The Difference Between

SALVATION and REWARDS

SALVATION REWARDS
1) Salvation is a free gift and can't be earned. 1) Rewards can be earned by faithful service.

“But not as the offence, so also is the FREE GIFT. For if “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the
through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of
of God, and the GIFT by grace, which is by one man, Jesus heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to
Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord YE
sinned, so is THE GIFT: for the judgment was by one to SHALL RECEIVE THE REWARD of the inheritance: for ye
condemnation, but the FREE GIFT is of many offences unto serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:22-24, and note that the
justification” (Rom. 5:15-16; and see also Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. emphasis of this passage is upon SERVICE).
6:23; John 4:10).
2) Salvation is not something we deserve. 2) Reward is something that the believer deserves.

“Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast
been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luke
If God were to give us exactly what we deserve for the 19:16-17). This man was deserving of reward because his pound
way we have lived and for the sins which we have gained ten pounds and because he was faithful in a very little.
committed, what would He give us? [Caution: The believer who labors faithfully for Christ must never
forget what Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:10, “by the grace of God I am what
I am...I labored...yet not I, but the grace of God which was with
me.” So even in the earning of rewards the principle of grace is
operative.]
“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who
shall stand?” (Psalm 130:3) “The wages of sin is
DEATH” (Rom. 6:23).

See also Psalm 103:10.

3) Salvation is not given on the basis of works. 3) Rewards are given on the basis of works.

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father
NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, but according to with His angels; and then He shall reward every man
His own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9). “NOT BY ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS” (Matt. 16:27). “And,
WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to
according to His mercy He saved us” (Tit. 3:5). “Even as give every man ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL
David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto BE” (Rev. 22:12).
whom God imputeth righteousness WITHOUT WORKS”
(Rom. 4:6).
4) Salvation is a present possession (it is something 4) Rewards are a future attainment (they are
that the believer has now). something the believer will receive later)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, “And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense
and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH thee: for thou SHALT BE [future tense]
EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 5:24). “Verily, verily, I say RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE
unto you, He that believeth on Me HATH JUST” (Luke 14:14). Believers will receive rewards at the
EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 6:47). “He that hath the first resurrection, and for church-age believers this will
Son HATH LIFE” (1 John 5:12). take place at the rapture.
5) Salvation is something that can never be lost. 5) Rewards can be lost.

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast,

that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11). “Look to
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have
follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and THEY wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 8).
SHALL NEVER PERISH [Greek--“they shall never ever “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in
perish, no not ever”], neither shall any man pluck them out My Name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto
of My hand” (John 10:27-28). you, he shall not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41).
This distinction is clearly seen in 1 Corinthians 3:14-15, “If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss [there will be loss of reward]: but he
himself shall be saved [there will not be loss of salvation]; yet so as by fire.”
6) The focus of salvation is upon SIN 6) The focus of rewards is upon SERVICE (we have a
responsibility to faithfully serve the God who saved us)
(we have a SIN PROBLEM)
“With good will DOING SERVICE, AS TO THE LORD,
and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any
man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his he be bond or free” (Eph. 6:7-8).
name JESUS: for He shall save his people FROM THEIR
SINS” (Matt. 1:21).
7) Salvation involves possessing CHRIST. 7) Rewards involve possessing CROWNS.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one
receiveth THE PRIZE? So run, THAT YE MAY
“He that HATH THE SON hath life; and he that hath not OBTAIN. And every man that striveth for the mastery is
the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a
corruptible CROWN; but we an incorruptible” (1 Cor.
9:24-25).
8) The sinner coming to Christ for salvation hears these 8) The faithful believer about to be rewarded hears
words: “IT IS DONE!” these words: “WELL DONE!”

“His lord said unto him, WELL DONE, good and faithful
servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy
IT IS FINISHED” (John 19:30). of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:23).
9) Salvation was accomplished at Christ's first coming. 9) Rewards will be bestowed upon believers at Christ's
second coming.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me A CROWN of

righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall
give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them
 also that LOVE HIS APPEARING” (2 Tim. 4:8). “And,
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me” (Rev.
that Christ Jesus came into the world [at His first coming] 22:12).
to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
10) Salvation is freely received in a point of time. 10) Rewards are earned throughout a whole believing
lifetime.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of

In a point of time a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his
Christ and passes from death to life (John 5:24). body [from the point of salvation to the point when the
believer goes to be with the Lord], according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
11) Salvation is based upon what Christ has done. 11) Rewards are based upon what we have done (as
believers).

“...that every one may receive the things done in his body,
“Being justified freely by His grace THROUGH THE ACCORDING TO THAT HE HATH DONE, whether it
REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
12) When it comes to salvation, what is man's part? 12) When it comes to rewards, what is man's part? The
The answer: FAITH answer: FAITHFULNESS.

“He that is FAITHFUL in that which is least is faithful

also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the
shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the
true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which
is another man's, who shall give you that which is your
own?” (Luke 16:10-12).
God does the saving; we do the believing.
13) The question of salvation: DID YOU BELIEVE ON 13) The question of rewards: HAVE YOU BEEN
CHRIST? ABIDING IN CHRIST?

“And now, little children, ABIDE IN HIM; that, when He

shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed
“It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to SAVE before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).
them that BELIEVE” (1 Cor. 1:21).
14) When it comes to salvation there are certain things 14) When it comes to rewards, there are certain things
that God does not remember. that God does remember.

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and

labour of love, which ye have showed toward His Name,
“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister”
(Heb. 10:17). (Heb. 6:10).
15) Salvation always involves God's full approval in 15) Rewards may involve God's disapproval.
Christ.

“But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong

“To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons”
made us ACCEPTED [highly favored] in the Beloved” (Col. 3:25). See also 1 John 2:28 which implies the
(Eph. 1:6). possibility of SHAME because of God's disapproval and
 see Phil. 3:8 where Paul sacrificed all so that he might gain
or win Christ and His approval.
16) All believers share the same salvation. 16) All believers do not share the same rewards.

“And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that
these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on
the left, in Thy kingdom....And He saith unto them, Ye shall drink
The “salvation package” of one believer contains indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized
everything that is found in the “salvation package” of with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give,
another believer. We share the same “so-great salvation but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father
(Heb. 2:3). We are RICH in Christ and possess every (Matthew 20:21,23). Not all believers will sit at Christ's right and at
spiritual blessing in Him (Eph. 1:3). His left. This place and position will be reserved for two believers, as
determined by God the righteous Judge.

17) When it comes to salvation, when will my judgment 17) When it comes to rewards, when will my judgment
take place? Answer: It has already taken place at the take place? Answer: At the judgment seat of Christ!
cross!
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
“...the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
53:6). “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at
nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
3:18).Because of this fact, the Lord assures the true
seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).
believer that he will not come into condemnation or
judgment (see John 5:24; Romans 8:1).
18) Salvation costs nothing. 18) Rewards cost a life of service.

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and Serving Christ faithfully in a Christ-hating world can be costly:
he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
buy wine and milk WITHOUT MONEY and WITHOUT for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...Rejoice, and be exceeding
PRICE” (Isa. 55:1). glad: FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD in heaven” (Matt.
5:10,12).
19) Salvation is received at the time of 19) Rewards are received at the time of
JUSTIFICATION. GLORIFICATION.

Salvation is something we get at the beginning. Rewards are something we get at the end.
20) We show our gratitude for salvation by faithful service. 20) We show our gratitude for rewards by casting our
crowns before our Saviour.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto “The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on
God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, CAST THEIR CROWNS BEFORE THE THRONE, saying,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and
perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure
they are and were created” (Rev. 4:10-11).
Paul recognized that any good thing which he did was attributed to the grace of God: “But by the grace of God I am what I am:
and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace
of God which was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). Even when it comes to faithful service for Christ, we are debtors to the grace of God!