Why rewards if heaven is the assured goal?

[OneLight]

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

[VCO]

 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

 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.

 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (KJV)

 

 

Rewards and Salvation are two different things.  Our good deeds done out of the pure motive of doing them because we LOVE (Agapao) HIM for saving us by HIS Grace, will be rewarded with things, like CROWNS for sure (the laurel wreath crowns won by the original Olympic style of games), and perhaps even positions of service in the Kingdom (Do you want to be a teacher of the children born in the Kingdom, or on pots and pans washing duties in the kitchen?), and maybe rewards could include personal time with Jesus.

 

Crowns are the most common reward talked about in the New Testament, but you have to be a Sports Fan like Paul to fully understand them.

 

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV)

⁷  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

⁸  Henceforth there is laid up 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 loved his appearing.  

 

Colossians 2:18 (NIV)

¹⁸  Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 

 

2 Timothy 2:5 (NASB)

⁵  Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 

 

1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NIV)

¹⁹  For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 

 

Without understanding the history of the original Olympic style of games, Paul's excitement for winning the various Crowns that will be rewarded, most certainly is difficult to understand.

 

In the original Olympic style of games, the winning athletes were not given gold medals.  Instead they won laurel wreath Crowns.  All the Kings at the games, were seated front row center of the Stadium or Arena.  Therefore, when the winner of each event was Crowned, he would walk over to his King, bow, dropping to one knee he would remove his laurel wreath Crown; and he would cast it at the feet of HIS KING stating:  "I won this for you MY KING!"

 

We are going to get to cast our CROWNS at the feet of JESUS our KING.  Can you imagine you the embarrassment of showing up with NO CROWNS, having to state, "I didn't try hard enough to win a Crown.", or "I let someone rob me of a Crown."? 

Edited June 23, 2014 by VCO

[Cross Reference]

 

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

 

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Cross Reference

[OneLight]

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

Do you see yourself as perfect in your walk with Christ, obedient in every way?

[Cross Reference]

 

 

 

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

 

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

 

Do you see yourself as perfect in your walk with Christ, obedient in every way?

 

You mean have I overcome in this life? No __ However, I press forward toward that mark with all the conviction I can muster.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Cross Reference

[OneLight]

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

Do you see yourself as perfect in your walk with Christ, obedient in every way?

You mean have I overcome in this life? No __ However, I press forward toward that mark with all the conviction I can muster.

Then, by your own statement, His grace no longer abides to you. I would rethink your stance, if I were you. Scripture never states what you claim. You are putting a very large stumbling block in front of yourself and others. A false one at that.

[Cross Reference]

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

Do you see yourself as perfect in your walk with Christ, obedient in every way?

You mean have I overcome in this life? No __ However, I press forward toward that mark with all the conviction I can muster.

Then, by your own statement, His grace no longer abides to you. I would rethink your stance, if I were you. Scripture never states what you claim. You are putting a very large stumbling block in front of yourself and others. A false one at that.

When I fail, I repent and move on. How can I do that? Because "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 (KJV)

That is the grace of God for every born again Christian striving to conform himself to the image of Christ. Overcoming one's flesh is hardly ever without experiential demonstration in both failure and success __ more failures than successes.

Edited June 22, 2014 by OneLight

[OneLight]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

 

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

 

Do you see yourself as perfect in your walk with Christ, obedient in every way?

 

You mean have I overcome in this life? No __ However, I press forward toward that mark with all the conviction I can muster.

 

Then, by your own statement, His grace no longer abides to you. I would rethink your stance, if I were you. Scripture never states what you claim. You are putting a very large stumbling block in front of yourself and others. A false one at that.

 

When I fail, I repent and move on. How can I do that? Because "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 (KJV)

That is the grace of God for every born again Christian striving to conform himself to the image of Christ. Overcoming one's flesh is hardly ever without experiential demonstration in both failure and success __ more failures than successes.

 

Your last post is different than your previous post. At first, there was no mention of repentance, just that if we disobey, our lives no longer rest under His grace.

I agree with your last post, but notice the key is to remain in Him, continuously checking ourselves to see if remain in faith.

2 Corinthians 13:5

 

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

[OneLight]

Cross Reference, may I inquire as to why you asked if I was married and had children? What relevance did the question have with the subject at hand?

[VCO]

 

 

Grace is a promise.

 

More later. . . .

Yes, a promise to all who will receive it. Grace is not extended to those who reject Christ.

 

Nor to those who reject obedience in the afterwards of their salvation.

 

 

Correction, GRACE  is a done deal (past tense) for all who receive Jesus Christ as LORD, lovingly submitting to HIM as Master.

 

If their receiving HIM as LORD, really was the complete surrender of giving HIM control of their lives; THEN THERE WILL NOT BE A REJECTION OF OBEDIENCE LATER, because that kind of Faith genuinely brings the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the kind of LOVE for the LORD, which ONLY comes from GOD.

 

I am talking about the KIND of LOVE that comes from GOD when HE puts HIS Holy Spirit in you, which is agapê from agapaô in the Greek. That kind of unconditional, totally self-sacrificial LOVE, that can ONLY be generated in us by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5 (ESV) 

⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love (agapê from agapaô) has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 

Look what we miss in the Conversation below, if we do not know the different forms of the Greek words that we translate to LOVE in English:

John 21:15-17 (HCSB) 

¹⁵ When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapaô) Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love (phileô) You. “Feed My lambs,” He told him. 

¹⁶ A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapaô) Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love (phileô) You.” “Shepherd My sheep,” He told him. 

¹⁷ He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (phileô) Me?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love (phileô) Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love (phileô) You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.

Why was Peter unable to say “You know that I love (agapaô) You.”?

John 14:16-17 (ASV) 

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, 

¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.

Jesus was the Comforter, during HIS earthly ministry, but God's (agapaô) LOVE, comes with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5 above).  

I guarantee you that Peter had no problem saying it the Day of Pentecost and thereafter.

 

A lot of people trivialize and a few even make fun of being BORN AGAIN, but it is absolutely CRITICAL, because that is when the Holy Spirit indwells us, placing God's (agapaô) LOVE in us.

John 3:3 (NKJV) 

³ Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 

John 3:5-7 (NKJV) 

⁵ Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

I believe it is impossible to please the LORD without God's (agapaô) LOVE in us, because that is the starting point of coming through the Narrow gate. We step through that Narrow Gate, when we admit to GOD we are sinners, mourning over our sinfulness, and out of (agapaô) LOVE receive Jesus Christian as LORD, which means MASTER.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) 

¹³ "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and_there are many who go in by it. 

¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:22-23 (NKJV) 

²² Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 

²³ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you (That born again, inner personal love relationship of receiving HIM as LORD, which means Master.); depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.  

 

John 14:15 (NASB)

¹⁵  "If you love (agapaô) Me, you will keep My commandments.

 

So (phileô) Love (brotherly love) is not the kind of love that SAVES, it is (agapaô) Love that saves, and seals our Salvation, and that seal is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit HIMSELF.

 

Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV)

³⁰  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

 

And what GOD seals no man can break.

Edited June 23, 2014 by VCO