Merit Points in Christianity

[littlestar777]

How is merit points given ? Giving material things (Money, Gem, Land) or Sharing Christianity to others higher ?

Sharing will be higher if u would ask me cause Gospel multiply ∞ (infinity) while giving material things is one to one only.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

actually I suspect that many will deny this, because of the Biblical idea "that you don't earn your salvation" and that what we have is "from the grace of God".
On top of this there also is a Catholic concept/term that might muddy the waters a bit as well.
Treasury of merit - Wikipedia


But there are a few Bible passages that suggest among the saved that they are not all at the same level, and that is based on what Good servants and stewards we are of the gifts He gives us.


The exact system is not spelled out for us it is "Above our pay grade" so to speak, other than God is looking at how we live our life and will award us accordingly if we were diligent to live out our faith.


1 Corinthians 3
New International Version

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.


REVELATION 22:12
KJ21
“And behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Matthew 25:14-30
New International Version

The Parable of the Bags of Gold
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

[FutureAndAHope]

How is merit points given ? Giving material things (Money, Gem, Land) or Sharing Christianity to others higher ?

Sharing will be higher if u would ask me cause Gospel multiply ∞ (infinity) while giving material things is one to one only.

The bible tells us:

1Co 13:1-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.​

We see that we are given rewards based on how much we loved others.

 

[Tolworth John]

How is merit points given

Basicly we don't know, we don't know because we are not to strive for rewards but rather to show by how we live just how much we love jesus.

 

[littlestar777]

Basicly we don't know, we don't know because we are not to strive for rewards but rather to show by how we live just how much we love jesus.

What about this ya ?

Matthew 6:19-21

Treasures in Heaven

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

[Tolworth John]

Treasures in Heaven

What are treasure in heaven?

Why does one seek to store them there?

Paul warned that many peoples works would be destroyed by fire, while others would withstand it.

 

[ViaCrucis]

How is merit points given ? Giving material things (Money, Gem, Land) or Sharing Christianity to others higher ?

Sharing will be higher if u would ask me cause Gospel multiply ∞ (infinity) while giving material things is one to one only.

There are no merit points in Christianity. I'd go so far as to say the very notion of getting merit points is antithetical to everything the Christian religion is about.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

What are treasure in heaven?

Why does one seek to store them there?

Paul warned that many peoples works would be destroyed by fire, while others would withstand it.

And learning that those treasures stored up in heaven isn't about brownie points or afterlife swag. But rather that as we are conformed to the image of Christ, as we have this same mind in us that was in Him, as we experience the renewing of our minds (etc), Christ's way and will changes the orientation of our heart to treasure that which He treasures.

The kingdom of God has inverse values to the values of this present and fallen age. God's kingdom is about the last being first, the least as greatest, that the most noble position in the kingdom is that of a servant: And Christ Himself shows us this by becoming the least of all and The Servant who bears the burden of the entire sinful world.

Whoever seeks to keep their life shall lose it, but whoever throws it away shall have it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but forfeit his soul?

There are no merit points. But the truly good, what is truly worth treasuring, will endure, as the Apostle reminds us that our labors in the Lord shall not be in vain.

But whoever desires to earn points has nothing. But whoever gives themselves away has gained everything. The treasure of running the race, of fighting the good fight, the treasure of humility and suffering, the treasure of a penitent heart, the treasure of a heart and disposition that is aligned with the will of God in love of others.

Treasures in heaven means dramatically changing what we think of as treasure, changing what we think of as valuable. The world loves glory, but the Christian is to love the cross.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Clare73]

How is merit points given ? Giving material things (Money, Gem, Land) or Sharing Christianity to others higher ?

Sharing will be higher if u would ask me cause Gospel multiply ∞ (infinity) while giving material things is one to one only.

There are no merits in Christianity. . .all is grace.

Good works are the result of God's grace, not the cause of it.

 

[Ligurian]

How is merit points given ? Giving material things (Money, Gem, Land) or Sharing Christianity to others higher ?

Sharing will be higher if u would ask me cause Gospel multiply ∞ (infinity) while giving material things is one to one only.

Matthew 20:1-16 For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.[2] And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.[3] And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,[4] And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
[5] Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.[6] And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?[7] They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
[8] So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.[9] And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.[10] But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
[11] And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,[12] Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.[13] But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?[14] Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.[15] Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?[16] So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

This isn't about money, since man cannot serve God and money, too.

Personally, I'd take the last seat in the Kingdom of Heaven and be grateful for the offer.

 

[Sketcher]

If there's such a thing, God tracks it and we don't. Humans tracking that seems like something a cult would do.

 

[bling]

How is merit points given ? Giving material things (Money, Gem, Land) or Sharing Christianity to others higher ?

Sharing will be higher if u would ask me cause Gospel multiply ∞ (infinity) while giving material things is one to one only.

The maximum we can do is also the minimum we can do, so there is no way to earn anything. If I today did everything perfectly right, that is the minimum I should do. If I do not do everything perfectly right today, than I disappoint myself and God, but I rely on God's forgiveness, which He promised to provide.

 

[littlestar777]

The maximum we can do is also the minimum we can do, so there is no way to earn anything. If I today did everything perfectly right, that is the minimum I should do. If I do not do everything perfectly right today, than I disappoint myself and God, but I rely on God's forgiveness, which He promised to provide.

There is merit points in Catholics teaching

The role of human merit in Christian life is a point of dispute between Catholics and Protestants.

Merit Point Dispute in various of Christian Branches

 

[bling]

There is merit points in Catholics teaching

The role of human merit in Christian life is a point of dispute between Catholics and Protestants.

Merit Point Dispute in various of Christian Branches

I am not Catholic.

 

[ViaCrucis]

There is merit points in Catholics teaching

The role of human merit in Christian life is a point of dispute between Catholics and Protestants.

Merit Point Dispute in various of Christian Branches

No, Catholics don't believe in "merit points".

The chief disagreement between the early "Protestant" Reformers and Rome was--and still remains--far more nuanced.

Catholic teaching does not say that men earn their way to God; but rather that men by the power of God's grace cooperate with God. This is known as Synergism (from the Greek syn or sun meaning "together", and ergon meaning "work"); in contrast Luther and the other early Reformers insisted on what is called Monergism (from mono "one" or "alone" and ergon, "work").

Thus the early Reformers taught that salvation is monergistic, it is the work of God alone. Specifically, we are justified (declared and rendered righteous before God) as the unilateral work and activity of God, hence the chief theological principle of Lutheranism: We are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, on Christ's account alone. Often described with the three Solas: Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Solus Christus. Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone.

In contrast, Rome teaches that justification is not a purely declarative work and action of God which is given unilaterally, by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to sinners; but rather that God by His grace alone draws men into life with Himself by faith and that men, cooperating with God by faith and good works grows in righteousness and holiness.

So, in a sense, Justification and Sanctification are, from Rome's perspective, two ways to describe the same process of the Christian life of God infusing us with His grace.

But for the early Reformers Justification and Sanctification came to be described as rather distinct things; Justification as declarative: God declares men just on Christ's account; while Sanctification is how we walk in life with God in regard to our neighbor.

But nobody on either side of this dispute believes that anyone can earn merit points and therefore earn their way to God. Rome believes that salvation is entirely God's grace; it's what that grace is and looks like, and how it operates, that is the key difference between what the theologians of Rome and the theologians of Wittenburg were saying.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Clare73]

No, Catholics don't believe in "merit points".

The chief disagreement between the early "Protestant" Reformers and Rome was--and still remains--far more nuanced.

Catholic teaching does not say that men earn their way to God; but rather that
men by the power of God's grace cooperate with God.

Like I co-operate with my preference for ice cream, particularly in the summer!

Yes, the righteousness of sanctification is a "co-operative" work (Romans 6:16-19).

This is known as Synergism (from the Greek syn or sun meaning "together", and ergon meaning "work"); in contrast Luther and the other early Reformers insisted on what is called Monergism (from mono "one" or "alone" and ergon, "work").

Thus the early Reformers taught that salvation is monergistic, it is the work of God alone. Specifically, we are justified (declared and rendered righteous before God) as the unilateral work and activity of God, hence the chief theological principle of Lutheranism: We are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, on Christ's account alone. Often described with the three Solas: Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Solus Christus. Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone.

In contrast, Rome teaches that justification is not a purely declarative work and action of God which is given unilaterally, by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to sinners; but rather that God by His grace alone draws men into life with Himself by faith and that men, cooperating with God by faith and good works grows in righteousness and holiness.

So, in a sense, Justification and Sanctification are, from Rome's perspective, two ways to describe the same process of the Christian life of God infusing us with His grace.

But for the early Reformers Justification and Sanctification came to be described as rather distinct things; Justification as declarative: God declares men just on Christ's account; while Sanctification is how we walk in life with God in regard to our neighbor.

But nobody on either side of this dispute believes that anyone can earn merit points and therefore earn their way to God. Rome believes that salvation is entirely God's grace; it's what that grace is and looks like, and how it operates, that is the key difference between what the theologians of Rome and the theologians of Wittenburg were saying.

-CryptoLutheran