Subject: why are there rewards in heaven |
Bible Note: Greetings Sethknorr and welcome to the forum. The works spoken of for salvation are quite different from the works accomplished by one who is already a believer in Jesus. Ephes. 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. This verse is talking about salvation. The following verse is a reference to that which the believer accomplishes while in the body but the work falls into two different classes, one will count and the other will be burnt up. 1 Cor. 3:12-15 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. The day is the judgment seat of Christ, for believers only, which is for rewards. The gold, silver and precious stones are only produced when the believer is under the control of and filled with the Spirit at the time the work was accomplished. If one performs good deeds and it is done through the energy of the flesh,i.e. under the controll of his old sin nature, it will be counted as wood, hay and stubble and it will burn up. The big question is how one is supposed to be filled with the Spirit. The believer in Christ is filled with the Spirit from the very moment they believe in Christ for salvation, only they can loose this filling when they grieve or quench the Spirit. Ephes. 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 1 Thes. 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit so it is something we have to do. Ephes. 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; What grieves or quenches the Spirit is “unconfessed sin” in the believers life! In order to get back in fellowship and be filled with the Spirit one MUST exercise the following. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This fills one with the Spirit only until the next time that they commit a sin! The big mistake that believers make is that they ask God to forgive them and that doesn’t work! He has already said He would forgive if we will just “name our sins to Him”, that’s what the word confess or HOMOLOGEO in the Greek means, i.e. admit to it as in a court room case. Keep short accounts and there won't be a problem. Have a great day, CDBJ |