Ephesians 2:4-10 (NIV)
“4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
The Salvation we are talking here is the escaping GOD’s wrath, the Great Tribulation that is yet to come (Romans 5:9, 1 Thes. 5:9, Matthew 24:21). The salvation will going to take place before the wrath happens and this will have a great feast in Heaven presented as The Wedding Banquet parable in the New Testament. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, “ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Then closed door Wedding banquet will follow with the Bridegroom Jesus Christ inside Heaven while the Wrath is happening outside; on earth. Refer to The Parables of Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14) and The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). After the Wedding Banquet, Jesus as Husband will descend from Heaven and pitched His tent on Earth with those who passed the Great Tribulation (Revelations 21:23-24)
But who are those people who are going to be saved, those who will be lifted and meet Jesus in the air? First they are the humble people who admit they sinned and repented, because only the humble will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). Many of them are not Jew who believed in Jesus as the Messiah, the GOD of Salvation (Matthew 8:11). Some of them are tax collectors and prostitutes that repented and accepted Jesus as their righteousness (Matthew 21:32). Some are like Dimas who is not Protestant nor Catholic, but honored the holiness and authority of Jesus to be his way to get into Paradise (Luke 23:29-43). They are those sinners who believe and accept Jesus Christ as their wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:26-30). They humbled and let themselves washed by the blood of the lamb (Rev. 1:5) and sanctified by Jesus with the washing of water by the Word, whom He will present them to Himself as a glorious church (Ephesians 5:26-27). They are all the ones who will escape GOD’s anger because they recognize that Jesus is the only one who can make them holy because there is no impossible with GOD (Matthew 19:26), this is not their own doing, but GOD’s doing in them.
That makes the Reward absolutely different from Grace. Biblically, ‘Grace’ is the unmerited favor of GOD toward man while ‘Reward’ whether it is Spiritual or material, is a thing given in recognition of one's service, effort, or sacrifices in serving GOD. The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness (1 Samuel 26:23). When we practice righteousness like giving to the needy without showing off, we will be surely rewarded by GOD in full ( Matthew 6:1-4).
There are many Reward Stories in the Bible because they seek to do what is good in GOD’s eye. Noah and his family were saved by the wrath of GOD because he had done all that the LORD commanded him (Gen 6:9). Abraham Became father of many nations because of his faithfulness to GOD (Gen 17:5). David being a worshipper and the man after GOD’s heart, became king of Israel and was honored that the Messiah was called “Son of David” (Acts 13:22-23). The stories of reward even in this time will keep going on and on, in serving GOD.
In serving GOD, we are sure to have rewards, both material and spiritual blessings. About Spiritual rewards, there are 5big rewards mentioned in the New Testament; the Victor’s Crown (1Cor.9:25), the Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thes. 2:19), the Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8), the Crown of Life (James 1:12), and the Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4). They are considered hope for Salvation .Even giving a cup of cold water to servants of GOD will not be forgotten. Matthew 10:42 says, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
But those Spiritual rewards aforementioned will be given by the LORD on His glorious day, when the Son of Man appears, while we are here on earth. They were given because those people passed the sufferings, whether these tribulations are fulfilled or prophetic or still to come in nature. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:27). This is the giving of reward before the Great Tribulation while second reward is in the final judgement after Great Tribulation which says, “My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” (Rev. 22:12).
But Salvation is never mentioned as a Reward. This Grace of GOD with the closed door feast in Heaven is exclusive for us people who recognize Jesus as The Sacrificial Lamb, that He suffer the Wrath that is meant for us, and made us pure to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Because Jesus said that even anyone can equal His suffering, he cannot be sure to have a seat beside Jesus in Heaven (Matthew 20:22-23). Salvation is an act of Mercy and Grace, not a reward by GOD for those who believe in Jesus Christ. Only holy people can enter Heaven, and it is impossible for us to make ourselves holy. It is only GOD who can make us holy through Jesus Christ, if we believe in His Name (Romans 10:13-15). It is by recognizing Jesus works for us, through us, in us, and not our works for Him so as to nullify what GOD had done for our salvation, AMEN.
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