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". . . . . I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven" (18: 3, N.I.V.).
"If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better
for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown
into eternal fire" (18: 8, N.I.V.), (likewise verse 9).
". . . . . If you want to enter life, obey the commandments" (19: 17, N.I.V.).
". . . . . it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven" (19: 23, N.I.V.).
". . . . . it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God" (19: 24, N.I.V.).
"Friend, he asked, how did you get in here without wedding clothes? The man was
speechless" (22: 12, N.I.V.).
". . . . . you hypocrites . . . . . you yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who
are trying to" (23: 13, N.I.V.).
". . . . . the virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet" (25: 10,
N.I.V.).
". . . . . well done, thou good and faithful servant . . . . . enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord" (25: 21 and also verse 23).
In these references we can see that entering the kingdom and entering into life are
parallel. Let us now look at the word "reward", first in the Sermon on the Mount and
then in the rest of the Gospel. In the sermon it occurs 7 times:
Alms before men
No reward in heaven (6: 1).
Hypocrites who seek glory of men
They have their reward (2).
Alms in secret
The Father shall reward openly (4).
Prayer as hypocrites
They have their reward (5).
Prayer in secret
The Father shall reward openly (6).
Hypocrites fasting
They have their reward (16).
Appeared not to fast
The Father shall reward openly (18).
Other references are:
"Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's
reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will
receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives a cup of cold water to one of
these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose
his reward" (10: 41, 42, N.I.V.).
In each case it will be noticed that it is always some kind of action that produces a
divine reward, not just faith alone. It is absolutely necessary that we distinguish between
faith and works, between what we receive from God as a gift of His grace, quite apart
from merit, and what we work out for the Lord in service as the fruit of salvation.
Salvation is never by works; it comes from faith in Christ and what He has done for us,
but it is "unto good works". Good works should result from it (Eph. 2: 8-10). It is the
service of the believer that the Lord tests, and faithful service leads to the Lord's
commendation and His reward (Matt. 25: 19-23). Unfaithful service means loss of
reward, but not loss of salvation (I Cor. 3: 10-15).
Failure to distinguish between these parallel truths has caused a multitude of
difficulties and arguments, some teaching that we can be saved today and lost tomorrow.
Others deny that there is any reward or loss at all, for, they say, grace covers all this. A