Many people think that salvation is God’s reward to those who do their best to live good lives. But this isn't true because God’s Word says of those who are saved:
...who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Tim 1:9).
Referring to this "salvation that is in Christ Jesus," Paul says:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him (2 Tim 2:10-11).
In other words, we have died with Christ. It was not Christ’s death. He was no sinner. He had no death to die. He was dying our death! By faith we have been "crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). The penalty for all our sins have been fully paid because we have died in Christ AND have risen with Christ to "walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:3-5).
This is all God’s doing. Only now are we in a position to do good works that will please Him (Rom 6:6-11). Paul also writes in 2 Tim 2:12: "if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us." When our service for Christ is reviewed, some of us "will receive a reward," but others "will suffer loss," though they themselves "will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Cor 3:14-15).
It will be deeply embarrassing for unfaithful believers to face empty-handed the One who gave His all — Himself — to save them. Yet salvation is by grace, so Paul is quick to conclude with these words: "if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself (2 Tim 2:13).
So you see, our rewards depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation (praise the Lord!) depends upon His.
...who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Tim 1:9).
Referring to this "salvation that is in Christ Jesus," Paul says:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him (2 Tim 2:10-11).
In other words, we have died with Christ. It was not Christ’s death. He was no sinner. He had no death to die. He was dying our death! By faith we have been "crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). The penalty for all our sins have been fully paid because we have died in Christ AND have risen with Christ to "walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:3-5).
This is all God’s doing. Only now are we in a position to do good works that will please Him (Rom 6:6-11). Paul also writes in 2 Tim 2:12: "if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us." When our service for Christ is reviewed, some of us "will receive a reward," but others "will suffer loss," though they themselves "will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Cor 3:14-15).
It will be deeply embarrassing for unfaithful believers to face empty-handed the One who gave His all — Himself — to save them. Yet salvation is by grace, so Paul is quick to conclude with these words: "if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself (2 Tim 2:13).
So you see, our rewards depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation (praise the Lord!) depends upon His.
WORKS THAT SAVE AND WORKS THAT DON'T
ReplyDeleteTHE WORK THAT SAVES
What work endures to eternal life.
John 6:27-29 Do not work for the food perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the the Father, God has set His seal." 28 Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so 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 as sent."
The work that men do to be saved is believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and their Lord and Savior and that God raised Him from the dead. Yes, there is a work that men do, that can save them. Believing is the work men that do that saves.
THERE IS A WORK THAT GOD DOES, THAT SAVES.
Colossians 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in whichyou were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
God does the work in water baptism. Not men.
You cannot separate faith and water baptism.
Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved....
1 Peter 20-21 ...safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to thatbaptism now saves you ---not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
You cannot separate faith and water baptism. Man's work is to believe. God's work is to forgive men of their sins.
Colossians 2:12-13.......When you dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
You cannot separate faith and water baptism.
WORKS THAT DO NOT SAVE.
Galatians 2:11-16....16 nevertheless know that a man is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ Jesus and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
The apostle Paul was not telling Cephas (Peter) and Barnabas,
that believing in Jesus was a work of the Law Moses,
that being baptized in water for the forgiveness of sins was a work of the Law of Moses,
that repenting (turning from unbelief and making a commitment to turn from from a sinful lifestyle and turning toward God) was a work of the Law of Moses,
that confessing that Jesus was the Son of God, their Lord and Savior and believing that God raised Jesus from the dead, was a work of the Law of Moses.
FAITH-REPENTANCE-CONFESSION and WATER BAPTISM are not works of the Law of Moses.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been savedthrough faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Colossians 2:12 ....baptism...through faith in the working of God...
Ephesians 2:9-10 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in the.
Believing in Jesus is not a good work.
Repenting is not a good work.
Confessing is not a good work.
Being baptized in water is not a good work.
Believing (John 3:16) Repenting (Acts 2:38) Confessing (Romans 10:9-10) and Water Baptism (Mark 16:16) are all essential for salvation, however NONE of them are Laws of Moses nor are they good works.
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Belief is not a work — "And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness" (Rom 4:5); and, there is no water in Col 2:12 (cf. Acts 11:16; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:4-6). What you said above does not hold up because you've forgotten to take into consideration progressive revelation.
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