some very good points raised here , I will reply further in dew time. But one thing I must say at this point is doctrin must line up with doctrin, which they do not here. For the simple reason if your saved eternally there is no need to be tested.
Just because you are eternally saved doesn't mean you don't need to be perfected before you come before God. These are two unrelated things.
You are gifted with eternal salvation. Doesn't matter if you come early in the morning or the last minute of the day, FAITH and Belief will allow you to receive that gift EXACT SAME AS EVERY OTHER SOUL WHO HAS EVER BEEN SAVED. YOU AND I receive the exact same gift as ABRAHAM, MOSES, JOHN THE BAPTIST, PETER, PAUL. That indeed is the gift.
but
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT KIND OF VESSEL YOU WILL BE DURING THAT ETERNAL LIFE.
WHAT WILL THAT 'SEED' become? WHEAT or perhaps some other grain. A vessel of honor, or a vessel of dishonor. Gold, silver, brass, maybe just wood....
Those are works. That WE CHOOSE.
THE THIEF ON THE CROSS. SAME EXACT
GIFT OF SALVATION AS JOHN THE BAPTIST. One believed for a second the other a life time
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE EVERYONES CONCERN. BUT THEY FALL SHORT in that they don't understand the difference between the OLD and NEW COVENANTS and what did change and what didn't.
BUT even when it comes to salvation, it's like they don't even get that reward in this life. They live their lives waiting for death.
John the Baptist is arriving WELL DRESSED. John the Baptist had many wonderful works. Faith. Saved souls to his credit. Suffered for our Lord, was persecuted didn't care. He had a job and he did it.
Vessel of honor made of Gold
Thief on cross is arriving NAKED. Thief had no works. Thief came to FAITH and thief CONFESSED in front of the world who Christ was. GOOD WORK THERE. Still, nothing else is being brought with him. He didn't put anything into his eternal retirement account
Vessel of ? made of ?.
The difference between teaching what is written vs hath God said.
One makes God happy the other makes man happy
One is Gods Truth the other is mans doctrine
One brings rewards the other brings punishment
One of the things God hates most is HIS WORDS not being taught HIS WAY.
So back to why the eternally saved be tested.
GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE. What GOD consumes are the parts of us that have not been perfected.
Wouldn't you rather learn your lessons NOW rather than IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD on Judgment day?
Remember Dad taught you to look both ways before crossing the street SO you didn't go splat.
SAME EXACT THING going on with God and us. He is TEACHING US DISCIPLINE SO THAT when judgment day all there is for us is rewards. Any part that would have gone up in flames was fixed before we got there.
PROVING. even Jesus was 'perfected' though what He suffered. GOD ISN'T EVEN making us do something HE didn't do Himself.
ETERNAL LIFE is a really long time. Would you want to give that to someone who turned out to be a liar? No, you would want everyone who was there to be deserving of being there. I myself really like the idea. I don't want people around who don't love God nor their brethren. I want people there who BELIEVE it is the best thing in the world and we are LUCKY to be offered such a thing.
I look forward to hearing from you