We Are Saved by Grace but Rewarded by Works.

[KevinK]

Is this a correct saying? I take its meaning to be that admittance to Heaven is by accepting the Christ's blood sacrifice, but once in Heaven our actual reward will be based on our actions on earth.

Conversely, a Hellish destination results from not having Jesus as your savior, but the actual nature of torment will be a condign punishment based on your wrongdoings in life.

 

[JLB]

Is this a correct saying? I take its meaning to be that admittance to Heaven is by accepting the Christ's blood sacrifice, but once in Heaven our actual reward will be based on our actions on earth.

Conversely, a Hellish destination results from not having Jesus as your savior, but the actual nature of torment will be a condign punishment based on your wrongdoings in life.

6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,
Romans 2:6-8


Here Paul contrast's the two type's of Christians:

• Faithful vs Unfaithful
• Obedient vs Disobedient
• Those who do good vs those who do evil

From this foundation of truth, a rational, biblical discussion can be had.


JLB

 

[WIP]

Is this a correct saying? I take its meaning to be that admittance to Heaven is by accepting the Christ's blood sacrifice, but once in Heaven our actual reward will be based on our actions on earth.

Conversely, a Hellish destination results from not having Jesus as your savior, but the actual nature of torment will be a condign punishment based on your wrongdoings in life.

Isn't heaven itself the reward? "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 NKJV

If there will be no more pain, crying, or sorrow then the rewards you speak of will not be realized because we will not recognize a comparison that can possibly bring such pain, crying, or sorrow resulting from a sense of loss.

 

[Wrg1405]

I think this can be confusing. The word WORKS can make this confusing, and I would say that in todays church preaching can make it confusing.

Some can confuse this to mean works of the flesh and therefore sin management, which can detract from being saved by grace. I think the biggest lie of Satan is to say "Oh you, you sinned today, you didn't read your bible, didn't pray, do you really love God, you got it wrong, work a bit harder at not sinning and maybe God will forgive you.

If we could manage our own sin and not sin then Jesus would not have to come to atone for our sin.

We all have stuff in our life, character traits that works in our flesh. I had a severe gambling problem and its roots were very deep and God needed to heal it and he did. Truth is my focus was on this and trying to manage it, it was only when I said to God "I'm stuck I can't deal with it, I do beleive in you even though I can't manage it, I have no idea why I can't deal with it"

But during that long dark period in my life, even though I felt hypocrital when I saw a fellow believer in trouble I would come alongside, the same for a non beleiver. What I could not accept for myself I never ever felt the same for the other person.

I have always sought to be the person that Jesus has told me to be to others, do to them as you would want them to do to you, love God with all your heart and soul.

My focus for most of my Christian life has been to manage my sin, work harder to please God. Starting to realise that the Holy Spirirt works in me to reveal my sin and work in it but also works within me to be the person Jesus is asking me be.

Our works should come from grace, our sins are forgiven on account of the name of Jesus. When we truly get it then our works should produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

 

[JLB]

Oh you, you sinned today, you didn't read your bible, didn't pray, do you really love God, you got it wrong, work a bit harder at not sinning and maybe God will forgive you.

Loving God is keeping His commandments.

Loving also means loving your neighbor.

If you Love God, and you love your neighbor, then you would not murder your neighbor.
If you Love God, and you love your neighbor, then you would not commit adultery with your neighbors wife.
If you Love God, and you love your neighbor, then you would not lie to your neighbor.

Not reading your bible is not what the bible refers to as sin.

The Ten Commandments are a good place to start.


JLB

 

[JLB]

Starting to realise that the Holy Spirirt works in me to reveal my sin and work in it but also works within me to be the person Jesus is asking me be.

Amen. Good word!

 

[KevinK]

To clarify the question, does anyone believe in different levels of reward, and different levels of punishment?

 

[WIP]

To clarify the question, does anyone believe in different levels of reward, and different levels of punishment?

The jury is still out for me because I think in order to realize different levels of reward I must also be able to identify a level of loss, that is, lesser reward. As the Scripture I posted earlier indicates there would be no more sorrow and that would mean no sense of loss to recognize the difference between a lower or higher reward.

Put it this way. In a tournament does getting a second, third, or fourteenth place trophy feel as good as getting the first place trophy? The only way it can is if one is unable to realize the difference between the trophies. In that case, what difference would it make to get first or second or even last place and why would it matter?

 

[KevinK]

Well, I guess that's what the question is about, and the jury is still out for me as well, but one example I could give, though rather crude in a way: suppose one of our heavenly rewards is we all receive our own mansion. Maybe someone who did more charity work on earth (in secret, of course) receives a bigger mansion?

 

[WIP]

Well, I guess that's what the question is about, and the jury is still out for me as well, but one example I could give, though rather crude in a way: suppose one of our heavenly rewards is we all receive our own mansion. Maybe someone who did more charity work on earth (in secret, of course) receives a bigger mansion?

Of course my mind asks, "So what, if I am unable to recognize the difference?"

 

[KevinK]

Of course my mind asks, "So what, if I am unable to recognize the difference?"

How do you mean? Your mansion is 20,000 sq ft, your nearest neighbor is only 9,200 sq ft. The difference is largely due to your fine work as Staff Administrator of the best Christian website on the internet. Everyone knows you have the biggest crib in the 'hood.