We ALL will be judged & rewarded according to our works.
Michael,
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 -NASB
As you see, we are not made righteous; we become the very righteousness of God through Christ.
What does it mean ‘to continue in sin’?
According to Scripture who will be judged ‘according to their works’?
Christians are in the world, not of the world
Jeremiah speaks of the children of man We are children of God
How is the word ‘justification‘ abused and taken out of context?
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I appreciate the conversation here, brother.
Let's address the question first of judgment "according to works."
One thing we must realize (which so few seem to understand today) is that never does God judge or reward anyone to their doctrine, profession of belief, or statement of faith.
He judges and rewards
ALL (especially us "Christians")
"according to our works." (Psalm 62:12, Prov 24:12, Jer 17:10, Jer 32:19, Eze 33:20, Lam 3:64, Matt 16:27, John 5:29, Rom 2:6, Rom 14:12, 2 Cor 5:10, 1Pet 1:17, Rev 20:12 and Rev 22:12 for starters).
As we see, this is abundantly clear according to the Scripture. There is no verse which cancels out this Truth. And there is no asterisk after those passages which exclude church-goers.
Oh, you'll find many a preacher-man or "Christian" song on the radio that tells us otherwise, but in the end it is only God's Word which will stand.
Truly our eternal lot is determined by our obedience and our behavior in this life. We could easily fill dozens of pages with references in the Scripture to confirm this Truth.
We have the right to
"become" children of God. This is not automatic just because we may have 'accepted Christ.' As the Scripture (both Testaments) declares, God must receive us, and He does if we are repentance and obedient and proven faithful -
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
- 2Cor 6:17-18
I know this is not taught from many pulpits, yet it is just as True as John 3:16. If it isn't, then none of the Bible can be trusted.
Even Jesus had to be proven faithful before God could
"make Him Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36) and
"give Him all authority in heaven and on earth." (Matt 28:18). Do we realize that Jesus had to be perfected here on earth? Or that there was no Man Jesus before the baby in Bethlehem? And that to receive the inheritance He had to
"learn obedience" to God? The written Word declares that
"Though He were a Son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." - Heb 5:8-9
Without obedience, even though we may have been 'saved' from bondage (as Israel was in the Exodus), we will not be the recipient of the promised
"eternal salvation" that comes, as Jesus taught, to those who
"endure til the end."
God's wisdom and understanding to us all.
