468. Do You Build to Your Own Destruction?

When a builder is going to build a house, it is important for him to lay a solid foundation. In the past, people did not take that so seriously, and so their buildings turned out accordingly. It is exactly the same in spiritual matters. “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation,” Paul wrote to the Corinthians. A lot of digging needs to be done in a human heart in order to lay a deep enough foundation. If there is hard rock deep within the heart, it must be blown apart with spiritual dynamite. Everyone who has had a solid foundation laid down in their heart is aware of that. This is not done in one day. It can take a long time after conversion.

Then the apostle says, “and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it!”

Here each person is his own builder. After the foundation has been laid, we ourselves must build with silver, gold, and precious stones. This building material will remain on the day that our work is tested by fire. It will also remain if we always walk in the works that God has prepared for us (Eph. 2:10), because these works always proceed from God’s working to will and to do.

But if we go our own way after the foundation is laid, by doing our own works, then we are building with hay, wood, and straw, which will be burnt up on the day that our works are tested by fire. Each one’s work will become apparent. There will not be much honor then for us or for God if our life’s work cannot bear the fire.

We are God’s temple—God’s house. If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him. We can actually destroy ourselves by walking according to our own will instead of God’s will, because then we are building with combustible material, which God will destroy.

“And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant. . . . But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap.” Malachi 3:1-2.

Here we see that the Lord comes with fire. Everything that is self-made will be burnt up. Who can stand when He appears? Only the people who have come to rest from their works (works done according to the will of man), just as God did from His. We must come into God’s works if we are to endure the fire. Only there will you find rest.

“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver; that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.”

Being refined and purified as silver is no small thing. Everyone who has been obedient to the refiner’s fire and the launderers’ soap knows that. This inner cleansing takes place after our body has been washed with pure water for the forgiveness of sins. We can only be truly pure when our inner life has been purified. For God’s Word discerns even the hidden thoughts and intents of the heart. The refiner’s fire and launderers’ soap also penetrate into the thought life, because that is where sin originates.

“‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘That will then leave neither root nor branch.’” Mal. 4:1.

This day is approaching rapidly. The kingdoms of the world are shaking and trembling right to their very foundations. Princes and rulers are deposed from their thrones. Everything is in turmoil. But we are waiting for a kingdom which cannot be shaken.

“‘But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

These promises are so glorious that we ought to be very diligent to live according to God’s will because we are predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, to live with Him and reign with Him.

When trials come and the fire refines and purifies us, things generally seem difficult. But when it is all over, we understand that it has worked together for our good. With every fiery trial, our works become more pure and perfect. And when the final fire goes over our life, when the day comes which the Lord is speaking of, then we are familiar with the fire—we no longer think it strange. We have a hope of remaining standing, so that we are not consumed. Let us therefore build on our foundation with imperishable things: gold, silver, and precious stones.

We can do this if we truly want to because God has given us power to become children of God, and He has given us power to walk in the works which He has prepared beforehand. It is not necessary to build with things that will burn. Let each one take heed how he builds and what he is building with.