Update 12-23-2004

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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.
                  &nbs