{"id":42540,"date":"2015-03-08T20:35:07","date_gmt":"2015-03-08T12:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianitymalaysia.com\/wp\/?p=42540"},"modified":"2022-02-08T15:07:23","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T07:07:23","slug":"loss-of-rewards-vs-loss-of-salvation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianitymalaysia.com\/wp\/loss-of-rewards-vs-loss-of-salvation\/","title":{"rendered":"LOSS OF REWARDS VS LOSS OF SALVATION"},"content":{"rendered":"

8 Mar 2015 by Lim Poh Ann –<\/span><\/p>\n

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Some believers may lose their eternal rewards BUT eventually they are saved. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, did the foolish virgins merely lose their rewards or much more?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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The apostle Paul teaches that some believers will make it to heaven by the skin of their teeth with the smell of smoke on their clothes and their hair singed. They will barely scrape through the \u201cfinal examination\u201d before attaining eternal bliss, just like a student who gets 51 marks out of 100.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Loss of rewards but still saved<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cNow if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw\u2014 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire<\/strong>\u201d (1 Corinthians 3: 12-15<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Some believers may lose their eternal rewards BUT eventually they are saved. Loss or rewards happen because their works are suspect for various reasons such as wrong motive or pride. For example, those who flaunt their charitable deeds or love praying publicly to show off will not be rewarded in future (Matthew 6:1-6<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13<\/strong>), a completely different scenario exists. Did the foolish virgins merely lose their rewards? Or did they lose much more\u2014their salvation? Let\u2019s go deeper.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25: 1-13)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt midnight the cry rang out: \u2018Here\u2019s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, \u2018Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018No,\u2019 they replied, \u2018there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLater the others also came. \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 they said, \u2018open the door for us!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut he replied, \u2018Truly I tell you, I don\u2019t know you<\/strong>.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Foolish<\/p>\n

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The purpose of this article is to establish two important premises:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n