1 Cor 3:13-15 - 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.
If salvation is by faith alone, then why should anyone who believes suffer
loss? It does say "every man". That includes you and me.
One possible resolution is if our spirit is saved through faith, not of
works, and our soul is saved by our good works. There are 58 occurrences of
the word "soul" in the NT. If you have a search engine take a look at each,
and see in what context salvation is related to the soul, or the soul to
salvation.
Perry
Perry, I am not sure as to your point. You quote a scripture that clearly teaches that reward(s) will be lost but not salvation (v15). I do not see a problem. If there are rewards in heaven, perhaps they are based on our works but clearly, salvation is a matter of faith -- whether "ours " or the faith of Christ is another discussion. Verse 15 pictures the possibility, does it not, that all our works might be poorly judged by God while our salvation is secure. I have never understood works vs faith as an issue. We are saved by faith apart from obedience to law (and the gk text does omit the definite article in most cases in Paul's discussion in Ro 3 and 4.) When offered the choice, repentance puts me into the grace that saves. I understand "repentance" to mean not only a "change of mind" but a turn about in direction. I am walking one way, in selfish ambition, and then I turn around. There is God -- right there. The change of direction puts me in tune with God's way in a conscious and deliberate sense. The appreciation, astonishment and growing love I feel for a God who is willing to partner with me drives me to benevolent activity which James references as "works" [Jame's "works" and Paul's "works" are two very different things] .In that sense, I am justified by works understanding, of course, that it is the initial faith of God in Christ on the cross that actually secured my salvation.
I Pet 3:21 - 22 presents baptism as an act that saves -- but the author goes on to make it clear that this salvation is actually a spiritual reality.
I will be pure or I will go to hell ( a real concern for those who live and die outside the grace of God.)
I will be pure because I have inherited a faith that saved me, fully and completely.
There is a "holiness" that comes from gritting your teeth and there is a holiness that is the result of sin so far removed by the works of another (Christ) that God has no memory of our sin (Jere 31:34).
John
