Featured Will God hold Christians accountable for their words and deeds?

I posted that because @KenH had taken my statement that God will judge our works, we are accountable for our words and deeds to mean we must earn salvation.

I am trying to make it very clear that those words to Christians are not about losing salvation but a warning of "escaping with one's life, as one escapes a fire".

I agree that that would be a complete misuse of the passage.

It seems to me those passages were intended to have the opposite effect than apathy. We should be galvanized to "lay up treasures in Heaven".

 

1. Sure we make mistakes. And we grow "from glory to glory".

But this does not negate the many passages that state God will judge Christians works, or that some will escape with their lives but as one who escapes a fire rather than one who is rewarded, or Jesus' command for us to set up treasures in Heaven, or or Paul's words about self-discipline lest we forfeit our prize, or Peter's command that we conduct ourselves in fear knowing that God will impartially judge our works, or Jesus' claim that we will have to account for our words.

We are not talking about being lost, although for all practical purposes our works reveal our heart.


Instead we are talking about those passages you condemning as assigning some Christians to an eternal existence as "escaping with their lives as one escapes a fire".

If I recall, you said that woukd be like saying some get treasures laid up in Heaven while the disobedient Chriatians are fated to live in a shack.

I don't know how it will look. But I do know tgat those warnings can't be ignored.

2. Then perhaps you should work on that until you, like Paul, can say "imitate me".

3.Sure we do (if you were posying honestly).

You posted on a thread about a speech then admitted you had neither read or heard the speech.

You commented on my post saying it was salvation by man when every one of my posts made a point of stating this was not about salvation. Christians do not lose their salvation.

 

We do not have a relationship. I respond to posts (to data, to ideas expressed on this board).

And I do argue when members misrepresent what I posted.

So when you attributed my comment about Christians not laying up treasures in Heaven but escaping with their lives as one escapes a fire to holding a works based salvation Centered on man, I argued against you.

We also choose which posts to engage.

I do not expect a member to reply just because I respond to their content.

I have also come to expect some members to take their ball and run home when challenged about misinformation they have posted. It takes a certain type of maturity to admit they posted in error. I've done this several times, and admitted the mistake. But it is not very common on this board. Most do simply runaway.

I say that to simply say no apology needed. That is the way of this type of correspondence. I am not emotional when it comes to posts.

I did.....off topic, but wanted you to know....finally get to watch Godzilla Minus Zero.

 

Anyway,

@37818 answered the OP already.

2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15, . . . According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

 

Here are a few (of many) verses that address the OP:

2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire

Romans 2:5 [God] will render to each person according to his deeds to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life

1 Peter 1:17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth

Ephesians 2:9 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them

 

I am not sure if this matters, but what do you think these "rewards" and "treasures laid up in Heaven" will be?

I wonder because it seems that these are fairly prominent in Scripture (Jesus and Paul spoke of these rewards many times) but often our churches teach almost a "just get in" theme.

I remember reading how George Müller would turn down monetary donations for his ministry because he didn't want to trade his reward in heaven for that which perishes.

 

I agree.