No sir. I have to disagree completely with you.
While there are REWARDS we can earn, the prize of salvation is not one of them. We can earn those rewards only after we come to Christ as our Saviour.
Good works will not get us into heaven, as the Bible specifically tells us that we can only be saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ. THEN and only then can we win any rewards for what we do for Christ.
2 Corth. 5:10...........
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things DONE IN THE BODY, according to what He has done, whether good or bad.”
1 Corth. 3:8...........
".............and each one will receive His own reward ACCORDING TO HIS OWN LABOR.”
The Bible, IMO is telling us that the rewards given to us by God will be totally dependent on what we accomplish for Him while living down here on this earth AFTER we have been saved through by GRACE through faith.
Ephesians 2:8..........
"For we are saved by crace through faith and NOT OF OURSELVES least we should boast".
My interpretation on this verse is that the greater and better our labor and work is for the Lord in this life, the greater our rewards will be in heaven. I believe there will be a direct correlation between the two – greater service will be leading to greater rewards.
Do you have a Bible verse that would substantiate your opinion as truth?
For the record.
I am NOT talking about our'salavtion' That is; to be BORNagain. To be begotten again unto a lively hope.
Im talking about rewards for righteous works than an unrighteous man cannot do .
and as you point out have rewards .
Im saying that to be in the Bride of Christ is NOT automatic . it is what we are called to that to be BORN again qualifies us to run the race it does not win us the prize.
IM saying that as the first Adam had a bride out fo the midst of his body so too the last Adam will come form the midst of his body also .
Not all who came out of Egypt entered into the promise . because they believed the wrong message . as much as they did not believe God and the true message .
That as Lot walked by sight yet still was counted righteous . So the vast majority who came out of Egypt walked by sight also .
As in the days of Lot so shall it be at the coming of the son of man .
Abraham was in the days of Lot he too was counted righteous but walked by faith .
and while Lot was blind to the hour he was living in Abraham was told what "God was about to do"
and while Abraham lost nothing . Lot lost all "as through fire" save for the saving of his soul.
That Abraham sought a bride for the Son of promise and commanded his servant not to seek her in the world but from "among his bretheren"
That while there were 11 or 12 disciples . Three saw and did things the others did not and who the Lord took "a little further"
A body out of a body , a double selection.
To be BORNagain is if you will but the 'S' of our Salvation it is the getting out of Egypt and it took them only 40 DAYS to get to the promised land .Not 40 YEARS .
We ;the church have justified our unbelief and our wandering in the wilderness for 40 years as the NORM of christian life .
Preaching but the MILK of the Word of God and counting it as the meat .
So im not sure where you think I have said we earn our salvation when I have often said we do not.
The 5 foolish virgins were barred from the " MARRIAGE" by the words "I know ye not" They were unrecognisable as the Bride . Nor were they ready come to that .
The wicked on the day of that judgment will be barred from the KINGDOM with the words "I NEVER knew you "
Two very different judgments .
ALL men will be judged .
But the saved will not be judged unto condemnation but as to WORKS whether they be wood stubble or lasting things .
The sinner and the Godless will be judged unto condemnation.
We are saved . and "Little children your sins are forgiven and ye know the father "
Young men are saved "the word of God dwelleth in you richly and ye have overcome the wicked one"
I would say that the church in general does not know God "who is in the beginning "
They have heard of him but do not know Him .
How can they when many do not believe his word choosing rather to believe the world as to the creation of God .
He who is from the beginning is the Creator . You cannot know the creator if you do not believe His word.
But surely soemone may say. If you" know the father " you know Him who is from the beginning?
Clearly by the scriptures no.
For little children do indeed know their father and that he loves them and provides for them .They also know he comes and goes .
But they do not know his acts or work.
That takes a level of maturity .of growth and development .
I know of no new BORNchildren who get married .
Though I have heard they can be betrothed.
The Lord IS our Salvation as he is our peace and our joy.
He is our Savior for ever .Thank God .
Blessed be the Lamb who has washed us in His own blood is it not said in heaven by the great multitude? BEFORE the throne?
What then of those AROUND the throne? They too .
What of those under the altar? They too .
What about the Bride ? She too .
what about the "friends of the bridegroom"? who are n ot the bride . They too .
if there are freinds of the groom are there then friends of the Bride? perhaps; then they too are saved.
If we suffer with Him then we will reign with him says the scriptures . It follows then that if we do not we will not .
Where are we called to suffer? "without the camp" Even as Moses and Jesus did .
What camp then is that?
Forgive me if I labour on the point. Im simply trying to lay to rest the idea I am talking about our 'salvation' To be BORN again.Redeemed sanctified HIS TWICE OVER , By creation and redemption.A new creation.
if we are a new creation then we are in some respects likened unto the first or old one.
God has not changed .He is the same yesterday today and forever.
When a person is truly BORNagain he does but enter that eternal will which was Gods before the foundation of the world and which in a fore shadow was laid out for the first Adam.
"For the first adam was the foreshadow of Him who was to come "
in Christ
gerald