What will believers be rewarded for, if salvation is by grace alone?
Salvation is a free gift, but faithful service is still rewarded. At the judgment seat of Christ, believers are not examined for whether they are saved but for what they have built on the foundation: their works are tested by fire, and those that remain receive reward. Rewards are not wages for earning God's favor; they are God's happy celebration of grace-empowered faithfulness, and the crowns we receive are cast before His throne.
This question arose from studying What is the final judgment, and who will be there? and Does James contradict Paul? Is it faith or works?.
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What the Scripture says
Salvation is a gift; rewards are for faithful stewards
Paul is emphatic about the gift: 'for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.' Yet the same Paul writes of reward: 'if any man's work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.' The two are not in tension, because reward is not payment for earning salvation; it is God honoring the faithful use of the grace He gave. We are saved by grace, and we are rewarded for stewarding grace.
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
The judgment seat tests our work, not our standing
Paul says plainly, 'we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.' He means the same for believers: 'The fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is. ... If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.' The foundation, Christ, never moves; it is the quality of our building that the fire reveals.
For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.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.
each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.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.
For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
God rewards faithful stewardship of what He gave
In Jesus' parable, the servants are not judged for how much they started with but for how faithfully they used it: 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Paul tells slaves, 'from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.' God measures faithfulness, not raw output, and He never forgets the cup of cold water given in His name.
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
The crowns belong to grace and are cast before the throne
The Bible speaks of crowns: 'the crown of righteousness' for those who love His appearing, 'the crown of glory' for faithful shepherds, 'the crown of life' for those who endure. Yet in Revelation the elders who hold crowns 'fall down before him who sits on the throne... and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and God.' Even our rewards are a gift of grace, and in glory they redound to the worthiness of the Lamb, who won them for us.
From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
So we serve with zeal, since our labor is not in vain
The doctrine of rewards is not a debt-meter that makes us anxious; it is a comfort that makes us diligent. 'Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.' Jesus points the same way: 'lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume.' Because grace saves and grace rewards, we can work not to be saved but from being saved, storing treasure that will not rust.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal;Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
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Can I lose my salvation?→Our Walk with Him trail“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”What should I do now that I'm saved?→Our Walk with Him trail“Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
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each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.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.
For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.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.
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
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