Investments: Have you made some for your eternity?
Isn’t it true that the focus of most people is on investments of only temporal value? We are warned about a coming time of judgment when we’ll be rewarded in accordance with our knowledge and applications of the truths of Scripture. We’re commanded to be diligent in our studies of the Bible, so we’ll be equipped in our understanding of the things we need to know to effectively make those investments.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
Unfortunately, most churchgoers today don’t even know what “rightly dividing the word of truth” is all about, let alone apply it. That then means that they don’t even have a clear understanding of the things they need to be doing to make “the investments” that have everlasting value. To do all this makes spiritual growth a requirement, not something optional.
2 Peter 3:18
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. [Emphasis added]
So many churchgoers can’t even give a clear explanation of the gospel message. What they say always includes some form of works for salvation. They completely overlook the clear teachings of our apostle, the apostle Paul.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]
How much plainer can this be said? “NOT of works” means just what it says. No personal works of any kind have anything to do with the means to our salvation today. In all his epistles, one way or another Paul talks about this.
Romans 4:4-5
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]
Just yesterday I was challenged about all this in a local Bible study. The challengers kept referring to the teachings of Peter, James, and others as if what they said “trumped” what Paul said about it. Such confusion and misunderstanding are massive today. Do these people have salvation anyway? Can you be trusting in your own works of righteousness, and have it? Don’t the words of Scripture give us a clear answer to that?
Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration [PALINGENESIA = being born again], and renewing [ANAKAINOSIS = renewing] of the Holy Ghost; [Emphasis added]
It seems to me that the Scriptures are clear on all this. If someone is not relying on the person and work of Christ as the sole means for their salvation, they are not saved. As I said in that Bible study yesterday, if they ever got this right even once, they are then saved now. But if they haven’t, they are still not saved. Anyone can get their understanding of Scripture wrong AFTER their salvation. Such was the case for Paul’s Corinthian church where they had later stopped believing in the whole principle of resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
This clearly indicates that they were still saved even though they had stopped believing in resurrection.
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
In that last phrase he’s addressing the idea that if there is no resurrection, as some had then come to believe, there is no salvation. What they had believed earlier was then “in vain” if that was true. But here he’s telling them that it is not true. There is a resurrection and they’ll be a part of it!
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
He then sought to correct their misunderstanding about this in his second letter to them.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
But were these Corinthians saved earlier on? Yes! Please note how he addresses them in his first letter to them.
1 Corinthians 1:1-2
1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s: [Emphasis added]
What an ongoing battle it is to get people to see that their personal works have nothing to do with their attainment of salvation. Works have everything to do with THE LIFE of someone AFTER they are saved, but not at all as a part of the MEANS to their salvation. One’s salvation today isn’t progressive; it is spiritual growth as believers that is progressive. A clear distinction needs to be made between these two.
For us as believers all our productivity will be examined at what is called the Judgment Seat of Christ. All the “investments” of truth we’ve made in others will be wonderfully rewarded in eternity. God will honor the faithful with rewards they’ll get to enjoy forever.
Romans 14:10-11
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. [Emphasis added]
Our rewards in eternity will be representative of the life we’ve lived as one of God’s people and our sowing of seeds of truth in the lives of others.
2 Corinthians 9:6
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. [Emphasis added]
If you don’t sow words of truth in others, there won’t be anything worth reaping. This “wood, hay, and stubble” Paul talks about will all go up in smoke. Those things WILL NOT be rewarded.
1 Corinthians 3:8-15
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry [GEORGION = tilled land], ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder [ARCHITEKTOS = architect], I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 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.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. [Emphasis added]
What an important passage this is for us all! Such a time is coming. Are you getting ready for it? If not, why? What is there in your life that is more important than where and how you’ll spend eternity? You not only need to be in the right PLACE but receiving some of the best in REWARDS. The “return” on these investments will be like none you’ve ever received in this life now.
We will all be judged in accordance with our faithfulness to spread the truth, not by the response we get. Unlike so much in life, this isn’t about results. The eternal rewards won’t be in accordance with the “success” we have in leading others to Christ but in our faithfulness to make correct presentations and other acts of faithfulness we’ve expressed to be obedient to God’s Word. The rewards certainly won’t come just because we knew what we should be doing but what we actually did. It is our applications that gain God’s attention and His rewards.
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 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. [Emphasis added]
This is all to do with rewards, not punishment. It is the “bad” that is not rewardable. And this isn’t about what is thought of as sin. It’s about “good deeds” that were wrongly motivated. Our sins were all judged and paid for on the cross of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
It is our “works” of righteousness that are yet to be judged.
Again, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
13 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.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Then we have this clear warning. Our salvation will always be secure, but our rewards are totally dependent upon our faithfulness to our Lord and Savior.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. [Emphasis added]
What is spoken of as the “Last Judgment” is for only unbelievers. There, also, it is all about works that are unacceptable to God.
Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
He’s not talking about sins because as we’ve already noted in this study, they were all judged at the cross of Christ.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. [Emphasis added]
What a clear warning! Works for salvation don’t count for God’s blessing but badly motivated works of righteousness performed by believers don’t either. What a shock this is going to be for so many!
Conclusion—
So how does your “Eternal 401k” look? Are you steadily making investments in it? One extremely wonderful thing about these is that they can never be lost. They have permanent value! Furthermore, they are in no way dependent upon “the market” or what others are doing. This investment is all dependent upon you and the work you do as one of Christ’s ambassadors in this world. In fact, there’s an article about that on this website. If you haven’t read it, I hope you will or that you’ll read it again. Here’s the name of it— Ambassadorship: How well are you representing Him?
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [Emphasis added]
For more information about these everlasting investments, please see my other articles addressing this. Here’s the name and link of one of them–
