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For those who have put their faith and hope in Jesus Christ and His redeeming work on the cross, forgiveness of sin is total, irrevocable and absolute. Paul makes this clear in I Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason, I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” This forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus remains with the Christian forever, although some in the early church feared that this forgiveness of sins was a one-time conversion event, leading some to postpone baptism until their deathbeds. The Bible clearly rejects this idea, and instead offers the believer the comfort of I John 2: 1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Martin Luther described the Christian life with the Latin phrase, “simul justus et peccator,” or, “righteous, and at the same time, a sinner.” That is to say, every Christian has been made righteous in God’s sight by faith, yet every Christian, in his “flesh” continues to be plagued by sin—none of us love God with our whole heart or love our neighbor as ourselves with anything approaching the perfection required by God. And yet, Scripture is clear that this should not lead us to despair, but instead should lead us, by Gods loving design, to confess to God our sin, weakness and failure, and receive again His grace, forgiveness and love.
Concerning the Christian and judgment, the Bible does contain passages which suggest that God will in some way reward Christians for works of love which He has produced in them by His grace. It is important to remember that this promised reward for the faithful believer is not meant to place a caveat on the promised total forgiveness of sin. God has promised to reward those who, as a fruit of their faith and hope in Christ, do even the smallest act of love in His name. Those believers who have little of this fruit of gospel love in their lives have an absolutely secure salvation; the forgiveness of sin is just as complete for them as for the most loving of saints. However, in some way, which the Bible does not clearly spell out, they will be saved but not rewarded by God in the same way as those to whom Christ will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Paul gives a picture of this reward for faithful Christians in I Corinthians 3:11-15, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” This passage teaches us that for the Christian, the foundation of our forgiveness and salvation is secure in Christ, no matter what our works as a Christian may be. It also teaches us that God will reward the believer whose works rest on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His gospel.
Finally, it is important to remember that all of the “works” for which a believer may, at the Judgment, be rewarded, are the result, not of our will or striving to do good, but are entirely the fruit of God’s love and redemption of our sinful hearts by the atoning death and resurrection of His Son.
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