Saved But Through Fire

As I write this blog, California is burning.

There are nineteen substantial wildfires raging across the state. The largest is called the Mendocino Complex, which is comprised of two adjacent fires – the Ranch Fire which has burned 157,000 acres and is 27% contained, and the River Fire at 45,000 acres and 50% containment. Slightly smaller but more destructive is the Carr Fire near Redding, which has burned 142,000 acres, caused six deaths, and destroyed 1,500 homes; it stands at only 41% containment and is being called “apocalyptic” by the press.

The demand and strain on firefighters has been incredible. They are working minimum 16 to 24 hour shifts. Four have died, and one man fighting the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite learned that his own home was destroyed in the Carr fire. The state’s resources are stretched so thin that firefighters are coming to help from as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Tens of thousands of people have had to be evacuated, including people already in evacuation centers and hospitals.

These are big picture statistics and situations, but besides video images of burning trees, mushroom clouds of dark smoke, and swirling “fire-nadoes,”we have seen images of the individual tragedies being repeated so many times in areas hit by the fires. We have watched as men and women stood in front of the smouldering embers of what used to be their homes, wiping away tears as they report the loss of everything they owned. One woman said that this is the second time she has lost a home to fire, so there wasn’t much left to burn this time – but now even that is gone.

As I watched one of the survivors talk about her losses, and how she and her family had just enough time to grab their pets and escape the rapidly advancing flames, I remembered the passage from 1 Corinthians where the Apostle Paul used the powerful image of fire to address an important spiritual matter.

Paul was chastising the Corinthians for their petty squabbles and divisiveness, for their spiritual immaturity, and for their jealousies. He wanted them to understand that their conflicts were contrary to the faith he had proclaimed to them, and that they would be ineffective in accomplishing anything for the kingdom of Christ. He derided their failure to build on the foundation which Christ had laid for them through Paul’s teaching, saying:

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 – emphasis mine)

Elsewhere, Scripture uses fire to describe judgment and condemnation. Wicked Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone (sulfur) from heaven (Genesis 19). Exodus 19:23-24 tells us the the Lord sent hail and fire down upon Egypt as one of the plagues. When the Israelites grumbled in the desert, God sent poisonous, fiery serpents to kill many of them (Numbers 21). John the Baptist spoke of the Messiah baptizing people with the Spirit and with fire, explaining that fire was the fate of those who were chaff (Luke 3:15). And of course, the Book of Revelation describes the final judgment against the devil, his demons, and those whose names are not written in the book of life: they will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10,15).

Paul’s use of fire is along those lines, but directed not at the believers – who will be saved by their faith in Christ – but rather at their worthless works. Because of their squabbles, they are accomplishing nothing of permanence that will build the kingdom. Paul reminds them that the permanent foundation was built by Christ, the works which his people build upon that foundation, as a house is built on a foundation, will last. But all our works which we do apart from Christ, no matter how impressive they are to us, will perish, as our goods do in a fire. He doesn’t spell out what specific works will perish, and what specific ones will endure, but we are left with the understanding that some of what we do in this life will bear eternal fruit, while much will end when we die. The difference is what is done through Christ.

So how does this idea of fire, judgment, and works which burn up relate to what is happening in California this summer?

1. First, I want to be clear that the loss which people have sustained of houses, possessions, animals, and even loved ones, is not God’s judgment against those individuals for some sin they have done. Those who lost homes were not more sinful than the people whose homes were spared. This principle is laid out in Scripture in several places. In Matthew 5:45, Jesus says of the Father, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Jesus also answered people’s questions about suffering when he referred to two contemporary incidents in which individuals were killed: “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5). We also know that Job suffered the loss of just about everything in his life, including possessions and family, though God considered him the most righteous man on earth in his day (Job 1:8). So we should never look upon anyone’s suffering and think they must have done something to deserve it; we all deserve God’s judgment, so we should look with compassion and remind ourselves that but for the grace of God, we could be in the same situation.
2. The possessions which people lost were valuable to them. Many of the destroyed items had sentimental value, such as photo albums and heirlooms. Other items had monetary value, including expensive furniture and equipment. The houses themselves represented significant financial investments made from lifetimes of work and sacrifice. And yet, all were gone within minutes. This should make us think carefully about what we invest in: what is important to us? Stuff? Things that are considered valuable to the world? Showy things that impress others or build our egos?  Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20); he could have added fire to his examples of earthly dangers. We should remember that it is not the value we put on something that makes it truly valuable, but what God says of it.
3. Which brings us to the final point: the phrase, “You can’t take it with you” is true. No matter how important our stuff is to us here in this lifetime, when we die, it all stays behind. It will all be consumed in the final fire if not before.

The story is told about a very wealthy man who on his deathbed made his wife promise to bury his money with him when he died, so he would have it in the afterlife. She protested, but he insisted, so finally she promised to do what he asked. On the day of his funeral, the grieving widow sat watching them lower the casket into the ground. Her best friend sat beside her to console her, but knowing about the strange demand of the deceased, she asked the widow, “You didn’t do what he asked, did you?” The widow turned to her friend with a smile and said, “Yes I did. I put it right in the casket with him. I wrote him a check.”

So are all our efforts and work and striving in this life wasted? King Solomon seemed to think so, even as he considered all his vast wealth. It was probably he who wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:18, “I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me.” But while most of what we have and do here will perish, the Bible also speaks of works which will endure. What are those works? Paul says they are the works we build on Christ’s foundation. But what do such works look like?

What will last through the fire and into eternity are spiritual works, those things which glorify God and bring the Gospel to people. These include preaching and teaching people about Jesus Christ, baptizing in his name, showing compassion to hurting people, sacrificing one’s time and resources to help others, caring for the sick and dying (including family members), helping people reconcile and resolve conflicts (being a peacemaker), and suffering persecution and even martyrdom for Christ’s sake (“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10).

Jesus told us not to worry about what we have to put on, because our lives are more important that our clothing. All who lost clothing (and so much else) in the California fires are more valuable to God than what they owned. Their lives matter, so let us pray for them and for their safety and recovery, as well as for the safety of those who fight to control these raging infernos and protect others from such devastating losses.

Let us also thank God for the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ’, whose death and resurrection has won for us eternal life. Knowing that our lives will endure through all eternity, let us seek to do those works which will also endure the fire, that will glorify God, and be the instruments which God uses to save others.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Job 1, 1 Corinthians 3, Luke 13:1-5