Re: Going to heaven when we die.

Yes, works come after salvation, the works "which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them".


Eph. 2:2-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

So we trust Him with those works just as we do our salvation (which is secured without any works whatsoever).

Often we hear this verse qouted "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" but the rest of it is often left out "13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:12-13)

Paul said he worked harder than all yet he couldn't take the credit, it was all the grace of God.

1 Cor. 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Paul warned the Galatians that they wouldn't be perfected by the works of the law, but through faith.

Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? (Gal. 3:2)

And we know Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith:

Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...

And we have this promise too:

Phil. 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

So even with the works after salvation, it all comes through trusting in Christ. I believe that is the only way we can do "good works", not by striving really hard to keep the law (even after our salvation) but by looking to Him, knowing we are completely secure in Him by grace alone, and he will work out all the rest and bring us safely home.

I don't believe in varying rewards for believers. Again I know there are some scriptures here and there that seem to say that but there is alot too that seem to say our reward is Christ himself, which all believers will have, and what else could be any better than Him? And since it is all by grace, salvation as well as any good works we do here, then I don't believe we can "earn" higher rewards by our works.

I know many would say that to believe everything I just said would encourage laziness, and sinful living, etc. but that is not how I see it. I think to truly understand our security in Christ no matter what, even in those times when we greatly fail, is where the power to do any good works actually comes from.






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