(1 Corinthians 3:13) The second coming of Jesus will reveal our ministry with blazing fire, and this fire will test the quality of each person’s work.
Although the Bible is clear concerning the certainty of the second coming of Jesus Christ, our understanding of it is unclear to our finite minds.
We have Bible passages about the second coming, but we are unable to put all the pieces together into a clear visual picture.
We do not know when his coming will happen.
We have limited knowledge of how his coming will happen.
We have limited knowledge of what will happen at his coming.
We do know that the second coming of Christ is an eternal event that will usher in a new heaven and a new earth.
A new heaven and a new earth is a reality that we cannot even imagine what it will be like.
It is beyond our finite minds.
1 Corinthians 3:13 tells us that Jesus will come with “blazing fire.”
The image of blazing fire is rather disturbing and unsettling; it stirs up images of a house engulfed in flames.
So, what is the purpose of Jesus coming with blazing fire?
The purpose of this blazing fire is to fully reveal—so that nothing will be hidden—how each one of us has lived our lives.
The blazing fire will test the quality of our service for God.
Notice that it emphasizes the quality of our ministry work, not the quantity.
God is much more concerned about the quality—our productive results—than how much we have done.
We can put in lots of sweat but produce few results.
The emphasis is on the authenticity and genuineness of our ministry for God.
God doesn’t want service done in his name to be fake, cheap, or poor in quality.
The quality of our ministry for God can be compared to things that last: gold, silver, and costly stones—and not to things that do not last: wood, hay, or straw.
It reminds me of a sign at a shop just outside the archaeological reconstruction of Ephesus that reads, “Genuine Fake Watches.”
When Jesus comes, the blazing fire will test—examine and discern—the quality of our ministry throughout our lives.
The blazing fire will reveal whether we are simply fake watches, pretending to be the real thing.
How will this happen?
I think the answer can possibly be found in Revelation 19:12.
This verse tells us that the eyes of Jesus are like blazing fire.
And at the second coming of Jesus, we will be face to face with him.
His eyes of blazing fire will look straight into our eyes.
His eyes of blazing fire will penetrate into our souls in such a way that the authenticity of our entire lives will be fully known.
Are you ready to look into the eyes of Jesus?