Faith and Works

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dominikus28

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We are saved by God’s grace alone. But does by doing good works are we rewarded for that in heaven? I understand that if it was not for God’s grace, no matter how many good works we do we wouldn’t be saved, so it is God’s grace that saves us not good works. But once we are saved, does doing good works elevate us in heaven? I mean, I remember reading in the bible that we will be rewarded accordingly, like those who lower themselves will but higher in heaven and those who are high on earth will be lowered in heaven… am I understanding correctly?
 
There is definitely language in Scripture that speaks of our “rewards” in heaven and indicates that some will be more richly rewarded than others - although among the things we can’t really comprehend is how one can be more or less rewarded in the context of being perfectly blessed.

But it is also important to understand that our works are not simply done for that future reward - they are part and parcel of our salvation. Ephesians says we are saved by grace FOR good works.
 
Faith cannot be separated from love. Love is a work, an act of the will. It doesn’t matter how much a Calvinist or Lutheran screams “faith alone”, if their faith is genuine their love (or good works) will be inseparable from their faith. Faith (a process of thought) and love (an action) are never separated in the Scriptures. So I don’t really care about the rantings of anti-Catholics with their lies about “salvation by works” (condemned by the Church as a heresy in the 6th century). Good sincere Protestants who serve the Lord as best they know how will give water to a thirsty person without a second thought. They are not trying to “earn salvation” by doing so, it is simply an act of authentic faith, an act of love, which cannot be separated, whether they agree with that or not.

I think there are varying degrees of rewards in heaven, as Jesus mentions "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,(Matthew 19:20) and “receiving 100 X more” (Matthew 19:29), if I am understanding these verses correctly.

There is an anology, an I admit a poor one, that in heaven, all of our “cups” are full, it’s just that some will have larger cups.
 
In heaven we will all be completely filled with the love of God, but there will be differences in our capacity to receive. I think it was Therese of Liseaux, who compared a thimble with a glass. Both may be full of water, but one will contain much more than the other. We will all be completely happy, but some will be more deeply happy; it is a mystery which we cannot fully penetrate here in this life.

Therefore, all that really matters in this life is whether we grow in our supernatural love - this is the greatest commandment, if you think about it. But love is very definitely not what society views it as today - which is as a squiffy emotion, normally linked in some way to sex. Real love is self sacrificing - “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15.13.
 
I try my best not to think in these terms. I don’t do good works in order to get a better seat at the table in Heaven. I do good works because it is pleasing to God. Which is the same with my faith. I don’t have Faith “so that I will be saved”… I have Faith because God commands it and is pleased by it. If that gets me into heaven, great… But even without the promise of a quid-pro-quo “'I’ll have Faith and do good works so God has to let me into heaven” I will still have absolute Faith and Trust in Christ and I will still do the good works He commanded in Matthew 25 (as well as in numerous other places) simply because they are pleasing to God. Not for what I get out of it.

Food for thought.

God bless 🙂

Mike
 
dominikus28 said:
. But once we are saved, does doing good works elevate us in heaven?
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First, once you are saved, your in Heaven. At the moment you are in the process of being saved. I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament last week and I asked Jesus "when I come before you upon my death I want to hear you say ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’ What do I need to do so that I can hear you say this to me.

And this is what He said — There is nothing you can do that will bring you into My Kingdom.

Nothing. I cannot earn my way into Heaven. And I thought about that and realized that there is no formula for getting into Heaven. So is my faith enough for me to be with Jesus in Heaven? And I knew the answer was no. God is calling us to serve Him. We are asked to believe and follow Him. What master will we serve? Will sin be our master or will God be our master. I have met many people who say they are believers but don’t act like it. If you met someone who said they are a real believer in lifting weights but they don’t workout, what is their belief?

I must submit to the Master and follow Him. I must love others as I love myself. I must fully commit myself to Jesus. I cannot be lukewarm, as that is good for nothing. If I have a true love for Christ then there is nothing I would not do for Him.

Faith without works is not truly love.
 
First of all; salvation is not based upon some catchy cliche slogan formula; just plug in the right value and your heaven bound…hardly.

Even Faith & Works is only a symbolic representation of what our Salvation AND Adoption consists of; To enter into God for all of eternity is what it means to have eternal life, but in order to do this, you must first enter then proceed through the Family of God. Do the best you can to be the best Family member of God’s Family and through prayer and worship, study and devotion…etc. especially with our Lord kicking in whatever we lack, you are on your way.

Each person is judged and rewarded as per how well they DO the will of our Father in heaven. So the answer to your question is Yes, provided that it is works based in love.

God Bless
 
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