HOW WE ARE JUDGED:
BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH
By R. Herbert
"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done" (Revelation 22:12).
Most new Christians soon come to the understanding that we are saved by faith – that our own best efforts can never “earn” God’s forgiveness and acceptance, and that it is through faith that we receive the gift of salvation. But is that all there is to the Christian life – once “saved,” are we eventually rewarded according to our faith?
Since the time of the Reformation, Protestants have stressed the concept of sola fide, or “faith only.” While this concept is firmly based on clear teachings in the writings of Paul regarding salvation, modern theologians admit that it does downplay other things written by the same apostle. The same Paul who so strongly denies that works have any role in justifying us (Romans 3:20, 28; Romans 4:1–8; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:2–5; Philippians 3:9) is equally clear in stressing the role of obedience in final judgment (Romans 2:13; Romans 14:10–12; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Corinthians 11:15; Galatians 6:7–8 and see also Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 10:25-28; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:17). Making things seem even more complex for some is the fact that Paul puts forward both these approaches within the same letters – as we see, for example, in his letter to the Romans:
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law…. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:20-28).
“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13).
This seemingly contradictory situation has sometimes led to rather contrived attempts to solve the perceived problem. For example, saying things such as “Christians will be judged according to their works at the rewards judgment, but not at the final judgment” might seem to answer the question, but the Bible simply does not distinguish between any such different “judgments.”
The answer to the supposed contradictions in Pauls’ writings – and to perceived contradictions on this topic elsewhere in the New Testament – hinges on the immediate context of the words “judged” and “judgment.” Nowhere does Paul or any other biblical writer say that we will be “judged” by faith any more than he or anyone else says that we will be “saved” by works. What the Bible clearly stresses is the opposite in both cases: that we are justified by faith and judged by works. While this statement may make some who are steeped in the concept of sola fide uncomfortable, it is really not saying anything that contradicts that principle. It is rather saying that we are saved through faith at the beginning of our Christian lives – saved as in rescued, forgiven, and accepted (to use non-theological terms). We are then judged – as in assessed and rewarded (again to use non-theological terms) – according to our works after the end of our lives. The situation has been summarized by N. T. Wright in this way:
“… there has been a massive conspiracy of silence on something which was quite clear for Paul (as indeed for Jesus). Paul, in company with mainstream second-Temple Judaism, affirms that God’s final judgment will be in accordance with the entirety of a life led – in accordance, in other words, with works. He says this clearly and unambiguously ….” (N.T. Wright, “New Perspectives on Paul,” 10th Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference, 25–28 August 2003).
Wright’s statement is in clear harmony with what Paul says in Romans:
“… because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger” (Romans. 2:5-8).
In 1 Corinthians Paul extends our understanding of this process through an analogy which is remarkable in that it both ties together the original foundation of our faith in Christ and the further building of ongoing works in our own lives:
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
These verses plainly state that as long as one has built on the true foundation he or she will be saved – even though for some, their lack of good work will result in no reward. In this way, Paul himself combines the two aspects of Christian life – the foundation of Christ accepted in faith and the judgment or reward by works.
That the two concepts of justification by faith and judgment by works fit hand in hand is perhaps easier to understand when we remember that the “works” God expects to see in our lives are not our own works of legalistic or pharisaical striving, but works produced through us as a natural result of His Spirit being in us. Wright puts it this way: “The ‘works’ in accordance with which the Christian will be vindicated on the last day are not the unaided works of the self-help moralist … They are the things which show, rather, that one is in Christ; the things which are produced in one’s life as a result of the Spirit’s indwelling and operation.”
And the works God desires to see are not merely spiritual pleasantries. Paul shows that building on the foundation he describes involves not only good and positive works (building in “gold” and “silver”), but also works of turning from wrong. As Paul wrote to Timothy: “… God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’ ” (2 Timothy 2:19).
So works are the basis for the judgment which will be levied on all – as Christ himself said: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:27). This is not to say that salvation comes through works, but that works come through salvation. It is also a far cry from seeing rewards and punishments as the primary motivator for living righteously. The awareness of our future judgment according to the works of God’s Spirit in us need never result in the pitfalls of legalistic striving – the self-deprecating fear of spiritual failure or the self-elevating pursuit of spiritual success. Our judgment by works is rather a judgment of how surrendered we have been to God’s will and the working of His purposes in our lives. The works by which we will be judged are, as Paul tells us, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11) just as much as our faith is built on the same foundation. This biblical principle does not in any way contradict salvation by faith, and the two are completely fused as one – just as a house is directly connected to the foundation on which it is built.
BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH
By R. Herbert
"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done" (Revelation 22:12).
Most new Christians soon come to the understanding that we are saved by faith – that our own best efforts can never “earn” God’s forgiveness and acceptance, and that it is through faith that we receive the gift of salvation. But is that all there is to the Christian life – once “saved,” are we eventually rewarded according to our faith?
Since the time of the Reformation, Protestants have stressed the concept of sola fide, or “faith only.” While this concept is firmly based on clear teachings in the writings of Paul regarding salvation, modern theologians admit that it does downplay other things written by the same apostle. The same Paul who so strongly denies that works have any role in justifying us (Romans 3:20, 28; Romans 4:1–8; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:2–5; Philippians 3:9) is equally clear in stressing the role of obedience in final judgment (Romans 2:13; Romans 14:10–12; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Corinthians 11:15; Galatians 6:7–8 and see also Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 10:25-28; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:17). Making things seem even more complex for some is the fact that Paul puts forward both these approaches within the same letters – as we see, for example, in his letter to the Romans:
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law…. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:20-28).
“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13).
This seemingly contradictory situation has sometimes led to rather contrived attempts to solve the perceived problem. For example, saying things such as “Christians will be judged according to their works at the rewards judgment, but not at the final judgment” might seem to answer the question, but the Bible simply does not distinguish between any such different “judgments.”
The answer to the supposed contradictions in Pauls’ writings – and to perceived contradictions on this topic elsewhere in the New Testament – hinges on the immediate context of the words “judged” and “judgment.” Nowhere does Paul or any other biblical writer say that we will be “judged” by faith any more than he or anyone else says that we will be “saved” by works. What the Bible clearly stresses is the opposite in both cases: that we are justified by faith and judged by works. While this statement may make some who are steeped in the concept of sola fide uncomfortable, it is really not saying anything that contradicts that principle. It is rather saying that we are saved through faith at the beginning of our Christian lives – saved as in rescued, forgiven, and accepted (to use non-theological terms). We are then judged – as in assessed and rewarded (again to use non-theological terms) – according to our works after the end of our lives. The situation has been summarized by N. T. Wright in this way:
“… there has been a massive conspiracy of silence on something which was quite clear for Paul (as indeed for Jesus). Paul, in company with mainstream second-Temple Judaism, affirms that God’s final judgment will be in accordance with the entirety of a life led – in accordance, in other words, with works. He says this clearly and unambiguously ….” (N.T. Wright, “New Perspectives on Paul,” 10th Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference, 25–28 August 2003).
Wright’s statement is in clear harmony with what Paul says in Romans:
“… because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger” (Romans. 2:5-8).
In 1 Corinthians Paul extends our understanding of this process through an analogy which is remarkable in that it both ties together the original foundation of our faith in Christ and the further building of ongoing works in our own lives:
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
These verses plainly state that as long as one has built on the true foundation he or she will be saved – even though for some, their lack of good work will result in no reward. In this way, Paul himself combines the two aspects of Christian life – the foundation of Christ accepted in faith and the judgment or reward by works.
That the two concepts of justification by faith and judgment by works fit hand in hand is perhaps easier to understand when we remember that the “works” God expects to see in our lives are not our own works of legalistic or pharisaical striving, but works produced through us as a natural result of His Spirit being in us. Wright puts it this way: “The ‘works’ in accordance with which the Christian will be vindicated on the last day are not the unaided works of the self-help moralist … They are the things which show, rather, that one is in Christ; the things which are produced in one’s life as a result of the Spirit’s indwelling and operation.”
And the works God desires to see are not merely spiritual pleasantries. Paul shows that building on the foundation he describes involves not only good and positive works (building in “gold” and “silver”), but also works of turning from wrong. As Paul wrote to Timothy: “… God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’ ” (2 Timothy 2:19).
So works are the basis for the judgment which will be levied on all – as Christ himself said: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:27). This is not to say that salvation comes through works, but that works come through salvation. It is also a far cry from seeing rewards and punishments as the primary motivator for living righteously. The awareness of our future judgment according to the works of God’s Spirit in us need never result in the pitfalls of legalistic striving – the self-deprecating fear of spiritual failure or the self-elevating pursuit of spiritual success. Our judgment by works is rather a judgment of how surrendered we have been to God’s will and the working of His purposes in our lives. The works by which we will be judged are, as Paul tells us, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11) just as much as our faith is built on the same foundation. This biblical principle does not in any way contradict salvation by faith, and the two are completely fused as one – just as a house is directly connected to the foundation on which it is built.