Thank you for the question on salvation for those who suffer for Jesus Christ, “Does Christ provide salvation and reward to those at times who suffer for his name in this world as in verses John 16:33 and Romans 8:18?”
As one reads John 14–16 in the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus, Jesus is praying for his believers and those who will believe in him through their message. The context is that believers are already saved except for the Son of Perdition, Judas Iscariot, and the subsequent believers on the Day of Pentecost and beyond.
Jesus declares that he has other sheep that he must bring into the fold as there will be one shepherd and one fold.
John 10 says this, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (NIV).
John 15 says this, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (NIV).
Jesus is not declaring that the believers will receive salvation and rewards as a result of how the believers live on earth. In other words, Jesus is not saying that salvation and rewards are based on their life’s work on earth. Jesus is declaring that because they believe in him, they will be persecuted for their faith in him. The perseverance of their faith will be reward by the Lord in honoring and being faithful to him.
The question becomes what happens if a believer lives mostly for oneself on earth, does he still have salvation? The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 3 says this, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 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. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (NIV).
What I Corinthians 3 teaches that the summation of the believer’s life will be tested for the quality of that person’s life. All that a believer say and do on earth after coming to salvation in Jesus will be tested to see the purity of one’s service for God. The result may be gold, silver, precious stone for pure acts done for God and others while selfish acts will be consumed by fire. The text is clear that if all his works is burnt up, he will suffer loss, but yet will be saved as if one was running through the flames. We can take any material possessions with us upon one’s death. The works proceed us and one day those works will be revealed for its true quality.
One may wish to read Revelations 2–3 whereby the Lord commends and encourages his believers to be faithful so that they will receive their reward despite loss of possessions and even their life. For those who die in persecution for Christ, they will receive the crown of life which reflects their depth of sacrifice for God. It is not that they earn eternal life, but a “merit” badge, if I may use that term, of their faithfulness to Christ even unto death.
SUMMARY: Salvation is a gift from God, but the rewards from God depends on a believer’s words and works for God on earth (Eph. 2:8–10).
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