Lost Reward?

Everyone will be saved, but not everyone will get to rule with Christ. This is how you can suffer loss and still be saved.

I am not one of those who questions my salvation or, indeed, that of others who have confessed their faith in the only begotten son of God: so called because he came in the flesh and walked among men revealing the Father to all who would believe. Not only that but he gave himself a propitiation to all who would receive him by his death on the cross from which he was raised again that we may have everlasting life.

One thing is abundantly clear that we did nothing, neither can we do anything, for our salvation, which is the work of God alone.

This work was promised of old, through the prophet, by whom God said, "I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh to obey me."

Our transformation is of God.

Jesus expressed this as the new birth in John 3; Paul taught it through the example of of baptism as being buried with Christ and raised again, even as he was, to a new life where we are "a new creation", and John writes of it in his letters as a state of being, "Whatsoever is born of God does not sin."

All of these speak of a new nature where it is God who empowers the work and not the will of man and so we come back to his own statement at the beginning of John, "Who are born: not of the flesh; nor the will of man, but of God."

This makes me wonder [and I am convinced the context bears me out] whether you have not mistakenly applied the above texts.

In the case of 1 Corinthians 3 we see that Paul is continuing on from his consideration of partiality and the works he refers to are not the works of salvation, but of the gospel and what is declared to those who would believe. I see the same holds true in 2 John 1:8 for this concerns those who declare whether Christ is come in the flesh or no. Is it, therefore, these works that are rewarded?

But the works of salvation are not done by the will of the flesh but by the Holy Spirit who empowers us.

Even as it is written, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord."

Otherwise we might preach a salvation of works and not of faith [which I know you do not intend].

By the rest I know that you mean to encourage those who believe to look to God for their salvation and not to themselves but not to be overcome by the lusts of the flesh or the sins of the world for Christ already overcame the world for us by his victory through the cross.

Not only that but, having ascended to the right hand of majesty, he received the Holy Spirit who he now pours out on those who will believe, as you have said from Jesus' words The Father is most willing to give when we ask. It is by the Spirit of God that we do the works of righteousness, and not of ourselves, so none can boast.

This does not mean that we do nothing, but that we do works by the Holy Ghost as we yield to him. It is by the Holy Ghost that we do not sin and not by the might of the flesh else the weak could not be saved [but now salvation is available to all].

If we have believed, are we aware that we have been given this new nature?

The Scripture is true that says, "There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus who are led by the Spirit and not led astray by the lusts of the flesh."

Is there anyone who is weak? Let him pray and the God of grace will lift him up for he says to us as he said to Paul, "In your weakness my strength is known."

So let men see our good works that they may glorify our Father who is in heaven.

Amen.