Holy Ambition

by Doug Morrell

"God will give to each person according to what he has done." (Rom. 2:6)

The phrase according to what he has done does not contradict the gospel of salvation as a free gift that cannot be earned (see Rom. 1:16, 17; 3:20, 23, 24, 28, 30, 4:5; 6:23). Salvation is a free gift that cannot be earned. What we learn from this verse and many others like it is what will actually take place: unbelievers will be judged for their sins; and believers, who have been freely forgiven of sins because of Christ's work (Rom. 3:21-26), will be given degrees of reward in heaven based on their actions in this life.

Jesus has been given the authority to judge all the earth (Rom. 14:9-11; Phil. 2:9-11). Judgment is already working in our lives, and there is a future, final judgment when Christ returns (Mth. 25:31-46) and everyone's life is reviewed and evaluated. All will face judgment, both unbelievers and believers. A believer’s eternal destiny is secure, but Jesus will look at how they handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities (stewardship) in order to determine their heavenly rewards.

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 he has done." (Mth. 16:27)

Holy ambition should be our daily, intentional spiritual reality. Seeking the Kingdom of God should be our first priority (Mth. 6:33). Understanding and belief are important, but we must also do well and do it well (1 Cor. 10:31) and do so to the end (Rom. 2:7). We must patiently and persistently do God’s will to find eternal life. Again, we are not saved by good deeds, but because we have committed our lives fully to God, we should greatly desire to please Him and do only His will. In other words, what we do should come from a grateful response to what God has done, is doing, and will do and not as a prerequisite to earning salvation.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats" (Mth. 25:31, 32).

We must also understand that every willful sin is in truth an argument against God (Is. 45:9; Rom. 13:2). Disobedience to the truth is interpreted as striving against God’s truth. Hell is eternal tribulation and anguish, the result of wrath and indignation. As a result, God will render to every man according to his deeds.

"So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:9, 10).

While eternal life is a free gift given on the basis of God's grace (Eph. 2:8, 9), each of us will still be judged by Christ. This judgment will reward us for how we have lived. God's gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement for faithful obedience. All believers will give an account for how they have lived (Mth. 16:27; Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:10-15).

Although God may not immediately discipline us for sin, his eventual judgment is certain - no one will escape that final encounter with the Creator.

On the Day of Judgment, those who accepted Jesus and lived His way will be raised to eternal life (1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 4:15-18; Rev. 21:1-8), and those who rejected Jesus and lived anyway they pleased will face eternal punishment (Rev. 20:11-15). The consequences of our present decisions last forever.

If by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body (Rom. 8:13), we are actively working at growing in holiness and putting to death any sin in our hearts and minds, as well as in our words and deeds. Yet, in spite of the fact that we actively put forth effort, the Bible reminds us that it is only by the Spirit - by the Holy Spirit's power - that we can succeed.

Copyright 2005 by Doug Morrell, CORE Discipleship Group Ministries, http://www.coregroups.org. You may copy this article for free and distribute as long as you do not change the content, make sure this copyright statement is included, and you distribute for free. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.