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What will you be doing in the NEXT LIFE?
by Herbert W. Armstrong
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Are YOU one who won't be there -- because you're deceived into a false salvation? Nothing is more misunderstood than the difference between "GRACE" and "WORKS." Here is one of the most important booklets ever published.
THIS OUGHT to disturb you -- a pointed question put to me by a man in Middlesex, England.
That is, unless you are one of the very few who really does understand
this difference. Don't be too sure you know! Even most of the clergy do
not!
The BIG Question
This man in Middlesex, England, had received his first three copies of The PLAIN TRUTH. He had been shocked out of complacency.
He wrote:
"As a lifelong 'unquestioning' believer in evolution, the most
immediate impact of your magazine has been to shatter my complacency on
the subject. However, this presents me with a problem, insofar as, IF I
accept that God created mankind, and that there is, therefore, an
afterlife, I simply cannot imagine what one 'does' for an eternity.
This is proving to be something of a 'stumbling block' for me." He
asked for help.
You need to understand. Almost NO ONE DOES!
A woman explained recently what she expects to be doing through eternity.
"I expect to just be sitting at Jesus' feet, looking up into His face,"
she exclaimed. And this idea was so deeply implanted in her mind,
nothing could shake her out of it!
It is perhaps ten times
harder to UNLEARN error than to learn new truth. And nearly everyone
who believes in God at all -- or makes any profession of Christianity
has had one idea so deeply implanted in mind that it is simply taken
for granted -- and almost impossible to root out!
It is this -- stated in my own terms (which may not be the way others would state it):
When you were born, you were started on a one-way railroad trip -- your
life's journey. Because of Adam's sin (or because you are a sinner) a
switch in the railroad track at the end of your journey is turned
automatically to shoot you down to hell. But IF, at some time during
your life's journey you "profess Christ" then that automatically throws
the switch at the end of your life's journey so that when you die you
will be shot immediately up to heaven. And what will you be DOING
through all eternity? Just sitting at Jesus' feet, happily looking up
into His face -- or, as some may have it, playing on a harp. In any
case the concept is that you'll have NOTHING TO DO, but just "enjoy"
idleness and ease forever and ever! This false concept totally blinds
its followers' eyes to the meaning and purpose of the Christian life
after initial conversion after becoming a Christian.
There
may be variations in the way differing sects or denominations, or
different people conceive of it -- but that's approximately the
generally accepted idea -- taken for granted -- and so deeply rooted
it's almost impossible to get the TRUTH, as GOD reveals it in HIS WORD,
into such minds.
Now I wouldn't enjoy lounging around in idleness with nothing to do for even three days -- let alone for eternity!
But THAT explains, I think, WHY some ministers falsely accuse me of
"proclaiming a salvation by WORKS." Since we are to be SAVED, as your
Bible states repeatedly, by GRACE, therefore these people simply cannot
conceive of any WORKS whatsoever. They don't understand that the
Christian life is one of TRAINING for WHAT WE SHALL BE DOING through
eternity IN THE NEXT LIFE. They miss the WHOLE PURPOSE of salvation!
Does that word "grace" sound a little technical -- a little theological?
"Grace" is a term used in the Bible. It means undeserved FREE GIFT -- and unmerited PARDON.
Nowhere does the Bible teach earning your salvation by your own
"WORKS." But what most do NOT understand is that the Bible DOES teach,
over and over again, that we shall be REWARDED according to our WORKS!
That has EVERYTHING to do with the question: "WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING IN THE NEXT LIFE -- FOR ETERNITY?"
It has little or nothing to do with whether you GET THERE -- but
everything to do with what will be your STATUS -- what you will be
doing in the next life IF YOU are SAVED BY GRACE.
Please believe me, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF YOUR
LIFE! YOU NEED to understand it. It's very VITAL to YOUR ETERNITY!
There's a Vast Difference!
WHY
is it that so very FEW understand the great difference between being
"saved by GRACE," and "rewarded according to WORKS"? To UNDERSTAND, YOU
need to know what "salvation" is, and what "reward" means.
But first, UNDERSTAND. The word "works" translated from the Greek ergon
means deeds, actions, business -- without regard, except as indicated
by use in the sentence, to whether physical work, action or labor, or
spiritual acts of righteousness. The Bible uses this word primarily in
two ways, and there is a vast difference.
When joined with
"law," as, "the works of the law," primarily in Romans and Galatians,
it refers to the RITUALS of the Law of Moses. These were physical WORK
-- labor! These laborious physical rituals -- "the works of the law" --
were a SUBSTITUTE for Christ and the Holy Spirit, and were in force
only until Christ. They were then ABOLISHED. There were certain other
secular laws, such as statutes and judgments, that were not abolished.
Nor, of course, the great spiritual Law, the Ten Commandments, which
define righteousness, the transgression of which is sin.
But
where the word "works" appears alone, unassociated in the context with
the "works of the law," usually refers to acts of RIGHTEOUSNESS -- that
is, GOOD works. In some instances the context uses the word in the
sense of evil works.
In this booklet we are concerned with
"works" in the sense of GOOD works -- righteousness -- not with "works
of the law," rituals which were abolished.
"Salvation" means
being saved from the penalty of sin -- which is DEATH -- for eternity
-- eternal punishment (not eternal punishing!). But to be SAVED means,
also, "preservation." In this case, preservation of LIFE. One verse in
the Bible explains BOTH: "For the wages of sin is DEATH; but the gift
of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).
The "wages" you EARN by the "works of SIN is eternal DEATH. It is
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT -- and since the punishment is DEATH, and not life,
it is eternal DEATH. You now have only a chemical, temporary, physical
existence, sustained by breathing, eating, drinking, and your physical
heart continuing to beat and circulate your blood. Stop breathing, stop
your heart beating, you die -- you cease to live -- almost instantly.
Stop eating and drinking, and you'll die in 45 or 50 days. This
physiochemical life is only temporary.
So, to PRESERVE LIFE eternally means the GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE -- spirit life -- self-sustaining, INHERENT life.
Salvation, then, means to PRESERVE YOU FROM eternal death, the "wages"
or consequences of sin, and to GIVE you inherent ETERNAL LIFE.
So, then, ETERNAL LIFE is something YOU DO NOT NOW HAVE. It is something you have no power to supply, or give to yourself.
You can't earn it by "WORKS." No human ingenuity or scientific effort
can prolong human life eternally. The only life that is eternal is
SPIRIT life. A physical being cannot turn himself into a spirit being.
Spirit life comes as God's free GIFT. Neither can you yourself erase
the PENALTY of sins you have already committed -- that is, PREVENT
eternal DEATH. For "ALL have sinned" (Rom. 3:23). That includes YOU!
You have brought on yourself the eternal DEATH sentence, as a penalty!
The Bible teaches NOTHING about an "immortal soul." On the contrary, it
teaches, twice, that "the soul that sinneth, it shall DIE" (Ezek. 18:4,
20). Jesus said the "soul" can be DESTROYED in gehenna fire (Matt.
10:28).
What your own "works" have earned for you is the "wages" of ETERNAL DEATH.
You see, everyone has "WORKS" -- either good, or bad! And your bad
works have earned the wages of eternal DEATH. Good works can earn
something, too -- which I will explain later -- but it is NOT
"salvation" or eternal life!
Jesus Christ only, of all who
have been human, has immortality (I Tim. 6:16). GOD is IMMORTAL (I Tim.
1:17). He has given eternal life, inherent, to Jesus, who has eternal
life inherent in Himself (John 5:26). We may receive it, as God's GIFT,
through Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:23). God has eternal life INHERENT. He has
it TO GIVE. You do NOT have it! You must go to GOD to get it!
But, your sins have CUT YOU OFF from God! (Isa. 59:12.) You are so CUT
OFF that you cannot reach Him! There is an impassable BARRIER between
you and Him, brought on by your SINS!
How, then, can you gain
ACCESS to Almighty God (the Father), to receive from Him eternal life
and salvation -- AS HIS GIFT? Well, Isaiah says, "Let the wicked
forsake his way" (Isaiah 55:6-8) -- the way of SIN. And, further, "GOD
SO LOVED THE WORLD [of sinners], that He GAVE His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should NOT PERISH, but have everlasting
LIFE" (John 3:16).
Yes, but How?
The answer is in Romans 5:8-10:
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, awhile we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, then, being NOW justified by
His blood ...." GET THIS! "Being NOW justified" -- HOW? -- by "works"?
No, by Christ's DEATH -- by His blood. He shed His blood and DIED. He
paid the death penalty for you, in your stead.
So, IF you
repent of sinning -- that is, turn around to go the OTHER WAY --
forsake YOUR way -- the way contrary to God's Law, and turn to GOD'S
WAY -- the way of His Law -- if you have thus REPENTED of sinning, and
have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior accepted His DEATH
as PAYMENT IN FULL for YOUR sins -- accepted Him as personal Savior not
only from the PENALTY of past sins, but as living Savior to save you
from SINNING (now and in the future) then you are NOW forgiven past
guilt -- you are now JUSTIFIED of your guilty past.
But "justified" refers to the guilty past, not to the FUTURE!
So, CONTINUE this scripture: "... Much more, then, being now justified
by HIS blood, we SHALL BE saved from wrath through Him." Notice, being
"SAVED" is yet in the future. We are now "justified," by God's grace --
by Jesus' DEATH -- and SHALL BE (future) "saved."
But,
continue, verse 10 of Romans 5: "For if, when we were enemies, we were
RECONCILED to GOD by the death of His Son ...." Here, you see, being
JUSTIFIED by Christ's death is ALSO being RECONCILED to God by His
death. In other words, we have at last, through Christ's death
established CONTACT with God.
Now continue, same sentence: "... much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved BY HIS LIFE."
Not already "saved." But "shall be saved." And HOW? Saved by the "blood
of Christ"? -- by His DEATH? NO!!! By His LIFE! We are justified of
past guilt, which had cut us off from access to God, by Christ' s DEATH
-- but SHALL BE, in the future, SAVED by His LIFE. He ROSE from the
dead. He is a living Christ!
Not saved by your "works" saved
by Christ's LIFE, after having been forgiven your sins, and reconciled
to God by Christ's DEATH.
HOW Eternal Life Comes
So,
with the sentence of eternal DEATH paid for US -- our past sins which
put a barrier between us and God, JUSTIFIED -- we are now RECONCILED to
God -- given access. And HE has ETERNAL LIFE inherent -- self-contained
life -- to GIVE.
How, then, do we receive it from Him?
Notice a couple of pivotal scriptures: "For as the Father hath life in
Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself" (John
5:26). God has imparted eternal life to the living Jesus Christ, whom
He raised from the dead. Now, further: "And this is the record, that
GOD hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that
hath the Son hath life [eternal]; and he that hath not the Son of God
hath not life" (I John 5:11, 12).
Yes, we are to be saved by
the living Christ -- saved BY HIS LIFE! That is, GIVEN eternal life as
a GIFT, through HIS life -- not through His death!
But,
specifically, How? Let the Apostle Peter explain: "REPENT, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall RECEIVE the GIFT of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
On real REPENTANCE of sinning -- a turning around to go the other way
-- to QUIT sinning -- and on faith in Jesus expressed by water baptism
(Acts 8:35-37), God has promised WE SHALL RECEIVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT AS A
GIFT. Not by our "works" -- but by GRACE!
But how does THIS give us eternal life -- salvation?
"IF the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
He that raised up Christ from the dead shall ALSO [by a resurrection]
quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom.
8:11).
Well is, then, the receiving of the Holy Spirit SALVATION? Is one already "saved" when he receives this Spirit?
GOD'S WORD SAYS NO! Not FINALLY! You are at that stage merely an heir
of God -- not yet an INHERITOR of salvation -- of eternal life. Still
human -- mortal -- not yet immortal! It is the presence of eternal life
conditionally -- provisionally.
The scripture above quoted
spoke of God's Spirit DWELLING in you. IF this Spirit is dwelling in
you until death (the first), or AT THE TIME of the RESURRECTION -- at
Christ's coming -- THEN you shall be either resurrected IMMORTAL, or,
if still alive, CHANGED from mortal to immortal instantaneously (I Cor.
15:50-52 and I Thes. 4:13-17). Then you shall be immortal -- composed
of SPIRIT -- no longer human and composed of material flesh and blood.
Then you, too, shall have life inherent -- be FINALLY saved.
The receiving of the Holy Spirit, NOW, is the TOKEN PAYMENT -- or the
EARNEST payment from God on the gift of eternal life. Notice: "...
Christ ... in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with
that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our INHERITANCE,
until the redemption of the purchased possession ..." (Eph 1:12-14).
The Moffatt translation renders it in more understandable English, "...
the long-promised Holy Spirit, which is the pledge and installment of
our common heritage, that we may [in the future] obtain our divine
possession ...."
Those who have received God's Holy Spirit
are NOW not yet inheritors or possessors of this eternal life -- of
this salvation. They are NOW HEIRS of God -- co-heirs with Christ (Gal.
3:29). They are now still mortal, not immortal. They are now BEGOTTEN
sons of God -- not yet BORN of God. They are now in the CHURCH of God
-- not yet in the KINGDOM of God.
May We Go on Sinning?
But now what of that scripture that says: "... ye are not under the law, but under grace"? (Rom. 6:14.)
Now that you are UNDER GRACE -- does this mean you are given license to disobey God's Law?
Listen to GOD'S answer: "What shall we say then' Shall we continue in
sin, that grace may abound? God FORBID! How shall we, that are dead to
sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom. 6:1-2.) Later, verse 12: "Let not
sin [transgressing God's Law] therefore reign in your mortal body, that
ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."
Once again, verse
14: "For sin [transgressing the Law] shall not have dominion over you:
for ye are not under the Law, but under grace." The very next words
show PLAINLY this does not mean you are free to BREAK God's LAW -- to
DISOBEY God, "What then? Shall we SIN [break the Law], because we are
not under the Law, but under grace? GOD FORBID! Know ye not, that to
whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom
ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto
righteousness?"
GRACE does not mean license to SIN. And the BIBLE definition of SIN is: "Sin is the transgression of the LAW" (I John 3:4).
You were UNDER THE LAW, when the Law stood over you, claiming its
penalty. When Christ paid the penalty, and satisfied the claims of the
Law, you were no longer under the Law, but under GRACE.
It is
the FALSE prophets of our day who try to deceive you into believing
"GRACE" means permission to BREAK GOD'S LAW! We are being saved FROM
SINNING (now and in the future) as well as from PAST sins. Christ came
to save us FROM sinning -- not to save us IN sin.
WHY the Holy Spirit?
I
have been showing you, step by step, the way of "salvation." Where are
you, now? You have been reconciled to God -- your past forgiven -- and
you have received God's Holy Spirit. But why?
God's Spirit,
first of all, is His very own LIFE injected into you -- the begettal of
ETERNAL life. You are now an HEIR of God -- a joint-heir -- a co-heir
with CHRIST. Not yet an inheritor. The Holy Spirit injects into you
also the characteristics of God. First of these is LOVE -- not carnal
or human love, but DIVINE love -- God's love.
And why? In
order to KEEP GOD'S LAW -- that's why! How is God's Law fulfilled?
"LOVE is the fulfilling of the Law" (Rom. 13:10). But carnal human love
cannot fulfill it. WHY? Because the Law of God is a SPIRITUAL Law (Rom.
7:14). It can be fulfilled only by a SPIRITUAL love, which is THE GIFT
of God. It is "the love of GOD shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Spirit" (Rom. 5:5). And, again, God gives His Holy Spirit only to "them
that OBEY Him" (Acts 5:32).
Also it requires FAITH to keep
God's Commandments. And your faith is not strong enough. It requires
CHRIST'S faith -- the same faith He exercised and lived by during His
human lifetime. God also GIVES YOU this very same FAITH, by the Holy
Spirit. God's Spirit also imparts to you spiritual comprehension --
POWER TO UNDERSTAND spiritual truth, and wisdom, and patience, and
spiritual POWER! All these are imparted to you from God, by the Holy
Spirit -- as His GIFT! But these are given to you to LIVE BY -- to USE,
in order to GROW spiritually in knowledge and grace and to overcome.
MUST There Be "WORKS"?
I have tried to make it PLAIN that we cannot EARN salvation by "works."
Yet EVERYONE does produce "works" -- either good or bad. Your evil
"works" -- disobedience of the Commandments -- will EARN YOU the
penalty of DEATH. But what about GOOD works? Do they earn anything?
INDEED THEY DO!
Are good "WORKS" required?
INDEED THEY ARE!
But WHAT, then, do they EARN?
They do NOT earn "salvation." They do NOT earn eternal life. They will NOT get you into the Kingdom of God!
Well, then! What DO they earn?
Ah -- that is the point of this booklet!
You are not JUSTIFIED by "works," nor "saved" by "works," but you are
to be JUDGED by your "works," and "rewarded" according to your "works."
This thing called "WORKS" -- MEANING DEEDS, GOOD OR BAD --
CANNOT PUT YOU INTO God's Kingdom of IMmortals. You get IN by GRACE!
But, once in, your "works" during this present life -- during your
Christian life after being "converted" and receiving God's Holy Spirit
-- DO determine WHAT OFFICE, or POSITION, or RANK, or degree of GLORY,
YOU shall have!
This is what ALMOST NO ONE seems to have understood!
First notice what Jesus said -- AFTER His resurrection -- inspired
after the year 90 A.D.: "TO him that OVERCOMETH will I grant to sit
with me in my THRONE ... (Rev. 3:21). Further: "And he that OVERCOMETH,
and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give POWER OVER THE
NATIONS: AND HE SHALL RULE THEM ..." (Rev. 2:26-27).
Notice again, "... hast made us unto our God KINGS AND PRIESTS: and WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH (Rev. 5:10).
Notice what is said of those in the first RESURRECTION, at Christ's
coming: ... and they lived AND REIGNED with Christ a thousand years
.... Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:
on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of
God and of Christ, AND SHALL REIGN with Him a thousand years (Rev.
20:4, 6).
Notice, in these scriptures, the "saved" are to
REIGN with Christ in the coming WORLD GOVERNMENT, the Kingdom of God.
And notice the requirement of OVERCOMING, and keeping Christ's WORKS
and also of ENDURING TO THE END! NOTICE! Jesus said "he that ...
keepeth my works unto the end."
Now notice further: "For the
Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and
then He shall REWARD every man ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS (Mat. 16:27).
Nowhere does the Bible teach being "SAVED" by our "works," but it does
teach the degree of reward according to "works."
Alexander
the coppersmith did great evil to the Apostle Paul, and Paul says: "...
the Lord reward him according to his works" (II Tim. 4:14). Notice this
distinction! This man did EVIL works. He won't get salvation at
Christ's coming. He will be REWARDED -- that is, PAID WAGES according
to his WORKS -- and the WAGES of SIN is DEATH -- eternal PUNISHMENT.
"WORKS" means the wages you earn -- or the REWARD to be given -- either
good or bad. Evil works (sin) can EARN eternal punishment, but GOOD
WORKS can EARN a better position or office in God's Kingdom IF YOU get
there -- but it cannot earn salvation!
Now notice Remains
4:4: "Now to him that WORKETH is the reward NOT reckoned of GRACE, but
of DEBT." Salvation is not paid as a DEBT, but is GIVEN by GRACE --
undeserved GIFT. But "WORKS" earn wages, paid as a debt.
So what we WANT is not GRACE or WORKS, but GRACE and WORKS.
The "GRACE" will get us into God's Kingdom -- give us Immortality as
God's GIFT. The works will EARN us -- that is, QUALIFY us for a better
office -- an opportunity for bigger SERVICE -- for doing MORE GOOD,
once we are born into God's Kingdom.
Degree of Reward
Notice, now, Jesus' parable of the "pounds."
Jesus' disciples wrongly supposed the Kingdom of God was to appear in
their lifetime. To CORRECT this error, Jesus spoke this parable.
"... Because they thought the Kingdom of God should immediately appear.
He said therefore, 'A certain nobleman went into a far country to
receive for Himself a Kingdom, and to return'" (Luke 19:11-12). That
is, Jesus Himself was going to heaven to receive for Himself the
Kingdom of God and to return to earth. Now continue:
"And He
called His ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto
them, 'Occupy till I come.' But His citizens hated Him, and sent a
message after Him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over
us'" (verses 13-14). Jesus had come "to His own," the Jews -- the
remnant of the Kingdom of JUDAH -- and "they received Him not" (John
1:11), so Jesus turned to "the lost sheep of the House of Israel"
(Matt. 15:24), and sent His twelve apostles to them (Matt. 10:6). That
is, to the so called "Lost Ten Tribes" of Israel. They were then, most
of them, in Northwestern Europe and the British Isles (for proof,
request our free book, "The United States and British Commonwealth in
Prophecy").
But continue Jesus' parable:
"And it
came to pass, that when He was returned" -- now speaking of what will
happen at Christ's return -- "having received the Kingdom, then He
commanded these servants to be called unto Him, to whom he had given
the money, that He might know how much every man had gained by trading"
(Luke 19:15).
This is speaking of every converted true
Christian, to whom God has GIVEN of His Holy Spirit, and spiritual
gifts. Every one, at that time entering God's Kingdom as an INHERITOR
-- as a POSSESSOR, no longer just an HEIR -- actually then "SAVED" --
will be called to an accounting -- JUDGED, to determine WHAT POSITION
in God s Kingdom he has qualified for. And NOTICE that this REWARD will
be according to his "WORKS" in this present mortal life. Continue,
verses 16-19:
"Then came the first, saying, 'Lord, thy pound
hath gained ten pounds.' And He said unto him, 'Well, thou good
servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou
authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Lord, thy
pound hath gained five pounds.' And He said likewise to him, 'Be thou
also over five cities.'"
NOTICE CAREFULLY! They got into
God's Kingdom by GRACE (as numerous other scriptures make plain). But
they are rewarded -- that is, given authority, or rule, or position,
according to their "WORKS" according to how well they did with what
they had to do with WHILE CHRIST WAS IN HEAVEN -- that is, during their
mortal Christian lives.
Continue now:
Beginning
verse 20 -- read it in your Bible -- the ones who GAINED NOTHING in
this present mortal life -- the ones who had no good "works" -- who did
not grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ (II Peter 3:18) -- not
only was not given ANY position -- but even had TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM
even the spiritual gift he had been given! In this parable, the English
pound, the main English unit of money -- worth approximately $2.50
United States money -- is used as a symbol of spiritual value.
This parable teaches what has been shown by other scriptures in this
booklet -- that the Christian must OVERCOME; he must GROW spiritually
-- grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ (II Peter 3:18).
We are beings SAVED to SERVE -- and if we do not qualify to serve, we
may have taken away even the salvation we thought we had!
IF you do not have good works, you have evil works, or sin, which earns the penalty of sin -- DEATH!
The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) shows the same thing,
showing that each is judged by what he has to do with. But the one who
makes no PROGRESS after his initial "conversion" is cast as an
"unprofitable servant into outer darkness" (Matt. 25:30).
Life Is a Race
Finally,
SEE WHERE ALL THIS LEADS US. Man is MORTAL, without inherent life,
possessing in himself only a transitory, physical, chemical EXISTENCE.
God is IMmortal, composed of Spirit, having self-contained life
inherent within Himself. He made mortal man to be formed and shaped
like He is, but composed of matter. ETERNAL life comes as GOD's GIFT.
It comes through the gift of God's Holy Spirit, GIVEN after the prior
conditions of real REPENTANCE, and FAITH in Christ.
But, once
receiving the GIFT of the Holy Spirit, entering upon the Christian
life, this Christian life is pictured as A RACE in a stadium, or in a
contest. We must TURN FROM SIN (and the Bible definition of SIN is:
transgression of God's Law -- I John 3:4). Notice: "Wherefore ... let
us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily besets us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb.
12:1).
FURTHER, Paul wrote: "And this I do for the Gospel's
sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they
which run in a race run all, but ONE receiveth the prize? So RUN, that
ye may obtain. And every man, that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they [those unconverted] do it to obtain a
corruptible crown; but we [Christians] an incorruptible. I therefore so
run, not as uncertainly; so FIGHT I ... lest that by any means, when I
have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway [REJECTED]" (I
Cor. 9:23-27).
We must STRIVE to overcome. We must fight
temptation and sin. The Christian life was pictured by Jesus as the
hard, rutty, difficult way -- NOT the easy way that leads to
destruction.
So, SALVATION -- being BORN INTO God's Kingdom
-- depends not only on once receiving the Holy Spirit, but BEING LED BY
God's Spirit through life (Rom. 8:14), and God's Spirit DWELLING IN US,
at the end of life's race. That is, at the time of death, or of
Christ's coming, whichever comes first.
God's impregnating
Holy Spirit is received by GRACE, as God's GIFT, not as a debt or
compensation earned; not by "works." But, once we receive the Holy
Spirit, it does not remain bottled up; it does not stagnate; it is not
static -- it FLOWS in outgoing concern (LOVE) to fellow man, and in
worship, reverence, obedience to GOD. It flows into us from God. We can
love God only because He first loved us -- our love toward God is only
a return of His love, which he gives to us.
This spiritual
LOVE -- the HOLY SPIRIT -- must be kept on that RETURN CIRCUIT --
fulfilling God's LAW -- flowing back to GOD by fulfilling the first
four Commandments, and out to neighbor fulfilling the last six.
The parable of the sower and the seed illustrates this. There were four
classes. The first heard the Gospel Message, but it never conceived --
they never were converted. They may still have a chance- -later. A
second class was converted, with great joy, but simply had no spiritual
depth of character, and endured only for a while, but yielded to
temptations UNTIL they fell away -- that is, CONTINUALLY, till they
QUIT TRYING. A third was converted, received God's Spirit, but let the
cares of this material life -- earning a living -- or former
unconverted associates -- keeping one foot in the world -- seeking the
PLEASURES of this world's materialism -- and they brought forth NO
FRUIT to perfection. So THEY lost out! YOU MUST BRING FORTH FRUIT --
make spiritual PROGRESS -- develop spiritual character! In other words,
good works.
Too many, today, are preaching a FALSE salvation of "NO WORKS."
Your "WORKS" won't get you converted -- won't earn you God's Spirit --
won't earn salvations I have made PLAIN in this booklet. BUT THE LACK
OF GOOD WORKS CAN GET YOU LOST, if persisted in!
The fourth
class of the parable are they, "which in an HONEST and GOOD HEART,
having heard the Word, KEEP it, and bring forth fruit with patience"
(Luke 8:15). In Matthew's account of this same parable, those finally
SAVED, enduring to the END of life's race, brought forth fruit -- some
thirty fold, some sixty, some a hundred. ALL of these were saved! ALL
of these go into God's Kingdom.
But those who bring forth a
hundredfold, during their Christian lives, will receive a higher
REWARD, or position in the Kingdom, than those who produce only thirty
fold!
SALVATION comes as God's free GIFT, by GRACE.
But the DEGREE of office, once in the Kingdom -- once made IMmortal --
the rank, the position, the degree of glory -- this is what you must
QUALIFY FOR, by the fruits you bear in THIS LIFE. Your degree of REWARD
will be according to your works!
THAT is the teaching of God!
We Must Produce "Fruit"
SALVATION,
I repeat again and again, is GOD'S FREE GIFT -- not something you can
earn. BUT, once you have received God's Holy Spirit -- BY GRACE -- that
Spirit in you must produce FRUIT!
The Bible again explains it
this way: Jesus says He is the Vine -- we are the branches (John 15:1,
5). Here we are likened to a grapevine and its branches. The BRANCHES
did not get themselves joined on to the main vine by their own efforts.
We did not become joined to Christ -- receiving -- His Holy Spirit by
our "works," but it was His doing -- His GIFT -- it came by GRACE.
BUT once joined on, with the SAP flowing from the Vine into the branch
(a picture of God's Holy Spirit flowing from Him into us), we must
produce fruit. If we don't -- then what?
Notice this whole
picture, in John 15. God the Father is the Husbandman -- the
Vine-dresser -- the chief Gardener, who PRUNES the branches. Now notice
verse 2: "Every branch in me that beareth NOT fruit He taketh away."
If, once having received the Holy Spirit, we do not produce spiritual
fruit, we shall be cut off from Christ -- and (verse 6), shall be cast
into the fire and BURNED UP -- referring to the final Gehenna or
hellfire!
The Holy Spirit is GIVEN to us -- we didn't deserve
or earn it -- but given to PRODUCE FRUIT. HOW? Jesus pictured the Holy
Spirit (John 7:37-39) as rivers of "living water" flowing from Him into
us, and on out of us. How will it flow on out of us? A "river" flows
down a riverbed. The spiritual riverbed down which God's Spirit FLOWS
is GOD'S LAW. This "living water" of God's Spirit is the LOVE that
fulfills the Law. The FRUITS, then, are simply the WAY of righteousness
-- keeping God's Law. We must be DOERS of the Law, not hearers only --
"for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of
the law shall be justified" (Rom. 2:13). This DOING produces fruit --
develops character -- trains us for a more glorified position in God's
Kingdom.
Oh, one will vehemently object, THAT'S "WORKS." No
-- it's righteousness. But IT IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS! God's Spirit
GIVES us the FAITH that makes obedience possible. This is the FAITH
that SAVES! It is God's GIFT. And the LOVE that fulfills God's Law is
His love, flowing into and out of us -- NOT OUR LOVE! It is not SELF-
righteousness -- it is GOD'S righteousness, GIVEN to us.
What KIND of Works?
One further passage of Scripture should COMPLETE the picture.
It is in the third chapter of I Corinthians in the Revised Standard Version. Notice carefully:
Some of these Gentile converts at Corinth wanted to be followers of
Paul, others of Peter, others of Apollos. Paul was pointing them to
CHRIST, and showing what human "nothingness" he and Apollos were.
"What then is Apollos?" he asked (verse 5). "What is Paul?" And he
answered, "Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to
each. I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD gave the GROWTH." Paul was
showing them that he and Apollos, mere humans, were as NOTHING compared
to GOD. The spiritual GROWTH -- the FRUIT BORNE -- the WORKS -- came
through God's Holy Spirit. The apostle continued:
"So neither
he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the
growth." Notice -- God GIVES the spiritual growth -- the fruits borne.
It is GOD'S righteousness. "He who plants and he who waters are equal,
and each shall receive his wages according to his labor" (verse 8).
Once again, our WORKS do EARN wages -- either good or bad. Evil works
earn eternal DEATH. Good works earn a better position or reward in
God's Kingdom -- IF you get there by GRACE. Now continue:
"For we are fellow workers for God; YOU are God's field, God's
building" (verse 9). Apply that to this very Work of GOD today. Today
God is using me, our active staff of several hundred, and our growing
family of Co-Workers who contribute financially -- all FELLOW WORKMEN
for God. Our WORK in carrying out Christ's Great commission --
proclaiming His Gospel around the world by radio, television and
printing press -- our ministers counseling with and baptizing those
being converted -- the PRAYERS and financial support of other
FELLOWWORKMEN -- will EARN a better position -- a higher glory if we
make it into God's Kingdom.
But we shall be SAVED only by
GRACE, undeserved -- as God's GIFT. Yet our WORK, as instruments in
GOD'S HANDS, which HE uses in HIS WORK, is the most important Work or
activity on earth today! And it contributes greatly to our individual
and personal SPIRITUAL GROWTH!
But continue:
Paul
says further, "According to the commission of God given to me, like a
skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building
upon it" (verse 10). He now pictures THE CHURCH AS A BUILDING being
built. Continue: "Let each man take care how he builds upon it." Now
referring to each individual member as well as the Body of Christ --
the Church, as a whole.
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is JESUS CHRIST" (verse 11).
Continue: "Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble -- each man's WORK will become
manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed
with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
If the WORK which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will
receive a reward" (verses 12-14).
Christ Does the Works "in Us"
The
FOUNDATION did not come by OUR WORKS! That was GOD'S doing. He GAVE us
the FOUNDATION to build upon. That foundation is CHRIST -- and it is
"Christ IN us" (II Cor. 13:5; Gal. 2:20; 4:19; Eph. 3:17; Col. 1:27),
by the Holy Spirit! God's Spirit -- Christ IN you -- was GIVEN by
GRACE, not produced by our WORKS. BUT you must continue to BUILD upon
that "Foundation." We must OVERCOME. We must GROW spiritually (II Peter
3:18).
Now notice the MATERIALS mentioned in building the
superstructure of the building. The most valuable is mentioned first --
GOLD. Second in value and QUALITY of building materials is mentioned
next, SILVER. Next, precious stones; next, wood -- far less valuable.
But now we come down to CHEAPNESS, and INFERIOR QUALITY -- HAY! Hay
might be used in covering a tropical-zone hut -- but it is very
inferior building material. Yet, a horse could eat it -- it has some
little value. But, lastly, we come to STUBBLE! You couldn't even build
a hut with stubble. A horse wouldn't eat it. Its value is about NIL.
It's fit only to be BURNED!
Must Build Character
In this scriptural passage, we are primarily concerned with BUILDING character.
But now Paul speaks of TESTING the quality of a man's building by FIRE.
Let's understand it! Continue: "If any man's work is BURNED UP, he will
suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire"
(verse 15). WHAT is that "fire"?
To understand this, we need
to turn to the 3rd chapter of Malachi. It speaks of Christ, as the
Messenger of the (new) Covenant, suddenly coming to His Temple. This,
like so many prophecies, is dual in application. It refers only
typically to Christ's first coming -- primarily to His second coming!
"... And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,
even the messenger of the covenant ... But who may abide the day of his
coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a
refiner's FIRE, and like fullers' soap: and he shall sit as a refiner
and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge
them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the ETERNAL an
offering in RIGHTEOUSNESS (Malachi 3:1-3).
Plainly, this is
speaking of Christ's second coming as KING of kings, to set up WORLD
GOVERNMENT over ALL NATIONS. Then we who have received God's GRACE --
in whom is the Holy Spirit, then made immortal -- shall stand before
Him for judgment as to what reward, or position, we have qualified for.
Christ Himself is that refiner's FIRE, that will burn up the dross. But
the pure gold, silver, or precious stones we have BUILT on the
foundation of CHRIST will then be MANIFEST -- it will come through the
test. But the hay and straw will be burned up.
Again, of
those who, BY GRACE, do receive SALVATION, and are born IMmortal into
God's Kingdom at Christ's appearing, Christ says He will bring them
"through the FIRE, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will
try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear
them: I will say, 'It is MY PEOPLE:' and they shall say, 'The ETERNAL
is my God (Zech. 13:9).
Now back to I Corinthians 3:13-15. It ought to be plain, now!
This is speaking of begotten children of God, who have received God's
Holy Spirit -- that is, CHRIST in them, in Spirit -- as the FOUNDATION.
Some people, once converted and receiving God's Spirit, do begin to
live by every word of the Bible, as Jesus said we must (Luke 4:4). They
have had their hearts in GOD'S WORK for our time. They have prayed for
it daily -- prayed for God's guidance and protection of those of us
active in it -- contributed generously and cheerfully toward it
financially.
They have sought, and found, the TRUE VALUES of
life. They have striven to overcome. They have studied to know God's
WAY -- to show themselves approved unto GOD. They have kept close to
God, by daily Bible study and prayer. They have BUILT RIGHTEOUS,
SPIRITUAL, STERLING character! In other words, they have built on the
FOUNDATION with gold, silver, and precious stones. These have survived
the TEST. They came through the fire. These are the ones who "brought
forth fruit" -- whose "pound" gained "ten pounds" -- who will be given
authority over MUCH.
But there are MANY -- and I personally
know of many such -- who with JOY have received God's Holy Spirit --
their conversion as Christians -- and have remained in a GOOD ATTITUDE,
but whose "WORKS have been of inferior quality, pictured by the hay and
stubble. Most of their "WORKS" of their Christian lives will be burned
up, when the final examination comes. Their reward -- status in the
Kingdom -- position qualified for -- is very small, yet THEY,
themselves, will be saved by God's grace! They suffer the LOSS of
higher position -- greater authority for service and doing good -- but
they themselves will be saved.
We are SAVED by GRACE, through
Christ's FAITH -- given as God's GIFT. But whatever "REWARD" -- status,
rank, position, degree of GLORY -- is conferred, once we are changed to
immortality IN God's Kingdom, will be according to our "works" in this
present mortal life -- and according to the character and quality of
those works.
And remember, even the WORKS come through God's
Holy Spirit -- the works of righteousness are not our
self-righteousness, but GOD'S righteousness. That's the KIND of "WORKS"
I believe in and teach!
WHY the Christian Life?
WHY do most of those who claim to be the very CLERGY of Jesus Christ say there are NO WORKS WHATEVER" in the Christian life?
Because of their false pagan and unscriptural doctrine about what
"salvation" is. Their conception of salvation seems to be an eternity
of idleness and ease -- with nothing to do. The development of the very
CHARACTER of the living GOD -- preparing for RULERSHIP -- qualifying
for SERVICE -- have no place in their false pagan theology.
Many times I have asked, over the air, and in The PLAIN TRUTH, "WHY, if
there are 'no works' to the Christian life, is not one taken
immediately, upon first accepting Christ, to his 'reward'? WHY must the
converted Christian -- if he is 'already saved' finally, if he has been
already 'born again' -- go on suffering IN THIS LIFE? WHY does the
Bible say, 'Many are the afflictions of the righteous,' and 'All who
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution?' WHY not
avoid all this suffering? WHY doesn't God take new converts immediately
to 'glory' -- or wherever, or whatever, they conceive as the eternal
state of the saved?"
The answer is that God put humans on
this earth for a PURPOSE! That PURPOSE is stated in Genesis 1:26 -- God
is actually reproducing Himself! God is the Supreme Spiritual CHARACTER
-- holy, righteous, perfect. We, to be actually BORN of Him -- BORN
into His FAMILY as HIS divine children -- must be changed, not only
from mortal to IMmortal -- not only from human to divine -- but from
our human nature and sinning character, into HIS DIVINE Nature (II
Peter 1:4) and into His HOLINESS and PERFECTION of character (I Peter
1:16; Matt. 5:48). And that must be developed, through the Christian
life! It means overcoming, growing in knowledge and character!
We are to become a NEW CREATION (Gal. 6:15, margin). God's spiritual
creation is still going on, in us! We are now mere CLAY of the dust of
the ground. God is the Potter -- we are the clay (Isa. 64:8). We must,
on our own decision, with our own complete submission, and even with
our own effort accompanying, yield so that the Master Potter may
completely remake, refashion, reshape our vile characters into the
holy, righteous, spiritual and perfect character of GOD.
Your Part in GOD'S WORK
In
my over fifty years' intensive, rich, active experience, since God
changed MY direction into HIS WAY, I have observed that the very first
need of every Christian, who is to GROW and develop this spiritual
character, is to have his heart completely in THE WORK OF GOD, which
the living Christ has called His servants to do, as His instruments!
Our "works" are our part in GOD'S WORK -- getting His true Gospel to
the whole world as a witness -- preparing the way for Christ's coming.
We are merely His INSTRUMENTS. It is GOD'S WORK! Those who condemn
"WORKS" are condemning the Great GOD who is the actual DOER through us
as His instruments and Co-Workers! It is not, after all, our works!
Those who are self-centered, caring nothing for the WORK OF GOD, having
not enough outgoing concern to want to help GET CHRIST'S MESSAGE out to
this blinded, deceived, dying world, fall away. Those who center their
whole "Christian" life and activity on developing their own selves
spiritually, whose hearts are not in or concerned about this great
OUTGOING worldwide WORK OF GOD, actually directed by the living CHRIST,
develop only INWARDLY, until they shrivel up spiritually and fall by
the wayside! Those whose hearts, their active, constant, earnest,
fervent PRAYERS, and their tithes and offerings are in GOD'S WORK
continue to EXPAND spiritually -- they become HAPPIER -- they become
greatly BLESSED -- their lives become richer and fuller -- and their
faces beam in smiles. They RADIATE! They PROSPER!
The New
Testament is literally filled with instruction on Christian living --
leading a new, different, sparkling, joyous life- -or, perhaps more
correctly, allowing Jesus Christ to live such a life -- GOD'S WAY in
them!
How WONDERFUL is God's Way!
SALVATION comes -- if we are willing -- as God's FREE GIFT -- by GRACE!
But we must be changed. There is DOING, not hearing only (Rom. 2:13).
There is development of a new righteous CHARACTER. Yet, even that is
CHRIST IN YOU actually DOING it! Actually, even the "works" are
primarily done by HIM! But how WONDERFUL that there are righteous
"WORKS" in the true Christian life -- opportunity for more than
salvation, priceless though that be -- opportunity for higher position,
rank, opportunity to serve, higher GLORY! .