Snatched from the fire.
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Zechariah 3:1, 2. The accuser, Satana in Hebrew, argued that Joshua was a sinner with nothing good in him; therefore, he could not stand in the presence of the Lord and represent God’s chosen people. Did the accuser have a basis for his claim about Joshua, the high priest? Yes, he did! “All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:12.
According to the Objective Moral Law, the high priest Joshua was a sinner and therefore judged unworthy. The filthy clothes on Joshua symbolized that he was a sinner. Zechariah 3:3. The angel told those standing with him to remove Joshua’s dirty clothes. ”Then he said to Joshua, ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and will put fine garments on you.” Zechariah 3:4. The fine clothing represents the righteousness from God bestowed on those who surrendered themselves to the Lord, Jesus Christ. Joshua was a helpless sinner, like a burning stick that cannot escape the fire on its own. Only the Lord could rescue the helpless sinner from the fire. Why did the Lord do it? “But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors….” Deuteronomy 7:8.
The surrendered believers, who have given up their old, worthless selves, can come into the presence of the Lord just as they are. The Lord provides what is necessary to stand before Him blamelessly. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, states that he, by God’s grace, has laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. The foundation Paul laid is unchangeable and eternal. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11. God does not require perfect knowledge, understanding, and excellent works. He asks for the righteous works found in Jesus Christ only.
However, the structure we, as sinners, build with imperfect materials must be established entirely on Jesus Christ, the one and only foundation. As Paul states, the fire at the end will reveal whether the materials used are good or not. If they are not, the fire will destroy them. Yet, the builder will be saved as one snatched out of the fire. If we unknowingly use inferior materials to build on the only foundation, Jesus Christ will not deny us eternity. Changing the one foundation or establishing another one will not be excused. Our righteousness and qualification for eternity with God depend solely on Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. Romans 3:21.
The thief and the false prophet will be banished forever. Read the next blog.