Believers are God’s workmanship and eternally saved, that is, redeemed,

but our works will be tried by fire and be found as precious things, or as worthless things.

The New Testament book of 1Corinthians 3:6-15 says:

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth;

but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:

and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

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.

Only sincere believers in Jesus Christ are saved and will get rewards according to their labors.

Note that the Apostle Paul warns believers to be careful to build on the only true foundation, which is Jesus Christ. 

He alone is approved by God. 

Notice the two categories, “gold, silver, precious stones” which will withstand the testing by fire, and the believer rewarded,

and the “wood, hay and stubble” which the fire will consume and the believer will “suffer loss.” 

It seems as though God has rewards planned for us, but we could lose some of them, by producing “wood, hay, stubble.”

The following verse should be sobering, and move us to serve the Lord Jesus Christ carefully.  As Christian believers we trust that Jesus has paid for all our sins, and that it is our works that he will judge. We, ourselves, will not be judged regarding salvation as Jesus Christ completely atoned for our sins.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences (2Corinthians 5:10, 11). 

Realizing our shortcomings, we believers do trust in our own completed redemption as this verse in Revelation says: 

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.

Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen (Rev 1:5-6).

1John1: 

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1John1:5-10).

The Christian’s bar of soap!  We should confess sins, both of commission and omission, immediately. 

We are not fooling God.  We confess and we are forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness.

Also see my page:  Walking in the Light

Paul speaks with God’s inspiration to the Church at Philippi:  

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you (Philippians 3:13-15).

I pray for God to show me if I am not doing right. Our sins are washed away as Revelation 1 and many other blessed Bible verses say. 

But like Paul we want to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-25).  In our ordinary activities we can earn rewards and a great inheritance. 

We should diligently, prepare, each day, to serve the Lord.  QUIET TIME EACH MORNING IS A MUST.  

I have an old booklet – “7 minutes with God.”  I like to start with a psalm from the Bible, to tune my heart to God. 

The acronym “ACTS” can guide us -- adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication-- as we lift our hearts in praise and prayer to God.  Get at least a few minutes each morning. 

Pause to pray several times a day and read the Bible. 

Carry a pocket Bible or electronic Bible. 

King David said, My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up (Psalm5:3). 

Four things are important to grow in the Lord. – Time in his Word (the Bible), real prayer, true fellowship with other Christians, and witnessing. 

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified (Acts 20:32). 

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Pray without ceasing! And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24,25).

We need quality fellowship. Witnessing is difficult for many.  It’s much easier if we are prepared for the opportunities that God sends our way.  Be aware of current hot topics in the news, and be ready to give good comments that point toward God. 

Witness to people you know. We are to be prepared as trained ambassadors.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2Corinthians 5).

Jesus said:

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labors (John4:36-38).

When we witness, we may not see the actual conversion, but others will reap.  We sow and reap and gather wages unto eternal life.

The Great Prophet Daniel said:

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shal run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased (Daniel 12:1-4).

Daniel mentions rewards for those who serve God.  He also mentions a time of great trouble we call the Tribulation, which is still to come.

The Hebrews 10 passage above says exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

“Signs of the times” allow us to discern that the day of Christ’s return in near.

Jesus commanded his followers in Matthew 28:19-20:  

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: