be sure that our service will stand the test of fire. I want to suggest to you three ways that you can assess your own service.

First of all, what is your motive? The only motive that’s acceptable to God is for God’s glory. And a whole lot of what is done in the church today is done by men for their own glory. I say personally, and this is simply a personal observation, I think the greatest problem in the church today is personal ambition on the part of ministers. The largest church, the longest mailing list, the most miracles. That all will be burned up because its motive is wrong. 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul says:

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
There’s only one acceptable motive for our service and that is the glory of God.”

You see, Paul said we need to be renewed in our minds in Romans chapter 12:1. I think the difference between the renewed mind and the unrenewed mind is this, the unrenewed mind comes to a situation and says, ‘What’s in this for me?’ The renewed mind says, ‘Where will God get glory?’ It’s a total change of motivation.

I think this applies very much to marriage. I think many marriages are unhappy because the people approach them with an unrenewed mind. The attitude of each is, ‘What will I get out of this? Will it make me happy?’ That’s almost a certain recipe for an unhappy marriage. The right motive is what can I give, not what can I get, but what can I give? And when two people meet together with the purpose of giving to one another they’ll have a happy and successful marriage. It’s the whole issue of motivation that’s really important.

Secondly, if your work is to stand the test of fire it must be done in obedience to the Word of God. That’s the only acceptable basis. In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus spoke about two different kinds of persons, the one who built on the sand and the one who built on the rock. Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 and following. These are the words of Jesus:

“‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.’”

So, the only acceptable motive is to do the will of God the Father. And then Jesus goes on with something that offends some people. He said:

“‘Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’’”

I have, by the grace of God, been privileged to cast out many, many demons. I’ve seen a number of very definite miracles take place. I have frequently prophesied. I want to tell you I do not base my hope of heaven on any of that. And anybody who does is in danger. There’s only one essential requirement for heaven, it’s doing the will of the Father that is in heaven. Jesus says to these miracles workers, ‘Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Do you know, many of them are a law to themselves. They do basically whatever they feel like, take whatever they can get and ignore the great central principles of the Word of God. I could speak a lot about that but it’s probably not profitable. It’s our motives that God searches.

“And the third requirement is the power that we operate in. In Romans chapter 15:18–19 Paul says:
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me in word and deed to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God.”

Paul says nothing that I’ve done is worth mentioning except that which the Holy Spirit has done through me. That’s the only acceptable power for ministry, is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

So let me give you those three requirements for your work to stand the test of fire. Your motive: for God’s glory. Are you doing it in obedience to the Word of God or are you doing your own thing or making your own rules? And number three, are you working in the power of the Holy Spirit or in your own fleshly ability?

Now we come to two patterns of judgment, two parables that Jesus related. And I’ve had a difficult time deciding how to deal with this, but I think I’m going to have to read them, take a little while. The first is the parable of the minas. M-I-N-A. Mina simply means a measurement. It was a measurement of money. And this parable is found in Luke chapter 19. In the older versions it was called the Parable of the Pounds. A mina was a fairly small amount of money. We’re going to read Luke 19:11 and following:

“Now as they heard these things He spoke another parable, because it was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said, ‘A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.’
In other words, it’s going to be a long while before I get back.
‘So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, one each, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’’
In other words, make a profit.
‘But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’ And so it was when he returned and received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.’
And God is going to require an account of our service from each one of us.
‘Then came the first saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ He said to him, ‘Well done, good servant. Because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’’”

So our faithfulness in service in this life will determine the position we occupy in eternity, the responsibility we’ll be able to carry in the kingdom of God.

“‘The second came saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’’

But he didn’t say well done, faithful servant. There was a lower level of commendation.

“‘Then the third came saying, ‘Master, here is your mina which I’ve kept put away in a handkerchief, for I feared you because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’ And the lord said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank that in my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to him who has ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’’”

They really didn’t think that was right that the one who had ten already should get one more. Then Jesus goes on:

“For I say to you that to every one who has will be given, and from who does not have, even what he has, will be taken away from him.”

Now listen to this because most of us don’t think this way. But that’s not the end of the parable, there’s one more sentence.

“But bring here those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them and slay them before me.”

That’s Jesus the Judge. Not Jesus the Savior but Jesus the Judge. Remember, the same person who’s the Savior is also the Judge. Just as thorough and efficient as He is in saving, so He will be in judging.

Announcer:

On tomorrow’s program Derek Prince will continue his topic ‘Eternal Judgment’ by sharing with us how we can apply the patterns of the parable of the talents from Matthew 25 to this subject of Christian judgment. This week’s message is available on audiocassette No. RC4169 and also on video. Our special offer this week is The Spirit-filled Believer’s Handbook, a foundational teaching for all believers drawn

from Derek’s five decades of Bible teaching and study in the original Greek and Hebrew. To receive your copy of ‘Eternal Judgment’ write today and include a contribution of $5.00 or more for audio cassette RC4169 or $14.95 for the video teaching. Include a gift of $15.00 or more for The Spirit filled Believer’s Handbook. Derek Prince also welcomes your letters and your prayer requests. Our mailing address is Derek Prince Ministries, Box 19501, Charlotte, North Carolina 28219. That’s Derek Prince Ministries, Box 19501, Charlotte, North Carolina 28219. You may also call us at 1-800-448- 3261. The number again is 1-800-448-3261. In Canada write to Derek Prince Ministries, Box 8354, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3K 5M1. The Canadian address again is Box 8354, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3K 5M1,and please give us the call letters of this station when you write.

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