Can I just start by saying that God does not hold a sword to your neck, expecting you to serve His purpose after you get saved. He does not lay any pressure on you to slog it out in service to Him, whether by fear or by compulsion. No! God saves you from eternal damnation, but once you’re saved, your purpose is yours to choose. Now stop and read that again!
God’s salvation is primarily for your eternity. However, your temporary life here on earth is still yours to live. How you live it is based on your relationship with God from the point of your salvation and onwards. You can choose to live for God out of thankfulness to Him, giving yourself over to be a living sacrifice (Rom.12:1), or you can choose to ignore Gods Word and resist renewing your mind by studying His Word and fight against the gentle transforming work of the Holy Spirit within you. In either case, whatever you choose, you remain saved and sealed unto salvation (Eph.4:30).
OK. Now that we have settled that, consider part two of my answer. The bible says God’s will for you; what He desires of you, is to first be saved, then learn His word, and also to be thankful. That’s it!! Really! That’s God’s desires for you. It’s not God’s expectations of you, and it’s not God’s command over you. It is His desire for you. You can choose to honour it or reject it.
1 Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1 Thess.5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
What you do for God after you get saved is your choice. You serve Him because you love Him. You give your time and energy to following His Spirit within you because of joy or desire. God desires nothing more from you than your willingness to adhere to His word and walk in thankfulness for His grace.
Lastly, let’s get to part three of my answer. Let’s come back to your question. As we have seen, God has a DESIRE for your life. He trust’s and hopes that your will, will align with His will. God certainly does not require you to serve His PURPOSE. So, if you choose to honour Him, if you choose to learn His Word and give over to the gentle lead of the Holy Spirit, there is reward in this, not only in your increasing relationship with God while here on earth, but also in heaven after this life. What we do here has reward in heaven.
The bible says the following regarding heavenly reward,
1 Cor.3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
The above scripture is in reference to the Bema Seat of Christ, also known as “the judgement seat of Christ”. However, the judgements done at this seat is not for eternal damnation. The judgements are for rewards.
There are different interpretations of the scripture above, but I believe the gold, silver and precious stones are things we do here on earth by the instruction and influence of the Holy Spirit within us. Works of obedience, and trust, and love, to that which comes from that river of life within us. These are works we cannot boast about or claim as our own. On the other hand, the wood, hay and stubble are works that we do in the flesh. These are ‘dead’ works that serve the flesh and build up pride or boast or status or ego. These are works that boost our Christian performance in the eyes of others, or works of acceptance to fit in and elevate us to positions of power or status. Unlike gold, silver and precious stones that are refined or cannot be burned in fire of testing, the works of the flesh, those of wood, hay and stubble will be burned up and destroyed. The context here is that there is reward in that which is not burned, and there is loss of reward in that which is burned. Notice how the verse ends by stating that it is not loss of salvation, but loss of reward.
v.15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
2 Cor.5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
So, to conclude.
God’s will is that we get saved. Once saved, we continue to live our lives here on earth, but we have a choice to serve God through our love for Him and desire to have our lives reflect His grace and His will for us. In living actively for God, but walking in Spirit, we are serving Him, not under duress, or compulsion, or demand, but by love. The result of these works are benefiting us in our temporary lives and in relationship with God, but also carrying a heavenly reward for our service. This reward has nothing to do with salvation though. Our eternal salvation is sealed and settled by Christ’s cross-work and has nothing to do with the works we do.
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