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SALVATION IS NOT REWARD
II Corinthians 5:10 October 9, 2022 – SUN p.m. – MBC baesa I – WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE EARNED? – SALVATION OR REWARDS
A. Salvation cannot be earned for it is a free gift.
Romans 5:15-16 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”
The free gift of salvation is not like the transgression, because of the disobedience of Adam many have died spiritually and separated from God, much more the abounding grace of God and the gift of salvation by grace through Jesus Christ grace have abounded to many. And the free gift of salvation does not depend on the transgression of Adam because sinners are condemned but the free gift resulted unto justification.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Salvation is freely given as a gift of God and it means you cannot work for it and therefore salvation cannot be earned no matter how much you work to be saved.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Notice, eternal life is a gift, so salvation cannot be earned for it is free.
B. Rewards can be earned by Christian faithful service.
Colossians 3:22-24 “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
Notice, Paul writes to the servants and the emphasis of this passage is service and how to receive rewards because of service that has done and it never talks about salvation.
II – WHAT IS SOMETHING WE DO NOT AND WE DESERVE? – SALVATION OR REWARDS
A. Salvation is not something we deserve.
What would you think God would give us if God would give us exactly what we deserve based on the way we lived and based exactly for the sins which we have committed?
Psalm 103:2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Psalm 103:10 “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”
If salvation based on all our deeds, it is impossible for us to be saved, no one will get to heaven. If salvation is based on who we are and how much sins we have done, we do not deserve to be saved, we deserved condemnation not salvation.
B. Rewards is something the believer deserves.
Luke 19:16-17 “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”
This refers to a parable of money usage. This illustrates of a man who was deserving of reward because his pound gained ten pounds and because he was faithful in a very little.
Every believer who serves continuously and labors faithfully for Christ must never forget what Paul said to the gifted Corinthians in I Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. “
Paul is saying that the grace of God is the major tool operating when it comes to earning of rewards. We deserve rewards as we consistently, faithfully serving the Lord all because of the grace of God.
III – WHAT IS GIVEN ON THE BASIS AND NOT ON THE BASIS OF WORKS? – SALVATION OR REWARDS
A. Salvation is not given on the basis of unbeliever’s works.
II Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
Salvation is given by the grace of God in Christ before the world began, so it is not according to our works.
Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Paul told Titus that salvation is not by man’s works of righteousness but by God’s mercy through regeneration of the Spirit.
Romans 4:6 “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
Paul’s doctrine of God imputed righteousness unto man is without works.
B. Rewards are given on the basis of Believer’s works.
Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”
The Lord Jesus describes the day when every believer shall be rewarded according to his works.
Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
The Lord Jesus Christ will come and will give rewards on each believer on the basis of their works on the day of judgment.
IV – WHAT IS SOMETHING THE BELIEVRE HAS NOW AND RECEIVE LATER? – SALVATION OR REWARDS
A. Salvation is a believer present possession.
John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
The moment a man heard the Word and believes, he presently received everlasting salvation.
John 6:47 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
Jesus said, whosoever believeth on Him had now possessed everlasting life.
I John 5:12 “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
The Apostle John said that anyone who had the Son, had now life as his possession.
B. Rewards are the believer future attainment.
During the first resurrection which is the resurrection of the just, the believers will receive rewards. That will take place at the rapture, when Christ comes and then the believers of the church-age will be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ.
Luke 14:14 “And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
V – WHAT IS SOMETHING THE BELIEVER CANNOT AND CAN BE LOST? – SALVATION OR REWARDS
A. Salvation of the Believer can never be lost.
John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
The words “they shall never perish,” in Greek means they shall never ever perish, no not ever.
The words in John 3:16 “everlasting life” is the same Greek “aionios“ in Romans 16:26 “everlasting God” signifies without end. Salvation can never be lost.
B. Rewards for the believer can be lost.
Here are some passages that teaches that Believers reward can be lost. We are exhorted to hold fast our crown, lose not those we have wrought, and serving because you love Christ in order to receive rewards and not lose it.
Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
II John 8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”
Mark 9:41 “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”
The distinction between salvation cannot be loss and reward can be loss is stated by Paul in I Corinthians 3:14-15 “If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Notice the words “he shall suffer loss” means there will be loss of rewards, and the words “he himself shall be saved” means there will not be loss of salvation.
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