We believe that it is impossible to lose our salvation once we have been saved. If Christ died for our sins, and His sacrifice was accepted by the Father, then our sins are covered and payment has been made for them all. We cannot be lost. Our souls are safe.

However, there are two passages in Scripture which seem to teach that we can lose at least part of our reward in heaven, although our souls cannot be lost. One passage reads,

If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

The other passage is,

Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 2 John 8

On top of these passages there are others which suggest that there is a loss of some kind.

¹Therefore since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to come short of it … ¹¹Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience"Heb 4:1 & 11

Also (Hebrews 6:4-6) states that "it is impossible" to renew again those who have fallen away.

All this is a warning to us not to be complacent and careless regarding our way of life. The Apostle Peter reminds that those who refuse to "add to" their faith become "short-sighted even to blindness" (2 Peter 1:5-10). Finally there is Jude who says "I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe" (Jude 5).

All these passages, written by four, maybe five different inspired authors, do suggest that Christians are in danger of losing something precious. It is clear from at least the Corinthian passage, that it is not salvation itself that is lost, but nevertheless something valuable can be lost if we live careless and fruitless lives.

Peter goes to some lengths not only to remind his readers but also to emphasise to them the great danger they are in if they neglect adding to their faith. He himself is facing death and tells them that he is soon to 'put off his tent', so his mind is focusing on important matters. Nothing like death focuses the mind on what is important and what is not important.

Peter does be complacent and careless regarding our way believers of the importance of adding to their faith, else they will become losers.

Paul is equally concerned and strong in his language in warning the Corinthians about the consequences of living sinful lives after receiving the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is possible for Christians to build on the foundation of Christ, "wood, hay, straw". The fire is to test each one's work of "what sort it is". It is only if our work "endures" will we receive a full reward (1 Cor 3:14).

For Paul, it seems to be the practical side of Christianity that counts, but for John it is the doctrine that must be kept. After mentioning about losing rewards, John adds,

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of God does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house.2 John 9

Both the doctrine and the practice is important. Some of us are faithful in the doctrine of Christianity but are not faithful on the practical side. If we are reared in a church that emphasises doctrine to the exclusion of godly practice, we will likely fail in doing works of mercy.

The apostle John said that he doubted if the love of God could be in someone who did not help a brother in need, "whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17)

John goes on to add "let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth. And by this we will know if we are of the truth" (18, 19). For John, practical godliness brought assurance that we belong to God.

Paul puts both the practice and the doctrine together when he writes to Timothy saying "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this ye will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy 4:16).

What do we Lose?⤒🔗

God cannot break his word. He will not fail to keep His promise. We need to remember of course that there are two kinds of promises. There are conditional promises and unconditional promises.

God has given us salvation because He promised that those who believe will be saved. That is fixed. All believers will be in heaven. But there are some promises which He has made which depend upon our service and works. We will receive our reward in heaven according to our works (not because of our works). The degree and measure of our reward in heaven, is in direct proportion to our works on earth.

John tells us about his vision of the Lord Jesus telling the Church in Thyatira "I will give to each one of you according to your works" (Rev 2:23). He adds that after the sea, death and hell gave up their dead "they were judged, each one according to his works" (Rev 20:13).

Our Lord Himself also said,

when the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels … He will reward each according to his works. Mat 16:27

It seems plain then, that those who serve the Lord by engaging in works of mercy and practical godliness will receive more in the kingdom of God, than those who are careless and do not grow in grace. Jesus likewise made it plain that there are degrees in the kingdom of heaven.

There are those who are "least" in the kingdom of God and there are those who are "great" (Mat 5: 19). Jesus also spoke of those who were the "least of these My brethren" (Mat 25:40).

Of course, we cannot say that there will be an obvious distinction in heaven of those who have been faithful and those who have not been so faithful. There will not be any ‘comparisons’ in heaven, or any type of ‘looking down’ on lesser saints.

So, how we live does matter and has respect to our final destination. The Bible is full of warnings to Christians to follow on to know the Lord and to grow in grace. The consequences must be significant, else the apostles and writers of Scripture would not have been so careful to warn us in such clear language.

The end of the wicked is given in similar terms. A voice from heaven cried and said about those who remained in Babylon "repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix her double" (Rev 18:6).

Paul even prayed that the wicked would receive judgment correspondingly with their conduct when he prayed that Alexander the coppersmith would be repaid for his wickedness when he expressed the wish that he would be rewarded "according to his works" (2 Tim 4:14).

We need to take seriously all the warnings of Scripture. They are written says Paul "for our learning" (Rom 15:4). If Paul found instruction in OT Scripture, so ought we. The Bible is for all ages and all cultures in all circumstances.

Each of us need to be personally diligent in making our calling and election sure by applying ourselves to our daily tasks in the home, school, office or workplace. God tests His people, not through extraordinary experiences, but through the daily life we are called to live, week in and week out.

It is through the daily disciplines of everyday life that the life of faith is manifest. Living with problems in a gracious way, humbly accepting our circumstances and trusting in Christ, brings it rewards. Neither Paul nor the apostles nor God, want any of us to lose out on any blessing that we otherwise could have had.