Everlasting_Grace said:
Salvation is a grace gift. Not a reward. You explain to me how we can EARN and be REWARDED salvation. when it can not be earned. Paul said not of works lest anyone should boast.
Unless the Bible contradicts itself, which we know cannot be the case, we must hold it is BOTH/AND, not Either/Or. Salvation is BOTH a Gift of Grace, and a Reward mercifully promised by God for Good Works done in Faith. Anything else fails to explain many passages.
Let me give you an example before I cite them: Let's say Parents say to a child, "you do well in your exam, and I will reward you with a Car". There's no way doing well in an exam can "earn" you a car. It is based on Parental/Fatherly love. That's the same way God mercifully rewards our Good Works done in Faith. I could cite many Bible verses that says God rewards those who serve Him faithfully.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Col 3:23-24)
"12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done." (Rev 22:12)
Romans 2:5-6 was cited earlier by Goliath and others:
"6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a; Psa 62:12; Prov 24:12] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life."
Paul also said there will be people who when their works are tried by fire have nothing left but a heap of ash. as all of their works were burned.
Yes, that was 1 Cor 3:15. But what did he say before that in verse 14?
"14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward." Again, clearly, works matter, because, by God's Mercy, they gain rewards in Heaven. Evangelism matters, because you will gain God's Blessings for it, if you do it out of love for God. Martyrdom matters, because you will gain rewards for it (e.g. Rev 2:10), if you suffer death for the Lord's Sake. Similarly, Charity to the Poor etc matters, because God will repay you for the good you do to others.
That's what the Lord teaches in Luk 14:13-15:
"13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
After this, he speaks of those who did not labor faithfully:
"15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." They will be saved, but only after being chastised by fire.
He also said, they too will be saved as even through fire.
Agreed.
Can you explain how these people were saved, even though they were not very sanctified. and as far as persevering? it appears they remained babes, is that persevering?
When we are Justified/Born Again, we receive the Holy Spirit and enter God's Grace. If we die in God's Grace, even without working much, we will be saved, but our reward will be less, and we may have to wait. Those who labored more will be rewarded more.
That according to the same chapter, verse 8:
"8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor."
If Good Works even post-Justification had no value, and do not contribute to our Sanctification by God's Grace, the Bible would never speak of a "Reward" for them. But it does in various passages.
God Bless.