[CpnHook]

It's terribly sad to watch people take one verse and build a belief on that one verse.

Oh, but the point is it's not just one verse. The point is that when Paul writes "For God will render to every man according to his works," Paul is simply stating a point that every Jew (and Gentile with knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures) would recognize. For this is a point the OT repeatedly makes:

"And loving kindness is Yours, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work." Ps. 62:12

"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Jer. 17:10

"For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." Eccl. 12:14 (Cf, 2 Cor. 5:10)

"And if you say, 'See, we did not know this,' Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?" Prov. 24:12

˜Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong. "For He pays a man according to his work ..." Job 34:10,11

And those hearing accounts of Jesus, Paul's teacher, (the Gospels had not yet been written when Paul wrote Romans) would recognize that Jesus taught this same principle(e.g., Matt. 16:27; John 5:26-29.)

"I, the Lord, do not change." (Mal. 3:6) That point had already been built, so to speak.

So Paul repeats this same principle near the outset of his letter to the Romans. He then spends the next three or so chapters (as we divide them now) explaining the right way and the wrong way to understand "God will render eternal life in accordance with works."

[CynicalBear]

>>For this is a point the OT repeatedly makes:<<

We are the New Testament new covenant ekklesia not the Old. Jesus was still talking to Old Covenant Jews in most of His speeches and it's paramount that we "rightly divide"..

[CynicalBear]

>>"God will render eternal life in accordance with works."<<

God does NOT render eternal life in accordance with works. He renders rewards AFTER we receive eternal life in accordance to works.

[boatbums]

Oh, but the point is it's not just one verse. The point is that when Paul writes "For God will render to every man according to his works," Paul is simply stating a point that every Jew (and Gentile with knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures) would recognize. For this is a point the OT repeatedly makes:

The OT also makes this point throughout:

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pities his children, so the LORD pities them that fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:8-14)

No one has denied that God WILL reward us according to our works. But what NEEDS to be clear is that He does not give us what we deserve for our sins - that WOULD be eternal hell because only by the shedding of blood is there atonement for the soul. We will be given the righteousness of GOD in Christ when we receive His gift by faith. We cannot earn, work for, merit or deserve this gift, which is WHY it had to be a gift of grace.

So, NO, God will NOT render eternal life in accordance with our works. To hold to that is a rejection of His grace. He gives to us eternal life through faith and NOT by our works.