Featured Questions on the Judgment of Believers

We will all give an account. That's all those verses are saying, but focusing on the reward or penalty is the wrong focus. Your union with Christ is what makes you acceptable to the Father, and your faith is counted unto you as righteousness. Christ's rewards are my rewards. What more could I ask?

But do not with a vile crown of frail bays
Reward my Muse's white sincerity ;
But what Thy thorny crown gain'd, that give me,
A crown of glory, which doth flower always.
—John Donne

 

Thanks for presenting doctrinal questions, supported by scripture!

Our Christian life is a life of striving to become Christ-like, and of serving Him. Before being saved, all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags. But when we are saved, we are new creations, created for good works. And God has promised us rewards for service. Our our judgement will evaluate our post salvation service. Some, will enter heaven abundantly (with earned rewards) but others will enter heaven as one escaping from a fire (without bringing anything - rewards - with them. Both are saved forever, but their rewards for effective service will differ.

The difference between "believers" is that God credited the faith of those in 1 Cor. 3:11-15 as righteousness, and therefore transferred them into Christ, causing them to be born anew and those of Matthew 7:21-23 whose faith was not credited as righteousness, and therefore they were not transferred into Christ, and therefore Christ "never knew them." They were never saved, never born anew, and all their works of righteousness were therefore as filthy rags to God.

 

God wants us to see Him now as our loving heavenly father !