My Fellow Christian,

Five hundred years ago, Reformers struggled to establish the doctrine of salvation by grace alone (Sola Gratia), not works. It seemed everyone wanted to earn their way to heaven.

Today the situation is quite the opposite. The present struggle is to get Christians who believe in salvation by grace alone, not works, to believe as confidently in rewards by works alone, not grace. So many have for so long said so much about God's amazing grace - and is it not amazing?! - that we seem determined to receive not only our salvation but also our rewards by grace alone. We must fix this problem quickly, because we are living in the End Times and have little time left before we stand before Jesus' evaluation.

To correct our problem we must first admit it. Once acknowledged, we can then move to correct it. For that, we must prayerfully analyze it. And to analyze this problem, as with all others, we must look to God for His answers. And to find His answers, we must prayerfully search for them in the only unerring source of eternal truth: the Bible! So, we will ask, then answer, three questions. What did Jesus say? What did Paul say? And what do you say?

What Did Jesus Say?

Jesus' Last Words

Last words are often those intended to leave a lasting impression. Among Jesus last words in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, Jesus made this most memorable statement concerning Christian rewards: "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Revelation 22:12). So, at His "coming," His appearing to catch away His bride church to heaven, not some but "every" Christian will be rewarded "according to his works." Are we ready, are we willing, for Jesus' last words to leave a lasting impression on our minds? Or will this be the last time we pay any attention to them?

Jesus' last words shouldn't surprise us, if we have any familiarity with His teachings. Not one but two of Jesus' key parables (The Talents, The Ten Pounds) illustrate that, once in His kingdom by spiritual rebirth, we will receive kingdom rewards according to our kingdom labors.

Jesus' Parable of the Talents

In His Parables of The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), which gives us a clear glimpse of His judicial method and precisely what we may expect when we stand before Him for examination, He made no attempt to veil the truth and every effort to reveal it. The two "servants," types of Christians, who put their talents (valuable grace gifts) to good use received good rewards. Their "lord," who symbolizes Christ, honors them for their good and faithful works by praising them as "good" and "faithful" in the presence of their fellow servants: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (25:21, 23). He also rewarded them with greater, new responsibilities on his estate, a symbol of Christ's Millennial kingdom: "I will make thee ruler over many things" (25:21, 23). And their last reward was joy: "Enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (25:21, 23). But not every servant was good and faithful.

One was just the opposite. Instead of using his talent, he hid it. And if that wasn't bad enough, he added to his dishonorable resume the sin of false accusation. He falsely accused his lord of being hard-hearted: "I knew thee, that thou art an hard man"; and unreasonable, or worse, a thief: "reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not spread" (25:24). Having none of it, his lord did not waste time or mince words in denouncing his dishonorable servant. He called his unfaithfulness "wicked": "Thou wicked and slothful servant!" (25:26). And he exposed him as a liar by seeing through his false story and discerning the real root cause of the servant's abysmal behavior: laziness! But more was coming.

His lord stripped this lazy servant of his unused talent, giving it instead to the servant who proved most diligent: "Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it unto him who hath ten talents" (25:28). And after tagging him with another dishonorable title, "unprofitable," he sent him away from his presence into "outer darkness" (25:30). He then prophesied this servant, instead of enjoying his joy, would "weep" for sorrow and "gnash" his teeth with inconsolable regret every time he remembered his dishonorable works. (Note though this lazy servant did not invest his talent with the bankers [25:27], he did work, and quite a bit, by digging a hole deep enough to bury his talent and filling it again!)

Summing up, this servant's undesirable life-works won him seven undesirable "rewards": (1) reproach from his lord, (2) dishonor before his fellow servants, (3) deprivation of gifts, (4) loss of rewards that may have been won, (5) the shock of seeing his gift given to another (Revelation 3:11), (6) banishment from his lord's immediate presence, and (7) sorrow and regret every time he remembered his "wicked" and "slothful" deeds! We do well to examine this inspired example of this "lord's" examination of, not his enemies, but his "servants" who did not do well. Similar scenarios will be played out before our eyes and ears thousands of times at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

But consider this key fact. Although the lord called this servant "wicked," "slothful," "unprofitable," and, in so many words, a liar, he did not remove his salvation. This is clear from the contrastingly severe condemnation - issued in the same context - given to the "goat" survivors of the Great Tribulation, who will refuse to help, and instead persecute, Christ's believing Jewish "brethren." Christ will not call them His "servants," but will instead label them as "cursed [damned]," and send them into "everlasting fire" prepared for "the devil and his angels." Thus, He will unmistakably send them into the lake of fire forever (25:41).

Why will Christ not pronounce this same sentence of utter condemnation upon the aforementioned "wicked" and "slothful" servant? Though his works were unrewardable, his soul was uncondemnable, because he had been saved by his Lord's grace at some point prior to the rest of his ungracious, unmeritorious life.

The Parable of the Ten Pounds

While strikingly similar to His Parable of the Talents, Jesus' Parable of the Ten Pounds (Minas) has several differences (Luke 19:11-27).

In one parable, the amount of wealth entrusted to each servant was the same; in the other, the amount different. In one parable, adversarial citizens (disbelieving Jews) rebelled and were later punished; in the other, they are not mentioned. In one parable, the unprofitable servant is sent to "outer darkness"; in the other, this is not mentioned. In one parable, some servants initially object to the transfer of the unprofitable servant's gift to the most profitable servant; in the other, such objections are not mentioned. In one parable, the rewards were given according to the amount of works; in the other, the rewards given were the same because the rewarded servants had shown the same faithfulness.

Despite these differences, both parables share this common theme: faithful service will be rewarded and unfaithful service unrewarded.

Jesus' Examinations of the Churches of Asia

The most complete example of Christ in judgment mode is found in His examination of the churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3. There, too, our Master did not spare praises for the faithful, nor did He mince words with the unfaithful.

Of the seven churches, only two were spared His loving-yet-blunt criticisms: Smyrna, a faithful church facing martyrdom; and Philadelphia, a faithful church that had proven their enduring faith and unswerving loyalty to Him. The rest possessed good works mixed with bad.

Ephesus was a great church, yet its members had lost their "first love," which left Jesus lovesick with disappointment (Revelation 2:5). Pergamum had withstood severe persecution in the provincial capital, yet its leaders had succumbed to the heretical doctrine and sinful licentiousness of Nicolas (2:15). Though Thyatira had a faithful remnant that was uncompromised, its elders had failed to discipline a false prophetess (whom Jesus caustically named "Jezebel") who had led their brethren into idolatry and fornication (2:20-23). Despite Sardis' reputation for lively spirituality, and its honorable remnant, Jesus' overall assessment of their church was quite disappointing: "You are dead" (3:1). Laodicea bore the full brunt of His disapproval, as He found them "lukewarm," so much so that He wanted to "spew" (vomit) (3:15-16).

Has it ever dawned on us that, as individuals and churches, we will face this same Judge and judgment one day? If so, we will live different lives this day, and every day we have left on earth.

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Summing up, Jesus' last words, Parables of the Talents and Pounds, and examinations of the churches of Asia, establish this: Jesus is on the record stating those who are saved by His grace will be rewarded according to their works.

What Did Paul Say?

The apostle Paul's teaching wholly conforms with Christ's. He wrote, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether they be good, or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10). "The judgment seat of Christ" identifies the event. "We . . . all . . . everyone" shows not some but all Christians will take part in this event. "The things done in his body" reveals the scope of this examination: every bodily act, or thought, look, word, step, or deed! We think with our bodies (cerebrums), look with our bodies (eyes), speak with our bodies (tongues), move with our bodies (legs and feet) and work with our bodies (hands). So, nothing will escape this examination. All that is righteous will bring merit and rewards; everything unrighteous will bring demerits and loss of rewards (2 John 8).

So, Paul, like Jesus, is on the record stating that all who are saved by grace alone (a doctrine he established, Ephesians 2:5, 8-9) will be rewarded by works alone. That said, only one question remains to be answered.

What Do You Say?

After reviewing Jesus' and Paul's declarations, what do you say? What are your works? Today? As you read this? Are they honorable or dishonorable? Obedient or disobedient? The pursuance of Christ's will or yours?

Are you spending quantity quality time with Christ daily or never getting alone with Him in His Word, prayer, and worship? Are you charitable or churlish? Gracious and kind or ungracious and inconsiderate? Becoming more like Christ or more like your old self life? More broken and humbled or proud and self-willed? Teachable and pliable in God's hands or stubborn and intransigent? Living for this world only or for the next? Looking eagerly and loving for Jesus' appearing or believing the lie, "My lord delayeth His coming?" Or, "He's not coming back at all!"

If after honestly assessing your "works" you realize you are in trouble, get out of trouble. Quickly! How?

Confess your sins, specifically, your bad works! Then repent by beginning to do good works - in your thoughts, attitudes, speech, actions, habits, and reactions! After establishing these new habits, continue! How? By pursuing good works the rest of your days. Why?

For Christ's honor, to enhance His reputation among the lost. To please Him, thus fulfilling the purpose of your salvation. To build His kingdom, the realm in which you will spend eternity. To bless, and be a blessing to, His people, for which they will love you forever. And, lastly, to do your soul good, to ensure you will receive a good reward, and not be ashamed, when Christ appears: "And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming" (1 John 2:25, ESV).

And may our struggle to convince Christians of this truth - that we will be rewarded according to our works - be easier today than the Reformers' struggle 500 years ago. The time is short.

For the struggle,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES