The Issue of Salvation Obtaining salvation and obtaining rewards are two different avenues. The believer will go through judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor.5:10), but this will not be a judgment for sin.  This is stated in: John 3:18- “Whoever believes is not condemned.” John 5:24— “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believers him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned;  he has crossed over from death to life.” John 6:37- “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:1— “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 11:32- “When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”     The judgment seat of Christ deals entirely with service for the Lord and has nothing to do with sin.  Jesus has paid for our sins on the cross.  He paid for all of our sins. Believers will not be judged for sin but evaluated on fruitful production.  1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” Discerning Between Salvation and Rewards If you are alert it is easy to distinguish between verses teaching about salvation and verses discussing rewards for works after salvation. 1a.  Salvation is described in the scripture as a free gift: John 4:10, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Romans 6:23, “. . .the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. . .” Ephesians 2:8, 9 1b.  Rewards are earned by works: Matthew 10:42, “And if anyone gives even 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.” 1 Corinthians 9:24,25, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize.  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 2 Timothy 4:7, 8; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 22:12; Luke 19:17     2a. Salvation is a present possession now in time: Luke 7:50. “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.” John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son of God has eternal life.” John 5:24; John 6:47 2b.  Rewards are possessed in the future, given at Lord returns. Matthew 16:27, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 22:12     3a.  Salvation can not be lost. 3b.  Rewards can be lost. 1 Corinthians 9:27, “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”    a.  “disqualified” is the word “adokimos”.  You may   remember the word “dokimos” or “dokimozo” from James 1.    It means to test to approve as one tests metal in a fire.  The   prefix “a-” in the Greek means the opposite or “anti-”.  To be   “adokimos” is to be the opposite of one approved or accepted   after the testing.  It means to be rejected after the testing. Revelation 3:11,  “I am coming soon.  Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take you crown.” 2 John 8   a.  They should have received more rewards but error caused   them to lose much of what they had worked for.     4a.  God offers the lost salvation through faith in Christ. 4b.  God offers the believer rewards for faithful service.     False Teachings You can see the confusion in doctrine and life application if any of the above four areas get turned around.  When salvation and rewards are confused these are some false teaching that develop from a lack of understanding of the above issues: 1.        Salvation is worked for. 2.    Rewards in heaven are distributed equally. 3.        We get rewards on earth and our salvation is only obtained in eternity. 4.        We can lose our salvation that we worked for.  5.        God offers salvation to the faithful believer. 6.    God would never reward us for our works.