Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I personally believe that salvation itself (the forgiveness of our sins and the granting of eternal life) is based only on placing one's faith entirely in Jesus' perfect righteousness, atoning death, and resurrection. Our works do not enter into that. Paul compared that to the foundation of our salvation in 1 Corinthians 3:11.

However, I also believe that the redeemed will then be rewarded by God in eternity on the basis of the manner in which their subsequent lives have given witness of their saved status through the love and service that they rendered to God and to others -- that is, what they themselves built on that foundation through their works, which Paul likened in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 to whether they built with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw.

In that respect, even though the redeemed will spend eternity in God's presence, they will still undergo examination and judgment with respect to the works that they have built on the foundation provided by Christ, which Paul compared to those works being tested with fire. Someone whose works are burned up in that judgment (as wood, hay, or straw would be with increasing severity) will not lose their salvation, but they will be saved (as Paul said) "only as one escaping through the flames".

July 02 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Standing before God and 'answering for your life' is a privilege. Meeting with the God of all life is a blessing! Coming into fellowship with God is something to look forward to, not to fret about. 

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it didn't know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:1-3)

That piece of good news right there should erase any trepidation that the enemy has sown in the life of a born again CHILD OF GOD! 

John doubled down on our status as believers in the Lord Jesus. He said it twice in rapid succession: 'we are children of God.' He says, 'I (we) don't yet know what it will be like to be with Him in that place, but we do know that we will have been purified (cleansed of our sinfulness, washed and cleaned up) before we get there!' How are we purified? It is the "hope in Him" that purifies us (vs 3).

Dictionary.com defines hope: (1) the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. (2) to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence. -- I like both of those!

God loves us! God has plans to bless His people and give us a good future and a hope (see Jeremiah 29:11). God's thoughts of us are of peace with us and not of evil. It is a distortion of the truth that we're to be nervous about our future with our loving heavenly Father. 

We are God's children! 

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:14, 15). But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, (pause) nor of the will of the flesh, (pause) nor of the will of man, (pause) BUT OF GOD. emphasis mine - John 1:12,13. We are born of God! We are children of the living God! 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord (Romans 8:38). 

I don't know about anyone else, but I am looking forward to kneeling (I don't think my 'spiritual legs' will be able to stand before Him) in the immediate presence of the Lord. If I'm in the building, it'll mean that He sent for me and I was able to show up. IT'S ALL GRAVY after that! There ain't nothing to be scared about!

May 05 2026 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report