To my knowledge, the straw Christian was given three different tasks by the LORD God to do.
All three tasks required him to go outside himself, and face possible persecution and troubles. The resulting fruits from his effort would clearly have brought others close to Him.
Each time the straw Christian considered the consequences of his efforts, weighed the promised pain vs. the reward it would bring him personally, he decided against it.
He is well pleased with himself, however, that he had a friendly conversation with another Christian the other day, and is confident of being used by the LORD God real soon.
Another Christian that is dear to my heart has struggled for the last five years. He has faced more than his share of pain, and has struggled to maintain his walk with Christ. He is homeless, and without family.
Today he did a work in the name of Jesus Christ. It was a simple act, but a potent one, and he did it knowing that he would possibly face rejection or even persecution. That did not stop him. He had to do something for righteousness sake, because that is the way he is walking.
He is well on his way of having his works for the LORD God measured in gold and silver when the day of reckoning is at hand.
The straw Christian has everything, and is well thought of by the worldly and the religious.
The gold Christian has lost everything, but is still walking with Christ.
In the end, I’m so glad that my Jesus is going to weigh things fairly, and the just rewards given to each.
1 Corinthians 3:12–15 (KJV 1900)
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 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. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
