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Are YOU one who won’t be there—because you’re deceived into a false salvation? Nothing is more misunderstood than the difference between “GRACE” and “WORKS.” Here is one of the most important articles ever published.

The BIG Question

A woman explained recently what she expects to be doing through eternity. “I expect to just be sitting at Yahshua’s feet, looking up into His face,” she exclaimed. And this idea was so deeply implanted in her mind, nothing could shake her out of it!

It is perhaps ten times harder to unlearn error than to learn new truth. And nearly everyone who believes in Yahweh at all—or makes any profession of Christianity—has had one idea so deeply implanted in their mind that it is simply taken for granted—and almost impossible to root out!

Now I wouldn’t enjoy lounging around in idleness with nothing to do for even three days—let alone for eternity! But THAT explains, I think, WHY some ministers falsely accuse Torah keepers of “proclaiming a salvation by WORKS.” Since we are to be SAVED, as your Bible states repeatedly, by GRACE, therefore these people simply cannot conceive of any WORKS whatsoever. They don’t understand that the Believer’s life is one of TRAINING for WHAT WE SHALL BE DOING through eternity IN THE NEXT LIFE. They miss the WHOLE PURPOSE of salvation! “Grace” is a term used in the Bible. It means an undeserved FREE GIFT — and unmerited PARDON.

Nowhere does the Bible teach earning your salvation by your own “WORKS.” But what most do NOT understand is that the Bible DOES teach, over and over again, that we shall be REWARDED according to our WORKS!

That has EVERYTHING to do with the question: “WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING IN THE NEXT LIFE—FOR ETERNITY?”

It has little or nothing to do with whether you GET THERE — but everything to do with what will be your STATUS — what you will be doing in the next life IF you are SAVED BY GRACE.

Please believe me, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF YOUR LIFE! You NEED to understand it. It’s very VITAL to YOUR ETERNITY!

There’s a Vast Difference!

WHY is it that so very FEW understand the great difference between being “saved by GRACE,” and “rewarded according to WORKS”? To UNDERSTAND, you need to know what “salvation” is, and what “reward” means.

But first, UNDERSTAND. The word “works” translated from the Greek ergon means deeds, actions, business. The Bible uses this word primarily in two ways; and there is a vast difference.

When joined with “law,” as, “the works of the law,” primarily in Romans and Galatians, it refers to the RITUALS of the Law of Moses as pertaining to the sacrificial system. These were physical WORKS— labor! These laborious physical rituals – “the works of the law” – were a SUBSTITUTE for Messiah and the Holy Spirit, and were in force only until Yahshua. They were then ABOLISHED. The works of the law as connected to animal sacrifices and ritualistic works associated with it are even mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

There were certain other secular laws, such as statutes and judgments, that were not abolished. Nor, of course, the great spiritual Law (Torah), the Ten Commandments, which define righteousness, the transgression of which is sin.

But where the word “works” appears alone, unassociated in the context with the “works of the law,” it usually refers to RIGHTEOUS acts — that is, GOOD works. In some instances, the context uses the word in the sense of evil works.

In this article we are concerned with “works” in the sense of GOOD works— righteousness –not with “works of the law,” rituals which, were abolished. “Salvation” means being saved from the penalty of sin— which is DEATH—for eternity—eternal punishment (not eternal punishing!).

But to be SAVED means, also, “preservation.” In this case, preservation of LIFE. One verse in the Bible explains BOTH: “For the wages of sin is DEATH; But the gift of Yahweh is ETERNAL LIFE through Yahshua Messiah our Master” (Rom 6:23).

The “wages” you EARN by the “works” of SIN is eternal DEATH. It is ETERNAL PUNISHMENT – and since the punishment is DEATH, and not life, it is eternal DEATH.

You now have only a chemical, temporary, physical existence, sustained by breathing, eating, drinking, and your physical heart continuing to beat and circulate your blood. Stop breathing, stop your heart beating, and you die – you cease to live – almost instantly. Stop eating and drinking, and you’ll die in 45 or 50 days. This physio-chemical life is only temporary.

So, to PRESERVE LIFE eternally means the GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE — spirit life — self-sustaining, INHERENT life.

Salvation, then, means to PRESERVE you FROM eternal death, the “wages” or consequences of sin, and to GIVE you inherent ETERNAL LIFE. So, then, ETERNAL LIFE is something YOU DO NOT NOW HAVE. It is something you have no power to supply, or give to yourself.

You can’t earn it by “WORKS.” No human ingenuity or scientific effort can prolong human life eternally. The only life that is eternal is SPIRIT life. A physical being cannot turn himself into a spirit being. Spirit Life comes as Yahweh’s free GIFT.  Neither can you yourself erase the PENALTY of sins you have already committed — that is, PREVENT eternal DEATH. For “ALL have sinned” (Rom 3:23). That includes YOU! You have brought on yourself the eternal DEATH SENTENCE, as a penalty!

The Bible teaches NOTHING about an “immortal soul.” On the contrary, it teaches, twice, that “the soul that sins, it shall DIE” (Ezek 18:4, 20). Yahshua said the “soul” can be DESTROYED in Gehenna fire (Mat 10:28).

What your own “works” have earned for you is the “wages” of ETERNAL DEATH.

You see, everyone has “WORKS” – either good, or bad! And your bad works have earned the wages of eternal DEATH. Good works can earn something, too — which I will explain later — but it is NOT “salvation” or eternal life!

Yahshua Messiah only, of all who have been human, has immortality (1st Tim 6:16). Yahweh is IMMORTAL (1st Tim 1:17). He has given eternal life, inherent, to Yahshua, who has eternal life inherent in Himself (John 5:26).

We may receive it, as Yahweh’s GIFT, through Yahshua Messiah (Rom 6:23). Yahweh has eternal life INHERENT. He has it TO GIVE. You do NOT have it! You must go to Yahweh to get it!

But, your sins have CUT YOU OFF from Yahweh! (Isa 59:1-2.) You are so CUT OFF that you cannot reach Him! There is an impassable BARRIER between you and Him, brought on by your SINS!

HOW, then, can you gain ACCESS to Almighty Yahweh (the Father), to receive from Him eternal life and salvation —AS HIS GIFT? Well, Isaiah says, “Let the wicked forsake his way” (Isaiah 55:6-8) – the way of SIN. And, further, YAHWEH SO LOVED THE WORLD [of sinners], that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should NOT PERISH, but have everlasting LIFE” (John 3:16). Yes, but HOW?

The answer is in Romans 5:8-10: “But Elohim commends His love to us, in this that, we being yet sinners, Messiah died for us. Much more, then, being NOW justified by His blood. ” GET THIS! “Being NOW justified” – HOW? – by “works”? No, by Messiah’s DEATH — by His blood. He shed His blood and DIED.   He paid the death penalty for you, in your stead.

So, IF you repent of sinning – that is, turn around to go the OTHER WAY – forsake YOUR way – the way contrary to Yahweh’s Law (Torah), and turn to YAHWEH’S WAY – the way of His Law (Torah) – if you have thus REPENTED of sinning, and have accepted Yahshua Messiah as your personal Savior – accepted His DEATH as PAYMENT IN FULL for YOUR sins – accepted Him as personal Savior, not only from the PENALTY of past sins, but as living Savior to save you from SINNING (now and in the future), then you are NOW forgiven past guilt – you are now JUSTIFIED of your guilty past.

But “justified” refers to the guilty past, not to the FUTURE! So, CONTINUE this scripture: “….Much more, then, being now justified by His blood, we SHALL BE SAVED from wrath through Him ” Notice, being “SAVED” is yet in the future. We are now “justified,” by Yahweh’s grace – by Yahshua’s DEATH – and SHALL BE (future) “saved.” But, continue, verse 10 of Romans 5: “….For if, while being enemies, we were RECONCILED to ELOHIM through the death of His Son….” Here, you see, being JUSTIFIED by Yahshua’s death is ALSO being RECONCILED to Yahweh by His death.

Now continue, the same sentence: “…much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved BY HIS LIFE.”

Not already “saved.” But “shall be saved.” And HOW? Saved by the “blood of Messiah”? – by His DEATH? NO!!! By His LIFE! We are justified of past guilt, which had cut us off from access to Yahweh, by Messiah’s DEATH – but SHALL BE, in the future, SAVED by His LIFE. He ROSE from the dead.  He is a living Messiah!

Not saved by your “works” – saved by Messiah’s LIFE, after having been forgiven your sins, and reconciled to Yahweh by Messiah’s DEATH.

HOW Eternal Life Comes

So, with the sentence of eternal DEATH paid for us – our past sins, which put a barrier between us and Yahweh – JUSTIFIED – we are now RECONCILED to Yahweh – given access. And HE has ETERNAL LIFE inherent self-contained life – to GIVE.

Yes, we are to be SAVED by the living Messiah – saved by HIS LIFE! That is, GIVEN eternal life as a GIFT, through HIS life – not through HIS death! We are forgiven by His death, but saved by His

But, specifically, HOW? Let the Apostle Peter explain: “REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua Yahweh for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall RECEIVE the GIFT of the Spirit of Holiness” (Acts 2:38). On real REPENTANCE of sinning – a turning around to go the other way – to QUIT sinning – and on faith in Yahshua expressed by water baptism (Acts 8:35- 37), Yahweh has promised WE SHALL RECEIVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT AS A GIFT. Not by our “works” – but by GRACE!

But how does THIS give us eternal life – salvation?

“If the Spirit of Him that raised up Messiah from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Messiah from the dead shall ALSO [by a resurrection] make your mortal bodies live through the indwelling of His Spirit in you” (Rom 8:11).

The scripture above quoted spoke of Yahweh’s Spirit DWELLING in you. IF this Spirit is dwelling in you until death (the first), or AT THE TIME of the RESURRECTION – at Messiah’s coming – THEN you shall be either resurrected IMMORTAL, or, if still alive, CHANGED from mortal to immortal instantaneously (1st Cor 15:50-52 and 1st Thess 4:13-17). Then, you shall be immortal – composed of SPIRIT – no longer human and composed of material flesh and blood. Then you, too, shall have life inherent – be FINALLY saved.

The receiving of the Holy Spirit, NOW, is the TOKEN PAYMENT – or the EARNEST payment from Yahweh on the gift of eternal life. Notice: “… Messiah…in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our INHERITANCE, until the redemption of the purchased possession…” (Eph 1:12-14). The Moffatt translation renders it in more understandable English, “…the long-promised Holy Spirit, which is the pledge and installment of our common heritage, that we may [in the future] obtain our divine possession…”

Those who have received Yahweh’s Holy Spirit are NOW not yet inheritors or possessors of this eternal life – of this salvation. They are NOW HEIRS of Yahweh – co-heirs with Messiah (Gal 3:29). They are now still mortal, not immortal. They are now BEGOTTEN sons of Yahweh – not yet BORN of Yahweh. They are now in the Congregation of Yahweh – not yet in the KINGDOM of Yahweh.

May We Go on Sinning?

But now what of that scripture that says: “… you are not under the law (Torah), but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Now that you are UNDER GRACE – does this mean you are given license to disobey Yahweh’s Law (Torah)?

Listen to Yahweh’s answer: “What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Yahweh FORBID!   How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom 6:1-2). Later, verse 12: “Then do not let sin [transgressing Yahweh’s Law (Torah)] reign in your mortal body, to obey it in its lusts.”

Once again, verse 14: “For sin [transgressing the Law (Torah)] shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law, but under grace.” The very next words show PLAINLY this does not mean you are free to BREAK Yahweh’s Law (Torah) – to DISOBEY Yahweh,

“What then? Shall we SIN [break the Law (Torah)], because we are not under the Law, but under grace? YAHWEH FORBID! Know ye not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.”

GRACE does not mean a license to SIN. And the BIBLE definition of SIN is as follows: “Sin is the transgression of the TORAH [Law]” (1st John 3:4). You were UNDER THE LAW (TORAH), when the Law (Torah) stood over you, claiming its penalty.

When Messiah paid the penalty, and satisfied the claims of the Law (Torah), you were no longer under the penalty of the Torah, but under GRACE. It is the FALSE PROPHETS of our day who try to deceive you into believing “GRACE” means permission to BREAK YAHWEH’S LAW (TORAH)! We are being saved FROM SINNING (now and in the future) as well as from PAST sins. Messiah came to save us FROM our sin – not to save us IN our sin.

WHY the Holy Spirit?

Yahweh’s Spirit, first of all, is His very own LIFE injected into you – the botanical of ETERNAL life. You are now an HEIR of Yahweh –a joint-heir – a co-heir with Messiah. Not yet an The Holy Spirit injects into you also the characteristics of Yahweh. First of these is LOVE – not carnal or human love, but DIVINE love – Yahweh’s love.

And WHY? In order to KEEP YAHWEH’S TORAH [Law] – that’s why! How is Yahweh’s Law fulfilled? “LOVE is the fulfilling of the Torah” (Rom 13:10). But carnal human love cannot fulfill it. WHY? Because the Torah of Yahweh is a SPIRITUAL Law (Rom 7:14). It can be fulfilled only by a SPIRITUAL love, which is THE GIFT of Yahweh. It is “the love of Yahweh shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5). And, again, Yahweh gives His Holy Spirit only to “them   that OBEY Him” (Acts 5: 32).

Also, it requires FAITH to keep Yahweh’s Commandments. And your faith is not strong enough. It requires Messiah’s faith – the same faith He exercised and lived by during His human life- time. Yahweh also GIVES you this very same FAITH, by the Holy Spirit. Yahweh’s Spirit also imparts to you spiritual comprehension – power to UNDERSTAND spiritual truth; and wisdom, and patience, and spiritual POWER!  All these are imparted to you from Yahweh, by the Holy Spirit – as His GIFT! But these are given to you to LIVE BY – to USE, in order to GROW spiritually in knowledge and grace and to overcome.

MUST There Be “WORKS”?

Your evil “works” – disobedience of the Commandments – will EARN you the penalty of DEATH. But what about GOOD works? Do they earn anything? INDEED THEY DO!

Are good “WORKS” required? INDEED THEY ARE! But what, then, do they EARN?

They do NOT earn “salvation.” They do NOT earn eternal life. They will NOT get you into the Kingdom of Yahweh!

Well, then! What DO they earn? Ah – that is the point of this article! You are not JUSTIFIED by “works,” nor “saved” by “works,” but you are to be JUDGED by your “works,” and “rewarded” according to your “works.” This thing called “WORKS” – meaning deeds, good or bad – cannot put you INTO Yahweh’s Kingdom of You get IN by GRACE!

But, once in, your “works” during this present life – during your life as a believer after being “converted” and receiving Yahweh’s Holy Spirit – DO determine WHAT OFFICE, or POSITION, or RANK, or degree of GLORY, you shall have!

This is what ALMOST NO ONE seems to have understood! First notice what Yahshua said – AFTER His resurrection – “To him that OVERCOMES will I grant to sit with me in my THRONE…” (Rev 3:21). Further: “And he that OVERCOMES, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give POWER OVER THE NATIONS: AND HE SHALL RULE THEM…” (Rev 2:26-27).

Notice again, “…hast made them KINGS AND PRIESTS to our Elohim; and WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH” (Rev 5:10).

Notice what is said of those in the first RESURRECTION, at Messiah’s coming: “…and they lived AND REIGNED with Messiah a thousand years…Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of Yahweh and of His Messiah, AND SHALL REIGN with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4, 6).

Notice, in these scriptures, the “saved” are to REIGN with Messiah in the coming WORLD GOVERNMENT, the Kingdom of Yahweh. And notice the requirement of OVERCOMING, and keeping Messiah’s WORKS and also of ENDURING TO THE END! NOTICE! Yahshua said “he that…keeps my works unto the end.”

Now notice further: “For it is necessary for the Son of man to come in the glory of His Father with His holy cherubs; and then, He shall REWARD every man ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS” (Mat 16:27).

Nowhere does the Bible teach being “SAVED” by our “works,” but it does teach the degree of reward according to “works.” Alexander the copper-smith did great evil to the Apostle Paul, and Paul says: “…Elohim reward him according to his works” (2nd Tim 4:14).

Notice this distinction! This man did EVIL works. He won’t get salvation at Messiah’s coming.

He will be REWARDED – that is, PAID WAGES according to his WORKS – and the WAGES of SIN is DEATH – eternal PUNISHMENT. “WORKS” means the wages you earn – or the REWARD to be given – either good or bad. Evil works (sin) can EARN eternal punishment, but GOOD WORKS can EARN a better position or office in Yahweh’s Kingdom IF you get there – but it cannot earn salvation!

Now notice Romans 4:4; “Now to one WORKING, the reward is NOT counted according to GRACE, but according to DEBT.” Salvation is not paid as a DEBT, but is GIVEN by GRACE – an undeserved GIFT. But “WORKS” earn wages, paid as a debt. So, what we WANT is not GRACE or WORKS, but GRACE and WORKS.

 The “GRACE” will get us into Yahweh’s Kingdom – give us Immortality as Yahweh’s GIFT. The “works” will EARN us – that is, QUALIFY us for a better office – an opportunity for bigger SERVICE – for doing MORE GOOD, once we are born into Yahweh’s Kingdom.

Degree of Reward

Notice, now, Yahshua’s parable of the “pounds (minas).” “…because they thought the Kingdom of Elohim was immediately to be revealed. He said: A certain well-born man went to a distant country to receive a Kingdom for Himself, and to return” (Luke 19:11-12).

That is, Yahshua Himself was going to heaven to receive for Himself the Kingdom of Yahweh, and to return to earth. Now continue: “And calling ten of His slaves, he gave to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Trade and keep busy till I come.’ But the citizens of His city hated Him, and sent ambassadors after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.‘” (verses 13-14).

Yahshua had come “to His own,” the Jews – the remnant of the Kingdom of JUDAH – and “they received Him not” (John 1:11), so Yahshua turned to “the lost sheep of the House of Israel” (Mat 15:24), and sent His twelve apostles to them (Mat 10:6). That is, to the so-called “Lost Ten Tribes” of Israel.

But continuing Yahshua’s parable: “And it happened, as He returned,” – now speaking of what SHALL happen at Messiah’s return – “having received the Kingdom, He even said for those servants to be called to Him, those to whom He gave the silver, that He might know what each had gained by trading” (Luke 19:15). This is speaking of every converted true believer, to whom Yahweh has GIVEN of His Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts.

Every one, at that time entering Yahweh’s Kingdom as an INHERITOR – as a POSSESSOR, no longer just an HEIR – actually then “SAVED” – will be called to an accounting – JUDGED, to determine WHAT POSITION in Yahweh’s Kingdom he/she has qualified for. And NOTICE that this “REWARD” will be according to his “WORKS” in this present mortal life. Continue, verses 16-19:

“The first came, saying, ‘Master your mina has gained ten minas.’ And He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you were faithful in a least thing, have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Master your mina has made five minas.’ And He said to this one also, ‘And you be over five cities.’”

NOTICE CAREFULLY! They got into Yahweh’s Kingdom by GRACE (as numerous other scriptures make plain). But they are rewarded – that is, given authority, or rule, or position, according to their “WORKS” – according to how well they did with what they had to do with WHILE MESSIAH WAS IN HEAVEN – that is, during their mortal believing lives.

Beginning in verse 20 – read it in your Bible – the one who GAINED NOTHING in this present mortal life – the one who had no good “works” – who did not grow in grace and the knowledge of Messiah (2nd Peter 3:18) – not only was not given ANY position – but even had TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM even the spiritual gift he had been given!

This parable teaches what has been shown by other scriptures in this article – that the believer must OVERCOME; he must GROW spiritually – grow in grace and in the knowledge of Messiah (2nd Peter 3:18). We are being SAVED to SERVE – and if we do not qualify to serve, we may have taken away even the salvation we thought we had!

IF you do not have good works, you have self- fulfilling worldly ways or even worse, evil works, or sin, which earns the penalty of sin – DEATH!The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) shows the same thing, showing that each is judged by what he has to do with. But the one who makes no SPIRITUAL PROGRESS after his initial “conversion” is cast as an unprofitable servant into outer darkness” (Mat 25:30).

Life Is a Race

Finally, SEE WHERE ALL THIS LEADS US. Man is MORTAL, without inherent life, possessing in himself only a transitory physical, chemical EXISTENCE.

But, once receiving the GIFT of the Holy Spirit, the down payment of our immortality entering upon a believer’s life, this believing life is pictured as A RACE in a stadium, or in a contest. We must TURN FROM SIN (and the Bible definition of SIN is: transgression of Yahweh’s Torah – 1st John 3:4).

Notice: “Therefore…having laid aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, through patience let us also run the race set before us” (Heb 12:1).

FURTHER: Paul wrote: “And I do this for the good news, that I might become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those running in a stadium indeed all run, but ONE receives the prize? So, RUN that you may obtain. And every man who battles in the contest frees his mind from everything else. And yet they (those uncovered) run to win a crown that is perishable, but we (believers) to win one that is everlasting. So, I run accordingly, as not uncertainly; so, I FIGHT…so that, by no chance, when I have preached to others, I myself will be disapproved [REJECTED]” (1st Cor 9:23- 27). We must STRIVE to overcome. We must fight temptation and sin. The believer’s life was pictured by Yahshua as the hard, rutty, difficult way – NOT the easy way that leads to destruction.

So, SALVATION – being BORN INTO Yahweh’s Kingdom – depends not only on once receiving the Holy Spirit, but BEING LED BY Yahweh’s Spirit through life (Rom. 8:14), and Yahweh’s Spirit DWELLING IN US, at the end of life’s race! That is, at the time of death, or of Messiah’s coming, whichever comes first.

Yahweh’s impregnating Holy Spirit is received by GRACE, as Yahweh’s GIFT, not as a debt or compensation earned; not by “works.” But, once we receive the Holy Spirit, it does not remain bottled up; it does not stagnate; it is not static – it FLOWS in outgoing concern (LOVE) to fellow man, and in worship, reverence, obedience to Yahweh. It flows into us from Yahweh. We can love Yahweh only because He first loved us – our love toward Yahweh is only a return of His love, which He gives to us. That is why we must fully surrender to Him, so He can instill His love back to us. This spiritual LOVE – the HOLY SPIRIT – must be kept on that RETURN CIRCUIT – fulfilling Yahweh’s Torah – flowing back to Yahweh by fulfilling the first four Commandments, and out to neighbor fulfilling the last six.

The parable of the sower and the seed illustrates this. There were four classes. The first heard the Good-News Message, but it never conceived – they never were converted. They may STILL have a chance – later. A second class was converted, with great joy, but simply had no spiritual depth of character, and endured only for a .

While, but yielded to temptations UNTIL they fell away – that is, CONTINUALLY, till they QUIT TRYING. A third was converted, received Yahweh’s Spirit, but let the cares of this material life –earning a living – or former unconverted associates – keeping one foot in the world – seeking the PLEASURES of this world’s materialism – and they “brought forth NO FRUIT to perfection.”

So, THEY lost out! You MUST BRING FORTH FRUIT – make spiritual PROGRESS – develop spiritual CHARACTER! In other words, good works. Too many, today, are preaching a FALSE salvation of “NO WORKS.” Your “WORKS” won’t get you converted, won’t earn you Yahweh’s Spirit, won’t earn salvation, as made PLAIN in this article. BUT THE LACK OF GOOD WORKS CAN GET YOU LOST, if persisted in!

The fourth class of the parable are they, “those who with an HONEST and GOOD HEART, having heard the Word, RETAIN it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). In Matthew’s account of this same parable, those finally SAVED, enduring to the END of life’s race, brought forth fruit – some thirty-fold, some sixty, some a hundred. All of these were SAVED! All of these go into Yahweh’s Kingdom.

But those who bring forth a hundred-fold, during their believing lives, will receive a higher REWARD, or position in the Kingdom, than those who produce only thirty-fold! SALVATION comes as Yahweh’s free GIFT by GRACE. But the DEGREE of office, once in the Kingdom – once made Immortal – the rank, the position, the degree of glory – this is what you must QUALIFY FOR, by the fruits you bear in THIS LIFE. Your degree of REWARD will be according to your WORKS. THAT is the teaching of YAHWEH!

We Must Produce “Fruit”

The Bible again explains it this way: Yahshua says He is the Vine – we are the branches. (John 15:1, 5). Here we are likened to a grapevine and its branches. The BRANCHES did not get themselves joined on to the main vine by their own efforts.  We did not become joined to Messiah – receiving His Holy Spirit by our “works”; but it was His doing – His GIFT – it came by GRACE.

BUT once joined on, with the SAP flowing from the Vine into the branches, the branches must BRING FORTH FRUIT – make spiritual branches (a picture of Yahweh’s Holy Spirit flowing from Him into us), we must produce fruit. If we don’t – then what? Notice this whole picture, in John 15. Yahweh the Father is the Husbandman – the Vine-dresser – the chief Gardener, who PRUNES the branches. Now notice verse 2: “Every branch in me that beareth NOT fruit He taketh away.”

If, once having received the Holy Spirit, we do not produce spiritual fruit, we shall be cut off from Messiah – and (verse 6), shall be cast into the fire and BURNED UP – referring to the final Gehenna or hellfire!

The Holy Spirit is GIVEN to us – we didn’t deserve or earn it – but it was given to PRODUCE FRUIT. We must be DOERS of the Torah, not hearers only – “for not the hearers of the Torah are just before Yahweh, but the doers of the Torah shall be justified” (Rom 2:13). This DOING produces fruit – develops character – trains us for a more glorified position in Yahweh’s Kingdom.

What KIND of Works?

One further passage of Scripture should COMPLETE the picture. It is in the third chapter of 1st Corinthians. Notice carefully. Some of these Gentile converts at Corinth wanted to be followers of Paul, others of Peter, others of Apollos. Paul was pointing them to Messiah, and showing what human “nothingness” he and Apollos were.

“What then is Apollos?” he asked (verse 5). “What is Paul?” And he answered, “Servants through whom you believed, as the Master assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but Yahweh gave the GROWTH.” Paul was showing them that he and Apollos, mere humans, were as     NOTHING compared to Yahweh. The spiritual GROWTH – the FRUIT BORNE – the WORKS – came through Yahweh’s Holy Spirit. The apostle continued:

“So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only Yahweh who gives the growth.” Notice – Yahweh GIVES the spiritual growth – the fruits borne. It is Yahweh’s righteousness. “He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor” (verse 8). Once again, our WORKS do EARN wages – either good or bad. Evil works earn eternal DEATH. Good works earn a better position or reward in Yahweh’s Kingdom – IF you get there by GRACE. Now continue:

“For we are fellow workmen for Yahweh, YOU are Yahweh’s field, Yahweh’s building” (verse 9). Apply that to this very Work of YAHWEH today. Today Yahweh is using the Congregation in carrying out Messiah’s Great     commission – proclaiming His Good-News around the world by radio, Internet, and printing press – our ministers counseling with and baptizing those being converted –the PRAYERS, and financial support of other FELLOW WORKMEN – will earn a better position – a higher glory – IF we make it into Yahweh’s Kingdom. But we shall be SAVED only by GRACE, undeserved – as Yahweh’s GIFT. Yet our WORK, as instruments in YAHWEH’S HANDS, which HE uses in HIS WORK, is the most important Work or activity on earth today! And it contributes greatly to our individual and personal SPIRITUAL GROWTH! But continue:

Paul says further, “According to the commission of Yahweh given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it “(verse 10). He now pictures THE CONGREGATION AS a BUILDING being built. Continue: “Let each man take care how he builds upon it.” Referring to each individual member as well as the Body of Messiah – the Congregation, as a “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Yahshua Messiah” (verse 11).

Continue: “Now if anyone builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble – each man’s WORK will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the WORK which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward” (verse 12-14).

This is speaking of begotten children of Yahweh, who have received Yahweh’s Holy Spirit – that is, Messiah in them, in Spirit – as the FOUNDATION. Some people, once converted and receiving Yahweh’s Spirit, do begin to live by every word of the Bible, as Yahshua said we must (Luke 4:4). They have had their hearts in YAHWEH’S WORK for our time.

They have prayed for it daily – prayed for Yahweh’s guidance and protection of those in the mission field and also those who are coming to faith. They have been an active part of Yahweh’s great end time work and they have borne fruit – a reward – for the Kingdom.

They have sought, and found, the TRUE VALUES of life. They have striven to overcome. They have studied to know Yahweh’s WAY – to show themselves approved unto Yahweh.

They have kept close to Yahweh, by daily Bible study and prayer. They have BUILT RIGHTEOUS, SPIRITUAL, STERLING CHARACTER! In other words, they have built on the FOUNDATION with gold, silver, and precious stones. These have survived the TEST. They came through the fire.

These are the ones who “brought forth fruit” – whose “pound/minas” gained “ten pounds/minas” – who will be given authority over MUCH. We are SAVED by GRACE, through Yahshua’s FAITH – given as Yahweh’s GIFT. But whatever “REWARD” – status, rank, position, degree of GLORY – is conferred, once we are changed to immortality IN Yahweh’s Kingdom, will be according to our “works” in this present mortal life – and according to the character and quality of those works.

And remember, the WORKS come through Yahweh’s Holy Spirit – the works of righteousness are not our self-righteousness, but YAHWEH’S righteousness. That’s the only KIND of real “WORKS”.

WHY the Believers Life?

WHY, if there are no works to the believer’s life as some say, is not one taken immediately, upon first accepting Messiah, to his ‘reward’? WHY must the converted believer – if he is ‘already saved’, finally, if he has been already ‘born again’ at his baptism – go on suffering IN THIS LIFE? WHY does the Bible say ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous,’ and ALL who will live holy in Messiah Yahshua shall suffer persecution? WHY not avoid all this suffering? WHY doesn’t Yahweh take new converts immediately to ‘glory’ – or wherever, or whatever, they conceive as the eternal state of the saved?”

The answer is that Yahweh put humans on this earth for a PURPOSE! That PURPOSE is stated in Genesis 1:26 – Yahweh is actually reproducing Himself! Yahweh is the Supreme Spiritual CHARACTER – holy, righteous, perfect. We, are actually to be BORN of Him – BORN into His FAMILY as His divine children – and we must be changed, not only from mortal to Immortal – not only from human to divine – but from our human nature and sinning character, into HIS DIVINE NATURE (2nd Peter 1:4) and into His HOLINESS and PERFECTION of character (1st Peter 1:16; Mat 5:48). And that must be developed, through the believer’s life! It means overcoming, growing in knowledge and character!

We are to become a NEW CREATION (Gal 6:15). Yahweh’s SPIRITUAL CREATION is still going on, in us! We are now mere CLAY – made of the dust of the ground. Yahweh is the Potter – we are the clay (Isa 64:8). We must on our own decision, with our own complete submission, and even with our own effort accompanying, yield to Yahweh so that the Master Potter may completely remake, refashion, reshape, our vile characters into the holy, righteous, spiritual, and perfect character of Yahweh.

Your Part in YAHWEH’S WORK

I have observed that the very first need of every believer, who is to GROW and develop this spiritual character, is to have his heart completely in THE WORK OF YAHWEH, which the living Messiah has called His servants to do, as His instruments! Our “WORKS” are our part in YAHWEH’S WORK – getting His True Good –

News to the whole world as a witness – preparing the way for Messiah’s coming. We are merely His INSTRUMENTS. It is YAHWEH’S WORK! Those who condemn “WORKS” are condemning the GREAT ELOHIM who is the actual DOER through us as His instruments and Co-Workers! It is not, after all, our works!

Those who are self-centered, caring nothing for the WORK OF YAHWEH, having not enough outgoing concern to want to help GET MESSIAH’S MESSAGE out to this blinded, deceived, dying world will fall away.

Those who center their whole “Believing” life and activity on developing their own selves spiritually, whose hearts are not in or concerned about this great OUTGOING worldwide WORK OF YAHWEH, actually directed by the living MESSIAH HIMSELF, develop only INWARDLY, until they shrivel up spiritually and fall by the wayside!

Those whose hearts, their active, constant, earnest, fervent PRAYERS, and their tithes and offerings are in YAHWEH’S WORK continue to EXPAND spiritually – they become HAPPIER – they become greatly BLESSED – their lives become richer and fuller – and their faces beam with smiles. They RADIATE! They PROSPER! They grow because they are not trying to bear fruit for their own sake but so that they can be greater servants in Yahweh’s Kingdom.

The New Testament is literally filled with instruction on Holy living – leading a new, different, sparkling, joyous life – or, perhaps more correctly, allowing Yahshua Messiah to live such a life – YAHWEH’S WAY – in them!

How WONDERFUL is Yahweh’s Way! SALVATION comes – if we are willing – as Yahweh’s FREE GIFT – by GRACE!

But we must be changed. There is DOING, not hearing only (Rom 2:13). There is development of a new righteous CHARACTER. Yet, even that is Messiah IN YOU actually DOING it!

Actually, even the “works” are primarily done by HIM! But how WONDERFUL that there are righteous “WORKS” in the true believer’s life-giving opportunity for more than salvation, priceless though that may be – opportunity for higher position, rank, and a greater opportunity to SERVE!