11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,

13 his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.

14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.

— 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

— Romans 8:30

13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.

— Ephesians 1:13-14

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

— Ephesians 4:30

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

After we have believed in Jesus Christ and been saved, we might be unfaithful in following Jesus and then lose all rewards, God guarantees we will remain saved because He is always faithful. Paul gives us an assurance by telling us even when a believer’s building work with valueless wood, hay and straw instead of precious life and grace provided by Christ is burned up, he will suffer loss but he himself will be saved yet so as through fire. When God saved us, He glorified us. Our future glorification is stated in the past tense because it is certain. We can rest, knowing we will not become lost again.

Our salvation is a sealed deal. God has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment on our salvation. This deposit is God’s way of guaranteeing that He will not back out on the contract promises of our salvation. He is now legally bound to keep us saved. We believers were sealed with the Holy Spirit in Christ until the day of redemption as God’s own possession to the praise of His glory. the Bible tells us that God the Holy Spirit has sealed us until the day of redemption, not until we fail or sin against God again.