II Corinthians 5:1-10
My Study Bible regularly makes the point that we are saved by grace, not by works. Today is one of those examples, in its comment on today’s last two verses: So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (vv. 9-10) My Study Bible says, “This accounting has nothing to do with justification, which is credited to the Christian fully and forever through faith in Christ; instead, it refers to what we have done with our lives as Christians.”
I doubt that I had ever considered the concept of “justification by faith” before my born-again years. I think there was a sense in my upbringing and in many Catholics and “nominal” Christians today that we must work our way to heaven. That is, we need to be “good” to gain entrance into heaven. This belief does not discard the notion that Jesus died for our sins and that we come to heaven through Him. It’s more a mixing to these two theologies – we believe in Jesus and we must be good.
But there is an opposite perspective among those people who mix these two theologies – that a “once saved, always saved” theology is equally unrealistic. You pray a onetime “sinner’s prayer” and you are forever guaranteed entrance into heaven. Then you go back to doing whatever you choose – you’re saved! That never made sense to me either. Of course the counter argument from those “once saved, always saved” folks was that this “sinner” never was sincere in his/her prayer, so s/he did not fall into that “forever saved” category.
So, my belief today…? Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. …especially verse 10! Don’t quote me Ephesians 2:8-9 and leave off Ephesians 2:10!
Slava Bohu!
I have been under the understanding that salvation and eternal life with God is a free gift. But we will have “things to do” in heaven, and our role or responsibilities then will be based our obedience on earth, set out on judgment day.
That is an entirely new concept to me, Debbie. Sounds like purgatory without the punishment. Is there a Scriptural basis for that? I’m not rejecting, just wondering!
Maybe I have erred, but this is from two parables about when the king or master returns (2nd coming) in two of Jesus’s parables and the obedience or faithfulness of the servants until he returns after a long absence. They get varied rewards based on their faithfulness.
The parable of the king’s 10 servants, Luke 19:11-27 where a king gives 10 pounds to each servant. It starts with v. 11: “As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. So he said, ‘A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. He summoned 10 of his slaves and gave them 10 pounds and said to the, Do business with these until I come back.” … Then the parable goes on when he returns, he asks about the results of their faithfulness with what they were given.
The other parable is of the talents at Matthew 25:14-30. For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them, to one he gave 5 talents, to another 2, to another 1, to each according to his ability… After a long time the master came and settled accounts with them… Well done good and trustworthy slave, you have have been trustworthy in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master…
That’s an interesting take on these two parables, Debbie. I have always thought of those parables in terms of talents that we have been given here on earth – from birth, even – and what we do with those talents, with rewards commensurate with our work. I’ve never applied it to our life in heaven. But Jesus leaves parables open to various interpretations, depending on what his listeners hear.
Beyond that, I can’t imagine that the God who created everything out of nothing would have stuff for us to do in heaven. But then again, my concept of what heaven will be like is very shallow!!
Fred, I totally agree with you about reading Ephesians 2:10 along with Eph 2:8-9. Yes, we are saved by faith alone … to do the good works that God has prepared for us. It is about obeying Jesus to love God and love others actively, not as lip service.