What does the light and heat of the Bema Seat fire do to believers' works?
At the Bema Seat, the fire's light manifests believers' works, and its heat reveals how much survives. Wood, hay, and stubble are consumed and leave nothing, while gold, silver, and precious stone survive untouched and are actually enhanced by the fire.
Les explains that fire not only gives light but also heat, and at the Bema Seat both are at work. The light manifests believers' works, while the heat shows how much of those works will survive. If every work is only wood, hay, and stubble, nothing is left; it goes up in a puff of smoke because the fiery eyes examine our works at the Bema Seat. By contrast, gold, silver, and precious stone survive. Fire cannot touch that quality of work; it actually enhances it, and the light does not hurt it but enhances it. Therefore believers should not be hung up on wood, hay, and stubble. Les says he would rather have one little diamond than a whole lumber yard full of wood, and one little piece of gold than a whole bunch of straw. This is where priorities matter: are your priorities only wood, hay, and stubble that will not hold up under those fiery eyes, or are you putting forth an effort of quality to get gold, silver, and precious stone? Les adds that this does not mean everyone must be a Billy Graham, a foreign missionary, a Sunday school teacher, or a pastor; but in whatever area God gives a gift, doing it with the right motive is where the wood, hay, and stubble versus gold, silver, and precious stones will show up.
More Questions
How does the fire at the Bema Seat test a believer's works?
The examination at the Bema Seat is like a fire that not only gives light to manifest a believer's works, but also produces heat to show how much of those works will survive.