doing works.

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H

Hethr

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#1
#1
I'm confused about something.. I know that it says you aren't saved by doing good things, but by grace of Jesus and accepting him as your Savior. But there are mentions of doing good things and being rewarded in Heaven. What are the rewards? So what would it be like for someone who doesn't do enough good things? Doesn't it sort of negate what it says about not doing good works? I know nobody knows what it's like in Heaven but if anyone has any insight I'd appreciate it.
 
D

Definition_Christ

Guest
#2
#2
John 6
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
 
wattie

wattie

Senior Member
#3
Feb 24, 2009
3,032
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#3
You are right that works aren't what gets you in to heaven. It is Jesus sacrifice for you that does.. when you entrusted your salvation with Him.

Good works are a response you take because of what He has done for you. It is the reasonable service considering His great love for us.

Someone who doesn't build on their faith.. has the place in heaven.. but does not receive the same rewards as someone who has built on their faith and pursued Jesus.

(1Co 3:11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. - This is the foundation as saved person has at salvation

(1Co 3:12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

(1Co 3:13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. - saved people will stand before Jesus - not to judge heaven or hell.. but to judge there place in heaven

(1Co 3:14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. - faithful being rewarded

(1Co 3:15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. - saved person who went there own way being judged.. but still a place in heaven.. still saved.

Some more on this: Jesus speaking to saved people:

(John 14:1) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

(John 14:2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

(John 14:3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

More on rewards:

(Rev 22:12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

(Rev 22:13) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

(Rev 22:14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. - the city is the heavenly Jerusalem.. the local city of heaven

(Rev 22:15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. -Outside the gates of the heavenly city are saved who have been unfaithful. They are not in hell.. they are not in purgatory.. they are outside the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem city.. but still in heaven

So what exactly the rewards are? I don't know.. but the key thing here is..

works have no bearing on entrance to heaven.. only what place Jesus will give us in His rooms..
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
#4
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
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#4
I've only heard a couple of ideas about what the rewards are. Some may be from early christian writings that aren't in our bibles I don't know, because the bible doesn't exactly say what rewards are.


Here's a couple of ideas I've heard about rewards:


1. the more rewarded you are the more or bigger houses y ou get, eg the apostles get mansions, the ones who don't get rewards have to live in wooden huts.

2. Merely a pat on the back or scolding from Jesus, eg "congratulations" or "I'll let you into the kingdom...but you shouldn't have yadayada yada".


3. Rewards are what roles or jobs you get. The most faithful get to rule over cities etc , the least faithful don't get any position of authority, but become the "street sweepers" of heaven, whatever that equivalent position is. At least this view has some basis in the bible when Jesus talked about rewarding servants with a certain number of cities.

4. Rewards are simply eternal life or eternal death. There's no such thing as a reward system. I agree that eternal life or death are rewards but it doesn't really fit with the language of the bible which indicates rewarding bad service, good service, and excellent service etc.

5. How close you get to sit to Jesus. This idea has basis in the bible, when Jesus said His Father would choose who gets to sit at his right and left in the kingdom of heaven.


6. Some believe bad performers get a whipping, forty lashes or whatever it may be. This has basis in the bible.

7. Some believe that the believers get crowns. You get a crown of this and a crown of that, and you don't get any crown if you dont have anything to be rewarded for. This has basis in the bible too.

7. Purgatory. The whole thing about rewards could fit into a purgatorial idea I guess. I'm not sure what the catholics believe maybe one of them will be lucky enough to comment.
 
T

Thaddaeus

Banned
#5
Jan 31, 2009
2,225
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#5
The works that we do, not to get saved, but rather because we are saved, are turned to a reward once we get to Heaven, lay not your treasures up, down here where moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves can steal but rather lay them up in heaven (Matt.6:19-20)

1co 3:13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.


Please take note here that even though we may have some works that are not good that are destoried by fire, that he himself shall be saved; yet even by fire, so all fire in the Bible is not the fire of torment. some is a cleansing, purifying fire such as the Baptism That Jesus mentioned;


Mt 3:11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and WITH FIRE:


Then our works are turn to Jewels that are then placed in our crowns which we will lay at His Feet one day.

2ti 4:8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Re 4:10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
 
M

markhelp

Banned
#6
Dec 24, 2008
119
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#6
Ephesians 2:8-10

We are saved by grace.
When we got born again, we were created in Christ Jusus unto good works.
Now we are equipped to do good works.
And we will be rewarded by God for all the good works we do as saved believer's.
God is not stingy............they will be great.........read verse 11.

God bless
 
B

Brackenzee

Banned
#7
Oct 17, 2009
325
1
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#7
Good works is not what creates faith, but it's the result of actual faith.

It's the reason why people who claim to believe in Jesus but don't do a blessed thing Jesus preached about are no more legitimate Christians than that rock in your driveway.
 
M

Maddog

Guest
#8
#8
I suppose it'd put a spanner in the works if I said that I believed faith and works were essential to salvation?
 
C

carpetmanswife

Guest
#9
#9
Maddog said:
I suppose it'd put a spanner in the works if I said that I believed faith and works were essential to salvation?
Click to expand...
LOL ... ya think?? ;):p *waits for the outcry* twiddles thumbs*
 
W

wisdomseeker

Banned
#10
Mar 11, 2009
463
2
0
#10
Hethr said:
I'm confused about something.. I know that it says you aren't saved by doing good things, but by grace of Jesus and accepting him as your Savior. But there are mentions of doing good things and being rewarded in Heaven. What are the rewards? So what would it be like for someone who doesn't do enough good things? Doesn't it sort of negate what it says about not doing good works? I know nobody knows what it's like in Heaven but if anyone has any insight I'd appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Peace be to you
To understand this consider the historey of man.The reason you are born again has nothing to do with works.After you are born again you are called to be instruments of rightiousness and good works,
Which glorify Gods work in your life(Evidence he is working with you)



Born again =
  1. to produce again, be born again, born anew
  2. metaph. to have one's mind changed so that he lives a new life and one conformed to the will of God
To be born again is to do good works.

The covenant started with the coming of Jesus,Earth time bc(before christ) ad(the year of our lord)

Bc=
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

ad=
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Ephisians;http://www.kingjamesbible.com/B49C001.htm Gods will explained plainly


Come drink of the living waters

Love a friend in God
 
E

easygoing

Guest
#11
#11
Hethr said:
I'm confused about something.. I know that it says you aren't saved by doing good things, but by grace of Jesus and accepting him as your Savior. But there are mentions of doing good things and being rewarded in Heaven. What are the rewards? So what would it be like for someone who doesn't do enough good things? Doesn't it sort of negate what it says about not doing good works? I know nobody knows what it's like in Heaven but if anyone has any insight I'd appreciate it.
Click to expand...



I picture it kind of like what a high school or college graduation is like...bear with me here. lol If you have graduated from either then you may see a slight picture here of what it may be like. There will be people who graduate with just barely passing grades and might recieve a 500.00 grant to a local community college. There will be people that make the deans list and have all kinds of ribbons, cords, special acheivment medals and get full ride scholarships to any college they want. All of the people in the class did graduate though and are moving on. Some got recognized just once when they accepted their diploma/degree and others were called upon many times over and over and were recognized many times. I know it is a rough analogy but just kind of a picture you can grasp a little better is all.
 
H

Hethr

Guest
#12
#12
That is a good analogy.
 
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