Salvation versus Rewards

What Christ did for me on the cross brings salvation, What I do for Christ after being saved brings rewards.

The work of Christ brings salvation we are all in the same boat, we have all sinned, offended God, polluted ourselves and deserve the wages of sin, spiritual death, eternal separation from the one and only living Holy God Rom. 3:23, 6:23. The Good news is that Christ died for our sins, paid our debt in full, rose again, and was seen alive by hundreds 1 Cor. 15:1-4. "The gospel is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes" Rom. 1:16. Nothing more and nothing less will bring salvation. "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5. see Matt. 3:13-15. "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory but not before God.  Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Works of righteousness by us brings rewards "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" Eph. 2:8-10.

Rewards according to our works "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done" Rev. 22:12. Read 1 Cor. 3:11-15. If a man's works are burned, he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire.

The bottom line is I am saved by grace but after I am saved, I am rewarded in heaven by works done to the glory of God.

O dear people, put your gifts to work for Christ and lay up treasures in heaven and pleasures down here. All because of Calvary, sumner

Fellowship with God

Fellowship with God-that your joy might be full

"These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete" 1 John
1:4. What brings fullness of joy? "Fellowship" with one another and
"with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ" 1 John 1:3.

Fellowship, "koinonia" the Greek word, means communion or sharing in
common. It means to enjoy each others' company, to have things in
common, to be in agreement. You can be a child of your father and not
get along with him. You have no fellowship. That too often happens to
a Christian father and non-Christian son or visa versa.

No fellowship "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what
partnership has righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has
light with darkness?" 2 Cor. 6:14. There is nothing in common, there
is no agreement.

"If we say we have fellowship with God" "If we say that we have
fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not
practice the truth" 1 John 1:5. The reason? God is light and in him is
no darkness at all.

Sinful  behavior, breaks fellowship, not our relationship That seems
so obvious. We can understand it in our physical relationships and not
transfer it into our Spiritual relationship; with God, our heavenly
Father. When we are born of God, we have His life, eternal life, and
shall never perish. When we sin, He will spank us, chastise us, (Heb.
5:5-11) "that we should not be condemned with the world" 1 Cor. 11:32.
"There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" Rom. 8:1.

Back in fellowship with God "If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness" (for the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin) 1
John 1:9. The offense, the disagreement is removed and we are back in
fellowship with the Father. Make sense?

Prayer:  Father bless Your children. Help us to stay in fellowship
with You and have fullness of joy. In Jesus name. And I love YOU. All
because of Calvary, sumner

Relationship and Fellowship

Relationship is based on birth, fellowship is based on behavior. You were born of your father and mother. That is permanent no matter what happens. They can disregard you, disown you, disinherit you but you are still their child.

Relationship with God; to God is based solely on birth. "You must be born again" John 3:3. "For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God" 1 Peter 1:23. We were born of our parents by corruptible seed and we shall all die physically unless Jesus comes first. When we are born of God we are born of incorruptible seed and we shall never die spiritually. Doesn't that make sense?

Physical versus spiritual death "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" Rom. 5:12. We all belong to Adams race by our physical birth and so we all shall die physically. Those who have not been born again will also die the second death, spiritual death, separated from God forever. We who have been born again with everlasting life will never perish John 3:16.

Fellowship Relationship is permanent, fellowship is temporary. Relationship is based on birth, fellowship is based on behavior.

Prayer:  Father, bless You children reading this. Give them that sweet fellowship with You and let them have a bucket full of the fruit of the Spirit, in Jesus name

You are LOVED by God and me, all because of Calvary, sumner