We are often told not to judge what others do. Remember the adage, "people who live in glass houses should not throw stones?" Also coming to mind is the rebuke of Christ to those accusers of the harlot, "Those among you without sin cast the first stone."
One also remembers Romans 2:1, "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things."
Certainly we should mind our own place with God, and not concern ourselves with the sins of others, right?
After all, is this not the message these verses of Scripture, and the world itself, are giving us?
Well, is it?
Rom. 2:2: "But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things."
Hmmm.
Here it says that we are not to judge, yet the judgment of God is against them which do such things. Not neutral, not waiting for a future time, but is already against them which do such things.
Who do what such things?
They that do the lust, fornication, men with men sex, idolatry, lying, murders etcetera all mentioned in chapter one, against them.
Okay, we aren't to judge? What then? Are we to ignore the judgment of God against them, or against the doing of such things?
No, of course not. What then?
Rom. 2:3: "And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Ah. This is addressed to those who know the Word and condemn the acts, yet still do them.
Rom. 2:4: "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
This is the whole crux of the matter. It is that the goodness of God leads us to repentance.
"Repentance" means "a change of purpose due to a change of mind." It literally could translate "with mind."
When we learn of the Word of God, we should decide to repent, we should change our lives to no longer engage in those things "that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things."
To repent is to stop doing the wrong things and start doing the right things.
John 5:29-30: "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
This is the same context as Romans, because Romans 2:5-12 went on to discuss this resurrection, that those sinning with the law would be judged by the law, that those sinning without the law would be judged according to conscience.
Jesus Son of God said, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge."
So are we to judge, not of ourselves, but as we hear.
We are not to pretend sin does not exist in others or that it does not affect us.
We are simply to judge as Jesus does: by what we hear of that Word of God, for God's judgment regarding sin (or anything else) is "according to truth."
Does that mean we are "sin police?"
The Scriptures have a word for the "sin police" of this world: Hypocrites.
"Hypocrites" in the Bible is from a Greek word "hupokritos," which literally means "super judge." It does not mean "two-faced" like it does today. When you see it in the Bible it means "super judge," someone who is always ready to condemn someone else, and who usually is guilty at some level of the same sins.
Recognizing what the Scriptures reveal as sin and teaching the flock that it is not part of a Christian lifestyle is not the same thing as railing against every homosexual, fornicator, idolater, pagan or other sinner that dares defile your pews.
If the latter is one's idea of 'rejecting sin," chances are they are a 'super judge, ' and are themselves having a really hard time dealing with personal sins. We are not to embrace or accept the sins of this world. We are, however, on a mission to redeem rather than alienate those trapped in sin, and by gentleness and meekness helping them recover themselves from the snare of the devil.
How?
By repenting, by putting on the concepts we hear of the Word of God, as our Lord Jesus did.
Well, he did not have a sin nature to repent of, but upon repentance we then follow the rest.
I Cor. 6:2-3: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
"Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?"
Haven't we been told not to judge?
Of course we are to judge, to look and see what is right and wrong.
We are simply to do so not according to our own feelings or values, but according to "that which we hear,' according to "the judgment of God."
Indeed, there is a difference between one lost in sin seeking to be filled, and one who remains in or returns to his sin, to bring evil into the congregation.
I Cor. 5:11-13: "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
"For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
"But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."
It is a fine line between guardian in the Church and hypocrite. You cannot walk that line without tapping into the spirituality God has called us in to. He has given us spiritual enablements, abilities to be conduits of His knowledge and power.
II Cor. 2:14-16: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
"But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ."
We are to judge, my brothers and sisters, else how could we discern between the gifts of God and the tricks of Satan?
Yet we are not to judge according to this world, but according to that which we've heard.
Sometimes it is hard to tell where to draw a line. What is the difference between a brother stumbling with sin at the door and an unrepentant wolf feasting on the innocence of the flock? When do we heal and embrace, when do we say "you've chosen sin, find your place in the world?"
Only God knows. Being spiritual is learning to know when it is truly God whispering (or sometimes shouting) in your ear.
That too takes judgment.
Keep reading about judgment, we find out there are areas of life we aren't to meddle in the affairs of others. There are times when we are to invite brethren to judge twixt brothers.
I guess we do need to learn to judge, after all, and when.
But we are always to judge according to what we've heard.
It is not a guessing game.
Furthermore, we too shall have our works judged.
Oftentimes, we look at a situation and say, "Because this has happened, that must have happened."
It's called "logical fallacies," and is a stronghold of the world, and a device of the god of this world, the false god-who-is-no-god, Satan.
Logical fallacies should not be in the tool kit of the student of God's Word.
God is true, His Word when revealed to Man was revealed in perfection, and we need the facts, just the facts.
Facts individually are simple.
"I see blue sky" or "the sky is blue today" may be a fact.
But is the sky really blue? When we understand all the apparently contradictory facts, we may realize that we merely see the white and blue light of the sun reflected on water vapors hanging invisibly in air, not perceiving the red and yellow light which cannot shoot through the vapors, while still perceiving a bit of the lightless black of space beyond.
This is what we call a blue sky.
Each fact individually seems simple. But how do they fit together logically?
An easy way out is to call everything we do not know a mystery.
Some things, especially the things of God, are a mystery.
Yet many things, even some things that were once mysteries, God has revealed to us and remain ours and our children's forever.
It behooves us, if God took the effort to reveal them, to try to work them without stumbling over the logical fallacies so common to Mankind.
James 2:24: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
People point to this and say, "See? You are not just saved by faith, but by works too."
Heb. 10:38-39: "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
"But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
Here people point to this verse, and say, "See? People can draw back, or they can keep going to the salvation of their souls. If they draw back, their salvation is..."
GASP!
"Lost!"
Seems logical.
There is, however, some serious problems with this view.
The first problem is, problems are, rather, the many clear verses that say salvation is of grace, not works, that salvation is the gift of God.
Rom. 10:8-10: "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Salvation is not a gift to the Jews and Gentiles, but to the Church of God. Romans chapter two, plus all of the Gospels, Revelation, and the Old Testament reveals that to us.
Rom.2:6-11: "Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
"To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
"But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
"Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
"But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
"For there is no respect of persons with God."
We are headed to this judgment wherein salvation is judged according to works, UNLESS we confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead.
Eph. 2:7-9: "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
"Not of works, lest any man should boast."
See? Not only is our salvation of grace, it is specifically NOT of works.
Well, we will adress the apparent discrepancy in Hebrews.
Be patient.
2 Tim. 1:8-9: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"
See? Again we are told that salvation is of grace, and specifically told it is not of works. We as Christians, in the Church epistles, are told this over and over again. Another example:
Gal. 3:1-3: "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"
Paul called people who thought they could perfect their salvation by works of the flesh foolish. You cannot even make the salvation gift of God better, let alone attain it by works.
1 Cor. 3:11-15: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
"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 hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
Ah. Here we have it. Our works will still be judged. The good, the bad and the ugly. The bad and the ugly are burned so to say, we suffer loss. We've wasted our time.
But if we've done good works, we carry the gold, the precious stones of our works with us.
But the foundation by which the man himself shall be saved is that which was laid by Jesus Christ.
James 2:24: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
See? This does not speak of salvation, it speaks of justification, of whether or not we've wasted our time.
If you do nothing to serve Christ, and therefore his people, you are still living, breathing, doing SOMETHING.
You are building stubble, hay, wood, all of which shall "burn" at the gathering unto Christ.
Heb. 10:38: "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
The just, i.e., the justified like it speaks of in James, shall live by faith. As James speaks, those who live by faith will do works. Their eternal life is not dependent of works, but whether they are justified, how they shall fare at judgment, is.
Heb. 10:38-39: "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
Here we have an apparent contradiction.
Here we seem to be told that our salvation is dependent on not drawing back.
First, in handling Scriptures, it is always prudent to take the testimony of the many clear verses above the testimony of one or a few that seem to contradict.
Many clear verses tell us salvation is grace, it is a gift, it is not of works.
One verse seems to tell us we have to work, we have to continue living in faith, not to lose our salvation.
What we need to do to be honest is not to use the one to justify our theology, but to work it and see how it fits into the many clear verses.
1 Thes. 5:22-23: "Abstain from all appearance of evil.
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
First, the words "I pray God" are in Italics, meaning the translators added them in because they thought it was what Paul had meant to say. In reality, if we abstain from even the appearence of evil, the God of Peace will preserve us blameless, body, soul and spirit. Not necessarily faultless, but we won't be blamed. Our hearts are right and we're honestly doing our best.
Second, and the important point here, is that Paul says God will preserve our body, soul and spirit blameless.
Ask most people, and their definitions of "soul" and "spirit" will be identical, or nearly so.
Here, we see body, soul and spirit are three components. Like "Body," "heart" and "mind" are not synonymous, neither are body, soul and spirit.
"Soul" and "spirit" is not the same thing.
Heb. 10:39: "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
What exactly is "the saving of the soul?"
Is. 43:6-7: "I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
"Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."
This is the testimony God gives of His children, that He created each for His glory, and formed him and made him as well.
Again, three parts: created, formed, and made.
What is created?
Gen. 1:26-27: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
God created Adam and Eve in His own image. What is His image?
John 4:24: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
God created Adam and Eve in His image, He created them spirit.
After all, what died when Adam partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Certainly not Adam's body. We don't know yet about his soul, but Adam's spirit was certainly gone. Look at Col. 2:13-14:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"
What part of us was dead? The part that died with Adam, that was lost to sins and needed redemption.
Our flesh, our body, was very much alive, but the spirit, that created in the image of God, had been dead.
Rom. 8:14-16: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"
Hah, see? Children of God are created spiritually. We receive spirit.
Eph. 2:8-10: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
"Not of works, lest any man should boast.
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Jews and Gentiles work to be justified.
However, while our works will be judged, we are created as spirit beings, not by works, but to do good works.
We already have the salvation, we are again created beings, spiritually.
Gen. 2:7: "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
Man was formed of dust.
What part was formed?
Well, what part of Man has the elements of dust?
The body.
What about the breath to become a living soul?
Joshua 11:11: "And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire."
In smiting the souls, none were left to breath. When the breath was gone, the soul was gone. Again,
Job 12:9-10: "Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
"In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind."
Here, too, we see the logical truth that breath is tied to the soul. Not here it says "the soul of every living thing."
Are dogs and cats living things? Do they have breath life? Yes. Are they going to have eternal life?
No. Soul is breath life, not eternal spirit life, not salvation, and when the breath stops, the soul is gone.
The spirit life in Man was that which God created in Adam, and has created in us, in God's image.
The body was formed of dust.
The soul is merely the biological activity of the body when breath takes plave.
In fact, "nephesh," the Hebrew word translated "soul," means "breath."
Man was created Spirit, formed flesh, made a living soul with breath.
When we are told we can be of those who draw back or those who believe "unto the saving of the soul," we do not refer to our eternal salvation which has been created as a gift, but the benefits to our life today.
Rom. 8:12-14: "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
See? This, like Hebrews 10:39, does not refer to the salvation of grace through which we've been given the foundation of our lives, but to our here and now breath life.
We mortify, ("drop mortars on", "blow up") the deeds of the body, the stubble, hay and wood.
By being led by the Spirit of God, by doing godly works, we obtain some salvation to our souls today as well.
When we receive answers to "groanings that cannot be uttered" by praying in tongues, do not the members of the Body of Christ receive measures of physical salvation?
When the ill are cured by gifts of healings and the dead are raised by miracles, is this not salvation to their souls?
When by our good works Christians are housed, clothed and fed, is this not salvation to their souls, their breath life?
Of course.
James 2:14-18: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
"And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
"Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
Faith without works is not faith.
A man or a woman may very well have the foundation, does have if during their life they have confessed that Jesus is Lord as the Scriptures reveal, and believed God raised that same Jesus from the dead to make him Lord.
But if that saved man and woman is not doing the works they are called to do, they are merely shuffling stubble, hay and wood.
It is when we minister via our spiritual and our physical resources, feeding the bodies, souls and spirits of the household of faith, that we are truly energized in our faith.
That is when we shall see the salvations of our souls, which is merely a preview for the great day we shall meet the Lord in the air, changed, heirs of so great a salvation.
Jews and Gentiles shall be judged according to their works. Those Jews who do the works of the Law, those Gentiles who live righteously, shall be judged well.
Rom. 2:6-11: "Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
"To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
"But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
"Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
"But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
"For there is no respect of persons with God."
These Jews and Gentiles shall be judged either at the ressurection of the just, which shall take place at the millinium kingdom's onset, or at the White Throne judgement at the end of these times, these ages.
Rev. 20:4-6: "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
This is often called the resurrection of the just, the first judgment of the Jews, those who were not Christians but were martyred for his witness. These are of course Jews who believed on the Messiah before the beginning of the Christian Church on Pentacost, before the salvation of Romans 10:9 was available, or after Christ meets us in the air.
John the Baptist is an example of the former, and of the latter, after being called to the Body of Christ is no longer available, of course we do not yet have an example.
Rev. 20:7-10: "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
One thousand years after the just are judged, the Devil will be cast into the lake of fire.
Then,
Rev. 20:11-15: "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
These are the judgements of Jew and Gentile referred to in Romans two.
But we have a different course.
First, we are not risen either at the resurrection of the just, or at the White Throne.
We are gathered at the end of this age, called the age of the Church of the Body, or the Age of Grace.
1 Thes. 4:13-ff: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
"Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Comfort each other in this, for our hope lies in this.
Rom.5:8-10: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
See?
We are saved from wrath through Christ. Again,
1 Thes. 1:9-10: "For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
"And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."
We have incorruptible seed, salvation in pnuema hagion. We are saved from wrath, this is our hope.
Still, do not think God is mocked.
People who ignore God then get mad when the Devil does what he wants with their lives, crying, "O Lord, I am a Christian."
God is not mocked. There are real consequences in this day for those who ignore the gift that is in them. Such are truly saved from the wrath to come, but,
1 Cor. 5:1-5: "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
"And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
"For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."
Gal. 6:8: "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
That's right, God is not mocked, but if we reject the grace we are saved in, we recieve this now, in our earthly walk.
If we reject the gift of God in us, we suffer loss.
This loss will be finalized at the time we are gathered together and face our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
1 Cor. 3:10-17: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
"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 hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
That's what it says.
Jesus lays the foundation, so the man himself shall be saved.
But God is not mocked. Defile the Temple of God, that is, defile the Body of Christ, the people, and you will be marred. (The word "destroy" is the word phteiro," which means "marred.")
How do you defile the Body of Christ, the Temple in which God dwells?
By not building gold, silver, precious stones, by building stubble, hay, wood.
You build stubble by spending your time and effort on bad, worthless things that provide instant gratification at the expense of others. You build hay and wood by caring for yourself and ignoring the needs of the Body of Christ. These things mar or defile the Temple of God, the people of the Church.
You build gold and silver and precious stones by making sure you listen to the voice of the head of the Church and feed his Body.
You build toward the day of reckoning by feeding people food for body, soul and spirit.
Give to meet needs to Jew, Gentile, but especially to the Church of God, the Body of Christ, those called the children of God.
Minister.
Give your plurality in the physical world, speak the Word, manifest the spirit that is in you to heal and to deliver the people around you.
For as a Christian, this is how you will be judged, this is how you will be held accountable.
Amen?
Amen!