I remember talking to a person who wanted to be discipled. He claimed to be a Christian for many years. Ang sabi niya sa akin with confidence, “I am already thirty years in my Christian faith and I am also an elder in our church.” After hearing these things, I smiled. So out of respect to his claim, I said, “This is the booklet we are using in our church for discipleship” “I understand that you have been a believer for many years,” ang sagot ko, “but I am just here to refreshed you with the basics and guide you on how we used this booklet.”

Of course, sa isipan ko, everytime na may magsasabi na Christian daw siya for many years ay sinisuguro ko munang maituro ang basics of foundation. What if kung mali pala ang understanding niya? Siyempre, mas mabuti na yung nakakasiguro na alam niya talaga ang foundational teachings kesa mag-assume ka na alam niya kasi tanadaan natin na magdi-disciple iyang taong iyan in the future. At kapag mali ang kaniyang pagkakaintindi sa salvation at sa identity ni Jesus ay sigurado kong mali ang maipapasa niya sa iba at possible na mag spread siya ng false teachings ng wala siyang idea.

Now, I asked him, “Okay lang ba to ask you a basic question about salvation?” Ang sagot niya, “Okay lang naman.” So I said, “In your own opinion, understanding, and study of the Bible, what is the way of having eternal life and going to heaven?” Then I gave him three choices, “Letter A, is it by grace through faith in Jesus Christ not by good works?” Sunod kung tanong, “Letter B, is it by faith and good works because sabi ng Bible faith without works is dead?” Siyempre nililito ko lang siya para malaman ko kung talagang alam niya. And ang last na tanong ko, “Or letter C, is it by good works only because God will judge naman talaga every man’s good works pagdating ng judgment day no matter what belief you embrace.” And his answer is surprising, given the fact that he is a Christian daw based from his claim for thirty years and being an elder. His answer was letter B!

Now my question, where will that person go once he dies with that kind of thinking? Do you think he truly has eternal life? Talaga nga bang pupunta siya sa langit pag namatay siya na ganiyan ang kaniyang pananaw sa kaligtasan? I don’t think so. The Bible is very clear when it says,

¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:12-13

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” – John 3:18

“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” – John 8:24

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” – John 11:25-26

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9

⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. – Titus 3:4-7

Although may mga ibang passages na para bang ang water baptism ay dapat na ginagawa din para ikaw ay ma-saved pero labas na ito ng scope ng article na ito. The passages used by the Baptismal Regenerationist cult groups to explain that water baptism is essential for salvation can be easily refuted as we do a careful study of the Scripture. There are many people today who have a false understanding of the Scripture that they falsely thought the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples are teaching salvation by grace through faith with good works. Marami silang mga ginagamit na verses but I will only choose one set of verses that seem hard to refute in the New Testament.

Based on the passages we have read earlier, it is very clear with regards to how we could gain eternal life. Napakaraming mga known verses in the Bible na ating mababasa na we are justified or made righteous or pinawalang sala by means of our faith in Jesus Christ. Sa Old Testament nga pala, sina Abraham were justified by means of their faith in Yahweh. But this is not a contradiction to the New Testament kasi alam naman natin na si Jesus Christ is also called Yahweh aside from the Father and the Holy Spirit (see John 8:24; 8:58; Exo. 3:14). We will not discuss that here but I hope you are convinced that Jesus is who He claims to be, the Son of God who is equal in nature with His Father. Now, to quote the seemingly difficult passage, that says salvation is also attained by good works, here it is below.

⁶ He will render to each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. – Romans 2:6-8

Sa unang pagkabasa akala mo talaga ay nagtuturo ito na para magkaroon ng eternal life ay kailangang gumawa ka ng good works. Kasi ang nakasulat nga naman ay God “will render to each one according to his works.” At yung ire-render ni God ay “eternal life” pa doon sa mga may “patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality.” Ganito nga ba talaga ang ibig sabihin nito? Kailangan muna nating basahin ang buong letter ni Paul sa mga taga-Romans para makita natin ang over-all teaching niya about salvation. You will immediately notice sa kaniyang letter to the Romans na the Lord will justify (make righteous) or pinapawalang sala ang mga circumcised Jews by means of their faith in Christ. If napawalang sala na sila agad by their faith in Christ so ano pa ang role ng good works para sila ma-justify?

since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. – Romans 3:20

Itong verse na ito sa ibaba ay isang matibay ding proof na nagsasabing pag may faith ang isang tao kay Jesus Christ ay counted na agad-agad iyon as righteousness. So, saan pa papasok ang good works?

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, – Romans 4:5

And another verse below na ang sabi ay sinners are justified by God’s grace as a gift sa pamamagitan ng redemption na kay Jesus. So, again, saan pa papasok ang good works samantalang they were already made righteous or justified sa pamamagitan ng biyaya ng Diyos in Christ.

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, – Romans 3:23-24

Actually, marami pang passage si Paul in the same book that teaches a person is justified by faith like Rom. 3:28, 11:6, and others. So balikan na natin yung passage wherein ang sinasabi ni Paul dito ay ganito,

“⁶ He will render to each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;” Romans 2:6-7

Ang tanong, ano yung ire-render niya or ibibigay ni Lord? We can understand what the Lord is going to give in two ways depending on the context. May sinulat si Paul two chapters after this passage we are studying.

⁴ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, – Romans 4:4-5

Napansin mo ba na ang sabi diyan ay “to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.” Kasi pag gumawa ng good works dapat ay may due or reward na ibibigay when judgment day comes. Alam natin na pagdating ng araw ay may judgment rin sa believers kung saan magre-render si Lord sa atin ng due rewards depende sa kung paano tayong gumawa ng mga mabubuting bagay dito sa lupa. Ang judgment na ito ay walang kinalaman sa condemnation but rewards. Sabi nga niya sa letter to the Corinthians,

¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. – 1 Corinthians 3:12-14

Napansin mo ba na ang sabi diyan ay God will test the quality of a believers work depende sa kung paano natin ito ginawa? At kung dumaan ito sa “quality control” na figuratively speaking ay “apoy” then yung ginawa nating mabubuting gawa (in this context ay discipleship) dito sa pagsunod sa kalooban ng Diyos ay magkakaroon tayo ng reward (crowns).

Another way of seeing kung ano ang ire-render ni Lord ay yung totoong buhay na kaakibat ng buhay na walang hanggan. Basahin mo itong letter din ni Paul kay Timothy,

¹⁷ As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, ¹⁹ thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. – 1 Timothy 6:17-19

And what is that “truly life” wala nang iba kundi eternal life. Meron ka bang eternal life right now? If you are a believer then your answer should be yes. If we pursue or seek glory, honor, and immortality which means if we continue to be faithful in these things then surely God will give us eternal life not in the sense na doon mo lang matatanggap ang eternal life but what is truly life. Kaya nga sa literal version ito ang rendering ng mga King James translator,

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” – 1 Timothy 6:19, KJV

Nag-o-overlap kasi ang paliwanag ng Bible tungkol sa eternal life na para bang doon mo pa lang makukuha by doing good works samantalang meron ka na nito by faith in Jesus Christ. So the next time you read some passages like this, you need to check the context kasi baka ang audience ni Paul ay mga believer na meron nang eternal life na kailangang gumawa ng good works to lay hold of eternal life what is truly life kasi pag dating ng araw ay may rewards silang matatanggap when judgment day comes. Yung salitang “lay hold” sa Greek ay may meaning na “take possession of something” na para bang ipamuhay mo na kasi nasa sa iyo na rin lang ang eternal life. Kaya kung babalikan ko yung Romans 2:6-7 ay parang ganito ang sinasabi,

“⁶ He will render to each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life [the real life which is eternal];”

Kumbaga, mararanasan mo talaga kung ano talaga ang eternal life. Why? Meron bang mga Christian na nabubuhay sa mundong ito nang hindi nila nararanasan talaga yung kaloob ni Lord sa kanila na “eternal life” hindi yung buhay na walang hanggan ha kundi yung what is truly life for them? Tama! Ang eternal life nila ay nangyari lamang in the past pero hindi ito on going through their sanctification. In other words, ligtas na siya pero hindi pa rin niya maramdaman ang kaligtasan at buhay na walang hanggan sa pang-araw-araw na buhay. Sana nga ay maramdaman niya ito habang siya ay may eternal life na. Kaya doon sa mga gumagamit ng Romans 2:6-7 to prove that salvation is by works, hindi nia kino-consider ang over all teaching ni Paul about salvation that they tend to separate this verse apart from his many writings. Tandaan mo na sinabi ni Jesus na Siya ay naparito para bigyan tayo ng “life” or eternal life or buhay na walang hanggan at yung life or eternal life or buhay na walang hanggan ay makamtan natin ng talagang sagana. Kaya nga if you “seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life [the real life which is eternal], Rom. 2:7.”

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. – John 10:10