Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

General Christian Theology
Adam
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Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by Adam »

When I was a new Christian, I took a class called Evangelism Explosion. In that class we were trained to go to homes, knock on doors, and ask people two questions:

Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in Heaven?

If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” what would you say?

If a person answered No to the first question or answered the second question with anything other than, "I trust in Jesus Christ for salvation," then it was clear that they didn't understand the 'gospel', and we were to share the 'gospel' with that person using something similar to the Romans Road.

In Matthew 25:31-46, however, we see that those who are standing before God in the final judgment will not be asked a theology question, but rather they will be judged according to their works. There are many other Scriptures that say the same, a few of which I have included below.

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. - Mat 16:27

He will render to each one according to his works: - Rom 2:6

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. - 2 Cor 5:10

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, - 1 Pet 1:17

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. - Rev 20:12

Now, I believe that we are saved by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says as much:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Nevertheless, I believe that the 'salvation' being talked about here is us being 'rescued' from the kingdom of darkness and our slavery to sin. I do not think it has Judgement Day and eternal salvation in mind. Rather, such salvation as mentioned in Ephesians 2:8-9 frees us to live a life of faithful obedience to God, bearing fruit that leads to eternal life as indicated in Romans 6:22.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

There are many other Scriptures I could quote, but it seems to me that the essence of the message in the New Testament is that there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves from our slavery/imprisonment to sin, death, and the kingdom of darkness. Only Jesus's death and resurrection can do that. But once we are rescued from that slavery, and we are living as slaves of God in his Kingdom, we are free to live lives of righteousness. We still depend on Christ throughout our lives, as a branch depends on the vine. Apart from him we can bear no fruit. But ultimately we will be judged by our fruit and not our confession of faith.

I am posting this because I want to get feedback from the community here as to whether or not I might be misunderstanding or misinterpreting what the New Testament has to say on these matters. So please do share your feedback. Or perhaps you have similar and/or additional questions on this topic that you would like to discuss. I would just kindly request that only those who accept the entirety of the New Testament as Scripture respond. I am not interested in hearing ideas that do not take into account the entire New Testament witness.
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silentreader
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by silentreader »

Don't you have to include v10 with Ephesians 2:8,9? It seems to me v10 completes the statement started in vs 8&9.
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Adam
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by Adam »

silentreader wrote:Don't you have to include v10 with Ephesians 2:8,9? It seems to me v10 completes the statement started in vs 8&9.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Yes, this reinforces the point I am trying to make.
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Josh
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by Josh »

Adam,

Your understanding lines up with both the Anabaptist one and and the historic Christian one.

Evangelical thinking is odd. It seems far afield from following Jesus, and also pretty far from anything that looks like his kingdom.

Nonetheless, a lot of people in Jesus' kingdom don't quite believe the right things. So I find fellowship and Christian brotherhood with evangelicals, Catholics, and Orthodox. Even with Mormons too...
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Valerie
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by Valerie »

Reading this good discussion-
How does 1 Corinthians 3 possibly speak into this?

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

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

13 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.

14 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.
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silentreader
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by silentreader »

The thing that puzzles me a bit is the significance of Rev. 20:15. It seems as if the final decision is based on the Lamb's Book of Life. I have wondered already if the 'judgement of works' is actually the evidence presented that we have a rightful place in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Somewhat similar to Abraham being justified by faith, (in God's eyes) and Abraham being justified by works (as a witness to man of his justification by faith).
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Adam
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by Adam »

Valerie wrote:Reading this good discussion-
How does 1 Corinthians 3 possibly speak into this?

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

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

13 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.

14 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.
This verse is a bit puzzling. It is an extended building metaphor and it seems to be focused on rewards for those who will be saved, with the conclusion that some will be saved but receive no rewards. The greater context is division in the church, and so Paul's comments seem to be focused on not causing division by supporting certain pastors or church workers, but rather recognizing that Christ is the one working through all of them. Such divisions do not build up the church. In fact, they can tear it apart. In verse 17, Paul goes on to say that "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him." That certainly doesn't look like an image of eternal salvation to me.

When I come to difficult and puzzling verses like this, I try to interpret them in light of other Scriptures that are much more clear. Matthew 25:31-46 and makes it pretty clear that those who do not bear fruit will be consigned to the Lake of Fire. John 15:5-6 reinforces this idea.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

But, if anyone else has insight into this passage, I would gladly listen to it.
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KingdomBuilder
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by KingdomBuilder »

Good post, Adam. I see no points I dispute with.
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RZehr
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by RZehr »

Adam, my understanding agrees with your conclusions.
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Paul
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Re: Saved by Grace, Judged by Works

Post by Paul »

Adam wrote: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Nevertheless, I believe that the 'salvation' being talked about here is us being 'rescued' from the kingdom of darkness and our slavery to sin. I do not think it has Judgement Day and eternal salvation in mind. Rather, such salvation as mentioned in Ephesians 2:8-9 frees us to live a life of faithful obedience to God, bearing fruit that leads to eternal life as indicated in Romans 6:22.
I do believe he has eternal salvation in mind, because that is what salvation by grace through faith is. Not just temporal, but it is a change from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light, an eternal change that happens by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
How many good works was the thief on the cross able to do? If he would've been judged by his fruit, that would've consisted of nothing more than his confession of faith, and the rebuking of his neighbour. Yet Jesus said that today he would be with Him in paradise. But I think a sincere confession of faith is infact the work/fruit of the Spirit. And that faith God will account to us as righteousness, as He did for Abraham.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.


Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

But I emphasize sincere faith because we cannot seperate faith from fruit either. Otherwise it is a dead faith, as James says. Sincere or true faith will produce fruit, because we will be born again, we will receive a new heart that desires holiness rather than sin. But I don't believe the fruit will be the foundation on which we will be allowed in Gods presence and enter heaven or the new heaven and new earth. Our faith will be accounted to us as righteousness, or justification before God, not our works. Paul said that no man can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 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.

So it's clear that we can build rubbish on top of the foundation, and it will be revealed, and it will also impact the reward we receive and cause us to suffer loss. But the person himself will be saved, because his foundation is Jesus Christ. And if Jesus Christ is truly our foundation, there is nothing that can seperate us from Him (Romans 8) because He paid the price for all of our sins in full on the cross so we might eternally be with Him. That is the miracle of Gods grace, which humbles the sinner and exalts the Saviour.

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

So I think the warnings/judgments are for those who did not truly come to Jesus Christ, did not repent of their sin and were not born again, did not receive a new heart and do not bear fruit accordingly. But those people can still be in church (the building), and can still think they are serving the Lord doing all kinds of "good works", even though they do not know Him. In this passage, you actually see that people think they did many wonderful works for the Lord, but they did not know Him!

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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