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Originally Posted by Nell
In my opinion, lawlessness exists because of sinful behavior. Of course, Eternal salvation would not be negated by such sinful behavior, e.g. lawlessness.
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I've heard an analogy like this to describe what being a worker of lawlessness means:
1. True Christian who struggles with sin ➡️ falling in dirt and getting back up
Proverbs 24:16:
"For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes."
2. Worker of lawlessness ➡️ rolling in dirt and enjoying it
1 John 3:9:
"No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God."
It can be hard to distinguish between the two-- just as Jesus suggested it could be hard for us to know between the wheat and tares. All the disciples were surprised when Judas was revealed to be the betrayer yet the thief on the cross who repented at the last hour was saved.
Outside of the LCs, this is a common topic of discussion in evangelical Christianity. For example, Mike Winger, a well known bible teacher on youtube actually has a whole teaching on this titled "When to be scared you're NOT a genuine Christian":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiAc1v899nQ
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Originally Posted by PeterG
Hi Bearbear,
 That's exactly what I don't believe! I don't believe that these two things, being saved and being lawless, fit together. And therefore I can't imagine that God makes distinctions between us in terms of our holiness. I believe that we all look the same to him and that he only looks at Christ. That's why I said: If there is a reward for only some Christians, such as reigning with Jesus, it must have to do with something "else". |
Sorry if I misunderstood you. Are you suggesting that only Christians who persevere in good works will reign with Christ? And that those who are not lawless but fail to continue in good works are saved but will not reign?
I've thought about this question as well but I'm not sure because of the parable of the talents. The one talent servant who hid his gift was thrown into outer darkness/hell. And in the parable of the day laborers, all the laborers are saved and rewarded with salvation though they worked for different periods of time. In the parable of prodigal son, the son repented and he made the decision to work for his father. Jesus also ties good works and eternal rewards with salvation in this verse:
Mark 10:29-30
"Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."
Paul also paraphrases Jesus in Romans:
Romans 2:6-7
He will render to each one according to his works:
to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life