|
The Bride and Her Reward.
Part 2
Induction: While the rest of the world,
the people that failed to accept Jesus Christ as their personal
saviour. Some because of their own ego’s want let them let
anyone or person become Lord of their life.
Believers in Christ are not working their way to Heaven, They are
only working on their way to Heaven.
Every Knee shall bow saved or not.
Now or Later. Even the lost will bow.
Romans 14:11 NIV
11 It is written:
" `As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
`every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Phili 2:10 NIV
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The Bride is made up of believers beginning at the day
of Pentecost to Christ coming for his saints.
Acts chapters 1 & 2; Thess 4:15-18.
The Bride ( called out assembly ) could not start until Christ sent
the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:47
The Lord did the adding. To receive the rewards a soul must
be present at the Judgment seat of Christ.
What is the requirement for attending the Judgment seat ( judgment
of rewards )?
Is to be a New Testament saint. The Salvation of their soul must
be by the Gospel of Christ.
1 Cor 15:1-11. saved by the blood of
Christ. Theses Saint must be blood bought. It has to be by God’s Salvation.
Man can not add to or take away from God’s plan. Eph
2:8-9.
Scripture teach without a doubt that a Child of God
will not come into judgment in his standing before God .
John 3:18; John 5:24; John
6:37; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1; 1 Cor 11:32.
John 6:37-40 NIV
37All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my
will but to do the will of him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me,
that I shall lose none of all that he has given me,
but raise them up at the last day.
40 For my Father's will is that everyone who
looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day."
Many try to explain these verses away. Christ is speaking
He say he will never drive them away.
Then in verse 39 it is repeated making the point very important.
I shall lose none of all that he has given me.
The father gives the believers to the son. Even if one could stop
believing Christ says he will never lose them.
For the third it is repeated in verse 40 again believing
leaving Baptism and other works of righteousness out.
It is all God’s plan. Here if they believe in Jesus Christ the name,
the authority, Shall have eternal life.
The word HAVE is present tense so again the question if one can
have eternal life now then how can they lose it.
If for some reason you could lose it, it would be temp
life.
According to the verses listed above a True believer is secure in
Christ.
That is the reason the Salvation of man’s soul has to rest in God’s
finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary.
God Gave. His love is so great He never wants to share it.
The believer is said to never again be under the penalty
for all sin. Whether past, present, or future.
Col 2:13-15 NIV
13 When you were dead in your sins and
in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations,
that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away,
nailing it to the cross.
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities,
he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
The penalty has been born by the perfect Substitute. Beside being place
beyond condemnation
the believer is placed in Christ and by being placed in Christ is accepted
in The perfection of Christ.
1 Cor 1:30; Eph 1:6; Col 2:10; Heb 10:14
Col 2:9-10 NIV
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head
over every power and authority.
The believer is loved as Christ is loved.
John 17:23 NIV
23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete
unity to let the world know that you sent me and have
loved them even as you have loved me.
The believer is to give an account of his daily life and service for God
. This not having any bearing
on the salvation of his soul, that already secured by Christ.
The judgment of the believer is for the gaining of rewards or lost of rewards.
Romans 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Eph 6:8.
2 Cor 5:10 NIV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that each one may receive what is due him for the things
done while in the body, whether good or bad.
This judgment will occur when Christ comes to receive his own.
1 Cor 4:5; 2 Tim 4:8; Rev 22:12; cp Mat 16:27; Luke 14:14
2 Tim 4:8 NIV
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day--and not only to me,
but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
There are
mention of prizes and Crowns to be won for faithfulness of Service to God
and for keeping his commands
and doing The work of Telling the Gospel. 1 Cor 15:1-11.
Crown of righteousness 2
Tim 4:8
Crown of Life
James 1:12; Rev 2:10
Crown of Glory
1 Peter 5:4
Crown of rejoicing, Joy
1 Thess 2:19; Phili 4:1
Crown that is incorruptible 1 Cor 9:24-25
; cp Rev 4:4; Rev 9:7; Rev 12:3; Rev 13:1;
Rev 19:12.
Prize 1 Cor 9:24; Phili 3:14
Rev 3:11-12 NIV
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have,
so that no one will take your crown.
12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the
temple of my God. Never again will he leave it.
I will write on him the name of my God and the
name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,
which is coming down out of heaven from my God;
and I will also write on him my new name.
Preachers have beautiful feet.
Romans 10:15 KJV And how shall they
preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
Prov 11:30 KJV The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;
and he that winneth souls is wise.
Many souls fail to see that there
are two kinds of righteousness that is talked about in God’s Holy Word.
One. There is the righteousness of man and his righteous
acts. The only Baptism that has any thing to do with
the Salvation of a man’s soul is the Spirit that comes into the believer's
heart and seals his soul.
Second. The Righteousness that saves a human soul is
that of Jesus Christ that was bought with a price on the
Cross of Calvary.
1. Mans righteousness.
Eze 33:12-16, Eph 2:8-10
2. God’s righteousness.
Mat 6:33; Romans 3:25; Romans 3:26; 2 Cor 9:8-9
Both
the Old And New Testament speaks of the reward of the righteous. These
righteous were either
looking forward to Christ on the Cross, they were with Him while
He was on earth or they are now looking back
at the finished of God through Christ’s death on the Cross. Christ
being the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the
world. It is a gift just for the asking.
Romans 10:13 NIV for, "Everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.
To the lost of this world God offers Salvation through the
Saving work of His only begotten ( born ) son.
Born of a virgin. This is a Gift free to all Romans
6:23
Romans 6:22-23 NIV
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have
become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness,
and the result is eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You can read it in any translation you want to They
all say the same.
Bible
in Basic English] (Romans 6:23)
For the reward of sin is death;
but what God freely gives is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Here God highlights the word Gift with freely gives
and that it is eternal life. And where is that life in
Jesus Christ our Lord. Is he your Lord?
He cannot be your Lord Unless you accept His finished work. All
one has to do is trust in the name of Jesus Christ,
The authority of His sacrifice. It is so simple
soul are going to Hell because they want a piece of God’s Glory.
They want to boast I joined the Church to get to heaven or I have
been baptized or I partake of the Lord’s supper.
.
First you can not join Jesus’ Bride. The Lord
Adds.
Acts 2:46-47 NIV
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and
sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
I once had a Baptist pastor that made the statement that he Baptized people
into the Lord’s church.
Well it seems that the
Word of God has a problem with that statement. It seems that any
way it is
written it reads that
the Lord adds them to the church.
That
tells scholars not any works, Baptism, Lord Supper, helping the poor, tithing
or a righteous
act of any
kind is going to save and or keep one’s soul saved.
The next question that the believer saved by the blood of Jesus Christ
should ask is why should I
do righteous acts and live a righteous
life ( a Christian witness ).
1. This is the only way some souls ever hear or see Christ is through our
lives.
2. Next living a righteous one can live a healthier life.
3. The saved Children of the righteous are protection in the years
to come. Psalm 127
4. God’s Promises are always true. God through his Truthful Word
Offers rewards to his believers
for faithful service. After they have accept Christ as their personal saviour.
John 4:10-14 NIV
10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who
it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water."
11 "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with
and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?
12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us
the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons
and his flocks and herds?"
13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will
be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.
Indeed, the water I give him will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
In These verses it speaks of the Gift of God. Speaking of never thirsting
again,
living water, And at the same time giving eternal life. She got it in the
here and now.
Here are some more verses that Salvation is invariably spoken of as a Gift
free
from any price. A gift is given because of love in someone heart.
In this case
it is the ultimate love to send ones only son to saved the lost of a
cruel wicked world.. Romans 6:23; Eph 2:8-9 .
Salvation is for the believing.
A prize or rewards is earned by works . Mat 10:42;
Luke 19:17
1 Cor 9:24-25 ; 2 Tim 4:7-8; Rev 2:10; Rev 22:12
1 Cor 9:24-25 NIV
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last;
but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Next to further show the distinction between works and Salvation being
A Gift of God. Is that you don’t have to wait for your Salvation from God.
The big distinction is that Salvation is a present possession .
Luke 7:50; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:47; 1 John
5:13
Luke 7:50 NIV
50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Rewards are spoken of as a future attainment, to be given at the rapture
The judgment seat of Christ. 2 Tim 4:8; Rev 22:12
2 Tim 4:8 NIV
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day--and not only to me,
but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Paul there is no doubt about his Salvation and the security of his soul.
Yet he
Was looking forward to his reward.
Rev 22:12 NIV
12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me,
and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End.
So as to the fact that there is no room for a mistake.
The difference between the saved for eternality and
the lost for eternality is the Sacrifice of Christ at the cross
of Calvary. The lost, that are the unsaved are to be judged
according to their works for degrees of punishment. Not to see if
they are saved or unsaved. They are already lost at this point they
have no choice. They Never accept the finished work of God through
Christ. Their trust was put into church membership, Baptism, and the many
other thing man and preachers have though up. One Group believes
if they got to another church not of their type and get killed before
they get back to theirs and partake of the Lord's Supper they will go to
hell.
These kind of things are brain washing. Things of False preachers and teachers
beware of religions that take you right of choice from you.( when they
tell
People not to read their written materials beware, other religions. )
their are some I don't read but that is my choice. When a person makes
their
own choice it is not mind control. I get weary of churches that
have very little bible study. And if the do have a lot of bible study and
one person
does all of the teaching. There is a chance of only one point of view being
given.
Rev 20:11-15 NIV
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.
Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,
and books were opened. Another book was opened,
which is the book of life.
The dead were judged according to what they had done as
recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades
gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was
judged according to what he had done.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
The lake of fire is the second death.
15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,
he was thrown into the lake of fire.
The unsaved will be judgment and his degree of punishment the penalty
of their evil works and Good works will rest upon those that are
lost. A lost
person best self righteousness can never be Good enough to pay the penalty
for the sins that keeps a lost person from the present and fellowship of
God.
Eze 33:12-20. the Person that is self righteous will never make.
But if the most wicked turn to the Lord he will be saved.
It is not man’s righteousness that saves. It is God’s righteousness imputed
Through His son Jesus Christ.
The ones appearing at the judgment seat of Christ are not only saved and
safe
In Christ, but will already have been taken into heaven on the divine grace
made
possible by the saviourhood of Christ. Their merit or their works
will not be
enough grounds for Salvation. That would be all or part man’s Salvation.
One
needs to remember who created everything and person. God Almighty.
If God then is the creator, and being the creator did he need our help?
No.
If God is the author and finisher of The salvation of man’s soul.
Then it is God’s Salvation of man’s soul.
Eph 2:8-10 NIV
8 For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith--and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Again in plain English verse 8 says that a soul is saved by grace. Next
it repeats
And explains that it is a Gift. Verse 9 tells why it can not be by works.
So no one can take the glory from God. Verse 10 states that we are created
to do
Good works after Salvation of the soul By Christ not that Goods works saves.
Some times the Basic English translation makes it so clear.
[Bible in Basic English] (Ephesians 2:8-10)
8. Because by grace you have salvation through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is given by God:
9. Not by works, so that no man may take glory to himself.
10. For by his act we were given existence in Christ Jesus
to do those good works which God before made ready
for us so that we might do them.
Here in verse 8 it is Given by God.
Verse 9 Why not by works? God is Jealous man would become his
own God.
When man becomes his own God man takes Glory to himself ( man ).
Eph 2:8-10 ISV
8 For by such grace you have been saved through faith.
This does not come from you; it is the gift of God
9 and not the result of works, lest anyone boast.
10 For we are his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus
for good works that God prepared long ago
to be our way of life.
Again in the ISV verse 8 mentions Grace and Faith.
This is very plain that is does not come from you.
How can a Gift come from your self. Someone has to pay for the
Gift. If you pay for your own Gift then it is not a gift.
(you paid for the gift.)
If one adds works to the Salvation of their soul it had to be
Bought with a price. Once Church membership, Water Baptism,
The Lord’s Supper, and / or any other works of righteousness
Then a price is being paid for the Salvation of your soul.
The Bible clearly states that the Salvation of man’s soul
Is a Gift of God.
Works in the Dictionary Webster’s 1962 says
work is moral duties as external to faith.
The explanation is quit intriguing the word external.
So I decided to look it up also.
External== outside; exterior; superficial; objective;
foreign;
Exterior or outward part; an outward form, rite,
or ceremony.
Besides the Judgment seat of Christ ( for the believers for rewards.)
1
Thess 4:16
Then there is a judgment of the works of the wicked. ( White throne.)
Rev
20:11
There will be when gather before the throne of His Glory there will
also be a
Accounting of reward on the basis of merit for both Israel
and the nations.
Mat
25:31; cp Mat 6:2-6; Mat 24:45-46; Mat 25:1-46.
Mat 25:31 KJV When the Son of
man shall come in his glory,
and all the holy angels with him,
then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations:
and he shall separate them one from another,
as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand,
but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat:
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger,
and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me:
I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty,
and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked,
and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them,
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one
of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked,
and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked,
or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these,
ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:
but the righteous into life eternal.
Remember that the only true righteous is from
God. Roman 4:22-24; James 2:23; Romans 4:11.
The next step in understanding of the believer’s rewards at the judgment
of rewards
( the judgment seat of Christ.) There are three majors figures
that are used in God’s Word
to show the nature of the believer’s rewards. There
is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Christ and Paul Parables (pictures) used these ways to explain
and teach.
The most important element of a bible Study is not prayer
but could be the second important element.
But first one must be saved.
1 Cor 2:14 NIV
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept
the things that come from the Spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him,
and he cannot understand them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things,
but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?"
Acts 8:30-31 NIV
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man
reading Isaiah the prophet.
"Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31 "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?"
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Once a soul becomes a believer and has accepted Christ by faith
That soul receives the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26 NIV
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, will teach you all things and
will remind you of everything I have said to you.
I. In Romans 14:10-12 the figure
of the stewardship is brought out.
Romans 14:10-13 NIV
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother?
Or why do you look down on your brother?
For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.
11 It is written:
" `As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
`every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.
Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block
or obstacle in your brother's way.
We are told to loving to evaluate the quality of fellow
Christian’s works. This does not
mean that they are to be condemned and rebuked. The real reference
that is being taught is
that what is the value and quality of the believer’s own life. A
person sometimes my criticise
the other fellow to cover their own short comings.
Another fact revealed is that of the fact every believer
will have to give account to God.
The Born Again Christian is presented as steward or a trustee. Every
thing the believer has
been trusted with in life, with natural gifts, their mental smarts,
health, and wealth is what
God has given to them. The more one is entrusted with the
more one has to be accountable for.
Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; 2 Cor 9:6; Heb 6:10;
Heb 13:16.
Luke 6:38 NIV
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over,
will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you."
---------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
Paul brought in 1 Cor 6:19-20
1 Cor 6:19-20 NIV
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God?
You are not your own;
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
The believer is bought and paid in full for.
A successful Stewardship is not one of public
acclaim, but the key is that of faithfulness.
D. L. Moody set out to see how much God
could do if he just let God use him. There
Is so much if the believer would just be
faithful to the work that the Lord has for him to do.
God has committed more that the believer
could ever realize that God could do through them.
Titus 2:11-14 NIV
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—
the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness
and to purify for himself a people that are his very own,
eager to do what is good.
II. The Believer’s life in 1 Cor 3:9-15
is a figure of a building built upon Christ as the Foundation.
1 Cor 3:9-17 NIV
9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder,
and someone else is building on it.
But each one should be careful how he builds.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,
which is Jesus Christ.
12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones,
wood, hay or straw,
13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring
it to light. It will be revealed with fire,
and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved,
but only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple
and that God's Spirit lives in you?
17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him;
for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
To understand
the power of this passage the believer should know:
a. The ones that are in view are only the saved. The personal pronouns
We and Ye include all who are saved. All of the unsaved are exclude.
The word man has reference to only the one that is building on
the Rock Jesus Christ.
b. The Gospel by which the believer is saved,
provides the Rock on which the saved one stands.
Paul likens himself to a wise master-builder that uses the correct foundation.
Paul indicates that each believer for himself is building upon one Foundation
For a superstructure that is provided by God through his unmerited Grace.
Unmerited == unearned . Grace that is free that we
do not have a right to
receive.
The believer is to take heed how he builds upon that foundation.
The reference here is not to the so-called character building.
The character of the believer is said to be the fruits of the Spirit.
Gal 5:22-23
and it is not realized by the fleshly means, but as stated in Gal 5:16
by walking
in the Spirit. The believe is presented as building a service or works
which
is to be tested by fire. Cp Rev 1:14
The subject that is being presented is works for rewards not works for
salvation.
Salvation is of God and He is a jealous God.
Another Foundation verses with Christ as the Foundation.
Luke 6:48-49 NIV
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep
and laid the foundation on rock.
When a flood came, the torrent struck that house
but could not shake it, because it was well built.
49 But the one who hears my words and
does not put them into practice is like
a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.
The moment the torrent struck that house,
it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
2 Tim 2:19 NIV
19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm,
sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"
and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord
must turn away from wickedness."
Christ is the Rock , The Foundation.
Mat 16:16-19 NIV
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,
for this was not revealed to you by man,
but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter,
and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades
will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven;
whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Verse 16 Peter answered you are the Christ.
Verse 17 Christ Praise Peter for his answer. He lets Peter know that God
the father
Has let Peter knows this. At this time the church had not been formed.
Christ could not send the Comforter until He ascended into heaven
At the right hand of God the Father. Mat 16:7-15.
Acts chapters 1 and 2
Verse 18 builds on a solid foundation. The way, gates, the open,
and the work of the Devil will not get the best of it.
The Church ( Christ’s bride ) will over come for eternality.
Verse 19 He Christ will give the believer’s His Bride the Keys of the kingdom
The Gospel 1 Cor 15:1-11.
c. The
works used to build upon Christ can be any of the following.
1. Wood, hay, Stubble which Fire destroys
2. It may be gold, silver, and precious stone which fire does not destroy.
3. In the case of Gold and Silver are purified by the fire.
d. The ones whose works shall abide ( which is built upon Christ ) a reward
that believer
will receive. Now for the one that works shall be loss: not of their Salvation
which is
eternal secured through the finished work of Christ. It is his lack of
reward or loss
of rewards.1 Cor 3:15
1 Cor 3:14-15 NIV
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved,
but only as one escaping through the flames.
The believer shall themselves be saved by the Blood of Christ.
Not by works of righteousness, not by any thing the believer tries to add
to the work
of Jesus Christ. Cp Rev 21:18-21.
III. 1 Cor 9:16-27 presents a figure
of a race and the winning of the prize to reveal the quality
of life and service of the believer.
The Child of God is warned not to lose his reward. Col
2:18; 2 John 8; Rev 3:11.
God does not and being righteous and just Himself can not reckon the
merit or works to the account of the salvation of man. The
Salvation of man is
the finished eternally secure work of Christ at the Cross.
Eph
2:8-9.
God in order for the believer’s works to be divinely acknowledge
gives at the
Judgment seat of Christ rewards for works that are tried by
fire and survive the test.
The Doctrine of Rewards is as important
as Salvation of man’s soul by God’s
saving Grace. This doctrine of rewards is just another proof
of the eternal love of God
for man.
Of course rewards are symbolized
by crowns . According to Rev 4:10 crowns will
be
cast at the feet of the saviour in heaven. That opens up another
question what then will be
the reward for faithful services on earth in the service of Christ
the believer’s saviour.
According to Rev 22:3 His servants
shall serve him. This could mean a privileged
place in heaven. A comparison to the talents in Mat
25:14-30 is an excellent illustration.
2 Cor 5:10 NIV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that each one may receive what is due him for the things
done while in the body, whether good or bad.
In these verse 2 Cor 5:10-11 notice that the
Good works are distinguished
from bad works. It is on the basic of Good works that the believer is
rewarded. As has already been said previously this is not a matter of sin
being judged, the believer is already justified. Romans
3:22-26; Acts 13:39;
Romans 3:22-26 NIV
There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,
through faith in his blood.
He did this to demonstrate his justice,
because in his forbearance he had left the
sins committed beforehand unpunished—
26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time,
so as to be just and the one who justifies those
who have faith in Jesus.
Romans 4:2-5 NIV
2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works,
he had something to boast about--but not before God.
3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift,
but as an obligation.
5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts
God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness
of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
These verses are so great let’s repeat the in another translation.
[Bible in Basic English] (Romans 4:2)
For if Abraham got righteousness by works, he has reason for pride;
but not before God.
3 But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God,
and it was put to his account as righteousness.
4 Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but
as a debt.
5 But to him who without working has faith in him who gives righteousness
to the evil-doer, his faith is put to his account as righteousness.
6 As David says that there is a blessing on the man to whose account
God puts righteousness without works, saying,
7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing,
and whose sins are covered.
8 Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.
Here is another translation
Romans 4:1-8 ISV
1 What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our ancestor according
to the flesh?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he would have had something
to boast about-though not before God.
3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an
obligation.
5 However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes
in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom
God regards
as righteous apart from works:
7 "How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose
sins are covered!
8 How blessed is the person whose sins the Lord will never charge
against him!"
9 Now does this blessedness come to the circumcised alone,
or also to the uncircumcised?
For we say, "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness.
Above are three major translations of Romans chapter 4. All of these translations
Make a point that Salvation is not by works. Leaving Circumcise out of
the salvation of
mans soul. Man as with Baptism and other works and works of righteousness
has always
wanted to add to God’s plan of Salvation of creation and man. Here as in
Eph 2:8-9
mans works are left out because man can not be trusted not to boast. God
doesn’t want
man to be able to say they had a hand in the salvation of their own soul.
If man could boast
what need would man need from God?
It is not a matter of sanctification which is experience in present chastisement
for failure
to confess sin. 1 Cor 11:31-31; 1 John 1:9.
1 John 1:9-10 NIV
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be
a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
The believer is already perfect in the eyes of God.
Having no effect on the salvation, righteousness, and sanctification of
man’s soul
The sober solemn fact is every believer must someday stand before God to
account
for his faithfulness. This evaluation is for eternity.
The important question now if you are reading this is
your works going to count
for rewards or degrees of eternal punishment in HELL ( the lake
of fire)
Just look who is going to be in there with you?
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them
was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast
and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever
and ever.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found
written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving,
and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake
which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.
[Bible in Basic English] (Romans 10:9)
9 Because, if you say with
your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and have faith in your heart that God
has made him
come back from the dead, you will have salvation:
10 For with the heart man has faith to get
righteousness, and with the mouth he says that Jesus
is Lord to get salvation.
11 Because it is said in the holy Writings,
Whoever has faith in him will not be shamed.
12 And the Jew is not different from
the Greek: for there is the same Lord of all,
who is good
to all who have hope in his name:
13 Because, Whoever will give worship to the
name of the Lord will get salvation.
[King James Version] (Romans 10:13)
For whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved.
[Webster's Revised King James Version] (Romans
10:13)
For whoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved.
[American Standard Version] (Romans 10:13)
for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved.
[Darby's Translation] (Romans 10:13)
For every one whosoever, who shall call on
the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
[Young's Literal Translation] (Romans 10:13)
for every one--whoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord, he shall be saved.'
[Bible in Basic English] (Romans 10:13)
Because, Whoever will give worship to the
name of the Lord will get salvation.
ISA
Rom 10:13 For "everyone who calls on
the name of the Lord will be saved."
Romans 10:13
13 for, "Everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved."
So it seems they are all saying the same thing.
|
