What will the reward for believers' surviving works be?
The reward for believers whose works survive the testing fire will be responsibilities in the kingdom. At the judgment seat of Christ, Christ's fiery eyes test each believer's record; only gold, silver, and precious stones remain. On that basis God gives eternal reward—responsibilities, not crowns.
Les explains that in the Christian life believers become builders, building into the building they are constructing with God. God gives six materials: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble. Three withstand heat and fire; three go up in smoke. Les cites the Scripture that every believer's work will be made manifest, revealed or tested by fire, at the day when we come before the righteous judge. He clarifies this is not hell fire or the lake of fire; one description of Christ is that He has eyes of fire. As believers come before Him, Les thinks at the judgment seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5, they are judged not for salvation and never to answer for sin, but to answer for reward. Those fiery eyes penetrate the whole Christian record, showing what each built with. When finished, only the elements that won't melt remain—gold, silver, and precious stone. On that basis God gives reward for eternity. Les says that reward will be responsibilities in the kingdom, not the crowns.