(tm) We think there is a parallel situation today.
Back to The First and Second Resurrection
The Christian churches talk about and profess to believe the Words of Christ and His Apostles while condemning all non-Christians to the Lake of Fire. Yet their doctrine of "grace" permits them to ignore the critical necessity of keeping the words of the Lord. Christ is concerned that we keep His commandments, not that we call Him Lord, Lord, and then not do what He says.
As was the case of the Judaizers in Rome, we Christians place too much emphasis on fundamentals of belief and not nearly enough stress on righteous, holy, and obedient conduct. We are leaving the congregations with the impression that if they are part of our group they somehow will be swept up to Heaven in a "rapture."
If we do not inform the lukewarm they are in real danger of lashes and the loss of their inheritance we are prophesying falsely to them. We are not bearing a true witness of Christ. Their blood will be on our hands.
One day we all shall receive the consequences of the kind of witness we have borne.
In Chapters Three through Five of Romans, Paul shows that all men sin and must be saved by God’s mercy alone. Paul then presents the blood of the cross as the provision the mercy of God has made for all men—Jews and Gentiles alike.
By so teaching, Paul does not do away with Romans 2:6. Is Paul fighting against himself? Romans 2:6 remains inviolate. In the last chapter of the Scriptures, Christ Himself proclaims that every man will be rewarded "according as his work shall be" (Revelation 22:12).
In view of the above we think it is clear that all persons will be judged according to their deeds in this life. They will be judged as stated in Revelation 20:12,13: "according to their works."
This concept is reinforced by Revelation 22:12:
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)
Four doctrines that have rendered meaningless such passages as the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation, and the second chapter of the Book of Romans, are as follows: the concept of Divine grace as an overlooking of the sins of the believers whether or not they are serving the Lord; the overemphasis on the love of God while the wrath of God is minimized; the rewards-only concept of the terrible Judgment Seat of Christ; and the assumption that all who term themselves "Christian" will rise from the dead and ascend to meet the Lord at His coming.
Each of these four has played its role in the present overconfident, blithe, insincere spirit that pervades the Lord’s assemblies.
The Scriptures do not support this overconfidence. They teach us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. They warn us that even the godly are saved with difficulty (I Peter 4:18; Philippians 2:12).
"According to his deeds" (Romans 2:6); "according to that he hath done" (II Corinthians 5:10); "according to their works" (Revelation 20:12,13); "according as his work shall be" (Revelation 22:12); "according to your works" (Revelation 2:23); "I have not found thy works perfect before God" (Revelation 3:2).
The tenor of the writings of Paul, John, James, Peter, Jude, and the writer of the Book of Hebrews is that all persons on the earth, including Christians, will be rewarded according to their works. This emphasis is in harmony with the declarations made by John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Prophets of Israel.
The final judgment of every person, except those who attain to the first resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11), will take place at the second resurrection from the dead.
Where does salvation by faith in Christ fit into this picture?
The writings of the New Testament, beginning with the four Gospels, do not present faith in Christ as an escape from Hell, they present faith in Christ as the means of obtaining eternal life in the Presence of God.
The traditional definition of salvation is escape from Hell and eternal residence in Paradise. The New Testament definition of salvation appears to have more to do with being accepted or rejected by Christ at His appearing in His Kingdom. It seems the New Testament has little to say about what happens to us when we die physically; the emphasis is on whether we are tormented or blessed in the Day of Christ.
It is eternal life that is stressed, for the most part, meaning Life that is from God and that enables us to live in our bodies in the Kingdom of God—on the earth.
As far as we know, the New Testament usually speaks of Hell, tormenting fire, outer darkness, and lashes, in connection with unrighteous behavior, often on the part of the Lord’s servants! These punishments are not presented in the Gospels or the Book of Revelation as the consequence of not having received Christ.
As recorded in the Book of Acts, the Apostles did not preach about Hell. They preached the Kingdom of God, faith in the name of Christ in order to obtain forgiveness of sin, and repentance. They did not preach about going either to Hell or to Paradise.
The eternal life that comes to us from the Lord Jesus Christ always produces righteous behavior. Apart from righteous behavior there is no direct evidence of eternal life, there is no redemption, there is no Kingdom of God. The individual who is walking in the filthiness of the flesh is not walking in eternal life (I John 3:14).
We know from the Scripture that no condemnation abides on those who are "in Christ" (Romans 8:1). As long as we are trusting in Christ and doing His will, immature though we may be, we are free from condemnation. We shall rise from the dead and ascend to meet the Lord at His coming.
This righteousness comes from faith in Christ.
The righteousness that is of God by faith is founded on the blood of the cross and it cannot be improved on.
Nevertheless, we still shall reap what we sow. We still shall be rewarded according to our works. Perhaps we do not understand how these concepts are reconciled, but the Scriptures teach both and therefore we must accept both as equally true and valid.
There is a difference between being accepted before God on the basis of our belief in Christ and being perfect in works before God (Revelation 3:2).
Our redemption must be dynamic rather than static. When we receive Christ and are pressing forward in Him we are covered with His righteousness. Meanwhile we are being transformed. Our thinking, speech, and actions begin to change. The new creation makes its appearance.
No matter how young we may be in Christ, no matter how immature and inexperienced, if we genuinely have received Christ, have taken up our cross and are following Him in absolute sincerity, we are an overcomer. We have Christ’s righteousness. We are living by His Life. We will be raised and will ascend to meet Him when He appears. He will remove from us the last vestiges of sin and self-seeking at that time (Hebrews 9:28).