Thank you for your response, brother. However, I still don't see an answer explaining why we have a multitude of verses warning up to endure to the end and to be obedient if we love Christ Jesus. Am I to infer that you think that no conscious effort from us is required? I think Paul had to address that attitude with the Romans.
Ro 6:1–4 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
One of the issues with our understanding is that so many think that they are already "saved." The term is no in the past tense - it is in the present. We are "being saved." It is a life-long process that requires we "work out our salvation." Yes, we are justified by God's mercy when we come to belief in God and in His Son. God provides grace for us afterwards.
But, we don't stop there. We are expected to walk in truth - be sanctified. We ask God for truth (sadly some don't pursue truth from God but from man). Jesus, in His "High Priestly Prayer" said:
Jn 17:15–19 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
While we live after justification, we are expected to be sanctified by the grace of God in learning truth. It is that truth that helps us to walk in faith for the times that trials come upon us.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Do you not see the conditional statement here? Or should I phrase the question: What if he does not stand the test?
We must not confuse 'descriptive' passages of scripture with 'prescriptive' passages of scripture. The end result culminates in salvation by works. There are also multiple passages of scripture that support eternal security of the believer. We need to properly harmonize scripture with scripture in order to reach the proper conclusion on doctrine.
There are 3 tenses to salvation in scripture that often get mixed up.
1. We have been saved from the PENALTY of sin (justification)
2. We are being saved from the POWER of sin (ongoing or progressive sanctification)
3. We will be saved from the PRESENCE of sin (glorification)
In regard to crown of life, there are actually 5 crowns mentioned in scripture.
1. The imperishable crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
2. The crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19
3. The crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8)
4. The crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:4)
5. The crown of life. (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)
An improper interpretation of "crown of life" may easily culminate in salvation by works. Revelation 2:10 for example is meant to be an encouraging statement from the Lord to Christians at the church of Smyrna who were being persecuted, even to the point of death. Jesus was not telling these Christians that if they are not "faithful enough" in addition to having faith in Him that they will not receive eternal life. That is salvation by works. The Lord was telling them that they will receive the crown of life after death, be faithful, hang in there!
In the very next verse, Jesus said - "He who
overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." 1 John 5:4, we read - "For
whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And
this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. ONLY BELIEVERS are saved, overcome, and are faithful unto death. In regard to conditional statements in scripture, it's important to realize there are genuine Christians and there are "nominal" Christians. There are genuine believers and there are make believers.
We see conditional statements throughout scripture which set up a contrast and confirmation. Example: 1 John 1:6 - If we
say (key word)
that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Confirmed child of the devil.
7 But
if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. Confirmed child of God.
Elsewhere John sets up another condition, contrast, confirmation. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9) (descriptive of a child of God) is in
contrast to - If we
say that we
have no sin, (present tense) we
deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8) and - If we
say that we
have not sinned, (past tense) we
make him a liar, and
his word is not in us. (1 John 1:10) - descriptive of a child of the devil.
Also, in 1 John 3:7-10, we see the same condition, contrast, confirmation. 7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you;
the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9
No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. 10 By this
the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who
does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who
does not love his brother. *Also see 1 John 2:9-11.
Furthermore, in 1 John 4:7-8, we also see this same condition, contrast, confirmation. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who
does not love does not know God, for God is love. Notice in James 1:12 that the crown of life is promised by God to
those who love Him. Who does that describe? Children of God or children of the devil?
