Many people erroneously assume that salvation is God’s reward to those who do their best to live good lives. Since this is what the vast majority of the ‘manmade religious systems’ of the many manmade religious hierarchical institutions present, they rely upon the religious works,’ ritual, rites, creeds, prayers, tithes, donations, etc. which have no power to Save them.

So, the false assumption of many is not so. God’s Word says this of those who are saved:

“[God] 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” (II Tim. 1:9).

Referring to this “salvation which is in Christ Jesus,” Paul says:

“It is a faithful saying, for if [since] we died with Him, we shall also live with [of by] Him” (II Tim. 2:10-11).

In other words: The believer, viewing the Cross rightly, has “died with Christ.” Viewing the Cross, he essentially says: “This is not Christ’s death. He was no sinner. He had no death to die. In His dying … He was dying my death!”

And so, by faith all believers have already been “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). The penalty for all their sins has been fully paid, for He died — in Christ, and thus we not only have died with Christ at the Cross, but also, we have also risen with Christ “to walk in newness of life.”

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death [not water]: [so] that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

Our Salvation is all of God’s doing, and only now, having already been forgiven and freed from Sin’s power is the believer in a position to do legitimate good works that will please God. Our good works will be judged as to what sort they were – were they for our benefit, our glory, to gain points in heaven, or we these good works prompted by His life working in and through us?  

You see, When the believer’s service for Christ is reviewed at “the Judgment Seat of Christ” soon after the Rapture, some will “receive a reward,” but others will “suffer loss [of reward],” though they themselves will “be saved, yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:14-15).

Thus, the Apostle Paul writes of the believer’s reward to be gained or lost. He invites us to walk with Him and the co-reign with Him in “the heavenly places” for eternity

“If we suffer [Gk. hypomeno, endure, life’s situation and circumstances], we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us [from reigning in heaven]” (2 Tim. 2:12).

How deeply embarrassing it will be in that day for the unfaithful Christians to face Him empty-handed … the One who gave His all, Himself, to save them. Yet, regardless of our failure salvation is by grace, freely extended to all who will receive the Son’s Cross-work on their behalf. Thus, the Apostle Paul hastens to conclude his statement in II Timothy 2, with the words:

“If we are unfaithful, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (Ver. 13)

Thus, our rewards at “the Judgment Seat of Christ” depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation, thank God, depends upon on His faithfulness alone!

Many people erroneously suppose that salvation is God’s reward to those who do their best to live good lives. This is not so, for God’s Word says this of those who are saved:

“[God] 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” (II Tim. 1:9).

Referring to this “salvation which is in Christ Jesus,” St. Paul says:

“It is a faithful saying, for if [since] we died with Him, we shall also live with Him” (II Tim. 2:10,11).

In other words: The believer, viewing Calvary aright, has “died with Christ.” Viewing the Cross, he essentially says: “This is not Christ’s death. He was no sinner. He had no death to die. He is dying my death!”

And so, by faith believers are “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). The penalty for all their sins has been fully paid, for He died — in Christ, and thus we not only have died with Christ at the Cross, but also, we have also risen with Christ “to walk in newness of life.”

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death [not water]: [so] that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

This is all of God’s doing, and only now, having been forgiven and freed from Sin’s power is the believer in a position to do legitimate good works that will please God. Thus, the Apostle writes of believers, in II Tim. 2: “If we suffer [endure], we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us [from reigning in heaven]” (Ver. 12).

You see, When the believer’s service for Christ is reviewed at “the Judgment Seat of Christ” soon after the Rapture, some will “receive a reward,” but others will “suffer loss [of reward],” though they themselves will “be saved, yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:14-15).

How deeply embarrassing it will be in that day for the unfaithful Christians to face empty-handed the One who gave His all, Himself, to save them. Yet, regardless of our failure salvation is by grace, freely extended to all who will receive the Son’s Cross-work on their behalf. Thus, the Apostle Paul hastens to conclude his statement in II Timothy 2, with the words:

“If we are unfaithful, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (Ver. 13)

Thus, our rewards at “the Judgment Seat of Christ” depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation, thank God, depends upon on His faithfulness alone!