Chapter SevenDOCTRINE OF REWARDSGod's free gift of salvation cannot be earned, merited or paid for. It was completely paid for by Christ's atoning death on the Cross. "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6). "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (I John 2:2). "Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life" (Rom. 5:18). The Bible emphasizes, and I emphasize, salvation is the free gift of God. Rewards are given to Christians, saved people, for their faithful service. Salvation is a present possession; rewards are a future attainment. "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss (that is the loss of his reward); but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire" (1 Cor. 3:9-15). What can be clearer than this? If we are saved, we are building on the solid foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our own salvation depends completely on Him, but every day we are building on His foundation. We are building of either gold, silver and precious stones, or we are building of wood, hay or stubble. If we build of gold, silver or precious stone, we will receive a reward, but if we build of wood, hay or stubble our works will be burned and all we will have to show for our life will be a pile of ashes; but we ourselves will be saved, as by fire (v.l5). Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given in His name would not lose its reward (Mark 9:41). But, on the other hand, if we make a great display of righteousness to impress men we already have our reward. Therefore, we need to take heed how we live day by day; not to gain salvation, but to receive rewards that will endure. |