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Our Sure Foundation, February 10
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.
1 Corinthians 3:11-13
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As fire reveals the difference between gold, silver, and precious stones,
and wood, hay, and stubble, so the day of judgment will test characters,
showing the difference between characters formed after Christ’s likeness
and characters formed after the likeness of the selfish heart. All selfishness,
all false religion, will then appear as it is. The worthless material will be
consumed; but the gold of true, simple, humble faith will never lose its
value. It can never be consumed; for it is imperishable.
Anyone can be just what he chooses to be. Character is not obtained
by receiving an education. Character is not obtained by amassing wealth
or by gaining worldly honor. Character is not obtained by having others
fight the battle of life for us. It must be sought, worked for, fought for; and
it requires a purpose, a will, a determination. To form a character which
God will approve, requires persevering effort. It will take a continual
resisting of the powers of darkness to ... have our names retained in the
book of life. Is it not worth more to have our names registered in that
book, have them immortalized among the heavenly angels, than to have
them sounded in praise throughout the whole earth?
In the probationary time granted us here we are each building a struc-
ture that is to have the inspection of the Judge of all the earth. This work
is the molding of our characters. Every act of our lives is a stone in that
building, every faculty is a worker, every blow that is struck is for good
or for evil. The words of inspiration warn us to take heed how we build,
to see that our foundation is sure. If we build upon the solid rock, pure,
noble, upright deeds, the structure will go up beautiful and symmetrical, a
fit temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
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