Don't Overlook A Helping Hand
Part One
In our pride, arrogance, and ignorance, we can easily adopt a cocky attitude concerning all that "we" have accomplished, as if "we" did it all on our own.
No matter how educated our mind, or how edified our soul may become, with few exceptions (e.g. Eccl. 3: 11/John 14: 26), all of the knowledge that we have acquired has been the result of what another human being had discovered or learned, and then passed along to us.
Some of this "knowledge" is based on human viewpoint.
There are times that human viewpoint is in agreement with divine viewpoint, and there are times when it is not. There are times when the "religious" teachings and practices we have received from human beings are consistent with Scripture are in line with the Word of God, and there are times when they are not.
One must learn the difference unconditional promises and conditional principles found in the Word of God. Otherwise, we set ourselves up for a lot of disappointment based on expectations and assurances that God NEVER made.
Being good and doing good draws enemy fire. God places His best soldiers in the most intense and frequent scenarios of spiritual combat (Ephesians 6: 12)!
Here in the devil's world (Luke 4: 6), wicked people do "prosper (Matt. 16: 26)" and "bad (Romans 8: 28) " things do happen to "good (Romans 3: 10)" people. There are wicked ones who go through this world unscathed (Psalms 73), while godly ones face adversity after adversity (2Tim. 3: 12). Faith comes into the picture when we acknowledge that there is a divine purpose behind e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g (Job 2: 10), good or bad, that takes place here on Earth.
When our expectations fail to materialize, our confidence is shaken. The devil will be there to capitalize on our disappointment.
Strongly believing in false information does not make it true.
The world for example, is not flat, as many "knowledgeable" people believed for centuries.
We do NOT go to Heaven because of religious ceremonies, attending Church, practicing good behavior, or performing good deeds (Eph. 2: 8, 9), as many religious people would have us believe.
Many such activities are a part of discipleship that FOLLOWS salvation, but never were, are not now, and never will be the means of securing salvation (John 3: 5, 7).
Evil and wicked people will "get ahead (Mark 8: 36) while here in the devil's (Luke 4: 6), while people living godly lives are persecuted (2Tim. 3: 12), and come up short by worldly standards.
God is not impressed by self-induced poverty, but advancing disciples will be called to deny themselves a lot of what this world has to offer.
"Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it. Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred (Prov. 15: 16, 17)."
Regardless of how educated an individual may become, Fallen Man is fundamentally flawed (Romans 8: 7) and inherently incapable (1Cor. 2: 14) of understanding spiritual issues.
Our secular education can be very beneficial here on Earth, but can also become a stumbling block (Col. 2: 8) along the road to spiritual maturity.
Knowledge (science) is a work in progress. A lot of what Man accepted, assumed, or presumed to be true in both the spiritual and secular realms has (or will be) later proven to be inaccurate, and in some cases, completely false.
This is not only true in regard to the secular sciences, but in the interpretation and application of the spoken (Genesis 3: 1) and the written (2Tim. 3: 16) Word of God.
"...which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction (2Pet. 3: 16 NASB)."
In the secular realm, errancy often stems from not having enough accurate information, coupled with the pressure to make a timely decision. In the spiritual realm, errancy is usually the result of distorting (2Pet. 3: 16) or adding (Proverbs 30: 6) to the information (Bible) we already (should) have.
All of the apostasy in the Christian Community at large has been the result of distorting or adding to what Scripture actually has to say.
When there are two or more conflicting interpretations and/or application of Scripture, they can not all be right. While there is room for allowing each believer to exercise his/her free will, there are some issues that are not open for negotiation, creating the inevitable divisions.
When Scripture speaks of false teachings and practices, most Christians conclude that it must be taking about the Church down the street and not there own.
Many of the denominational differences within the Christian Community at large are based on traditions of men. Such traditions are held in high esteem by religious community, but have no Biblical foundation. Some contradict Scripture.
Seminaries train and ordain their clergy to promote the teachings and practices of the denominations that created them, allowing for NO deviation from the company line.
Divisions has been a problem in Christian Community from the very beginning, long before the labels of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, or non-denomination came into the picture (2Pet. 3: 16/1Cor. 3: 4). The longer the divisions, teachings, and practices created by Man exist, the deeper the roots grow and the harder they are to remove.
. . .
Our omniscient God has ALL the facts. We do not (Deut. 29: 29). How many times have we said, "IF I only knew then what I know now...". This WILL be the result of Biblical discipleship.
Many people will concede that they do not concur with everything that their chosen denomination has to say or offer. Familial, social, cultural, considerations,as well as tradition and convenience are often given greater consideration (Luke 14: 26) than Biblical accuracy when .selecting or remaining with a local assembly.
If many Christians were as particular about the quality of food with which they feed their souls as they are about the food they feed their bodies, our battle with apostasy would not be as difficult.
Scripture, not because of deficiency, but by design establishes a gap between what can be dogmatically proven and what we are asked to believe. This gap can only be filled by faith, as God desires (Heb. 11: 6).
Never-the-less, we have been given enough evidence (Romans 1: 19, 20), warning (John 8: 24/John 3: 5, 7, 18/John 14: 6) and help (Heb. 3: 15) for God to hold us accountable for the spiritual decisions we make.
When presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message, the pre-salvation ministry of God the Holy Spirit makes what would otherwise not be understood (1Cor. 2:14), clear to the recipient. Without the involvement of God the Holy Spiritual and a willingness to listen on the part of the recipient, the words of an evangelist, pastor teacher, parent, or layman will fall on deaf ears. The same principle applies to the post (after) salvation spiritual life. As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
You can not help someone who does not want to be helped.
While He does make the Gospel Message understandable, God does not violate the free will that He has given to Man. It is up to each individual soul, when presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message to choose to believe it or to reject it. There is no middle ground. Either one believes it, or one does not.
The same applies to post salvation doctrine. One chooses to apply it, or not.
By doing either one, the individual soul reaps the accompanying blessings (John 3: 16/Titus 3: 5/ Eph. 4: 30/ Romans 8: 1, etc.) or the accompanying consequences (John 3: 18/Rev. 20: 15) of those decisions.
Once saved, the born again believer THEN chooses daily to live for what he/she wants and/or what this world has to offer, or to deny him/herself of such things and pick up he cross, and follow Him. By choosing to do so, a born again believer will reap the heavenly reward (1Cor. 3: 14) and privileges (Rev. 2/Rev. 3), or the consequences (Heb. 12: 6/1Cor. 3: 15), of those daily decisions.
The ongoing spiritual conflict, for which the human races was created to participate in, manifests itself in many different ways, but has always been a war of words, promoting both truth on one hand and evil on the other.
This should not come to us as a surprise, as deception (promoting falsehood as truth) has always been the devil's primary weapon of mass destruction.
By the time the deception is uncovered (Gen. 3: 13), much damage (2Pet. 3: 16) has already taken place. The longer that falsely teaching or accompanying practice/ritual exists, the deeper its roots become, making it's removal increasingly (but not impossible) more difficult to accomplish.
Differences in the interpretation and application of the Word of God is what has established differences among the many so-called Christian denominations and organizations that have taken root and evolved within what is generally referred to as the Christian Community.
Jesus warned us that, "...many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many (Matt. 24: 5 NASB)."
In addition to promoting false Christs as the person and means of salvation, many wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt. 7: 15) have and will infiltrate the Church, claiming to speak "in His name" regarding post salvation doctrine, as well.
Such wolves will claim and appear to speak with divine authority, but will lead many BELIEVERS astray from their confidence in the unadulterated Gospel Message (e.g.Galatians 3: 1), and their understanding and application of accurate Bible Doctrine (2Pet. 3: 16) pertaining to the post salvation spiritual life.
This is NOT the "help" we need, no matter how well-intended it may be.
While attacking the significance of the atoning work that was finished (John 19: 30) on the cross, such wolves promote the traditions of men as necessary requirements to either obtain or retain the salvation that a born again be!never has ALREADY secured and can not lose.
Just because one quotes Scripture (Matt. 4/Luke 4) does not mean he/she is speaking for God. The devil, and those who knowingly or unwittingly do his bidding, can quote Scripture.
Note that in the Gal. 3: 1 scenario, it was Church-going BELIEVERS that had been "bewitched (Gal.3: 1 NASB)," indicating demonic influence WITHIN the local assembly. Scripture (1Timothy 4: 1) warns of Church Age believers adopting doctrines taught by demons during the end times of the Church Age.
Many believers are shaken and/or reject the concept that evil can take place WITHIN the local assemblies of the Christian Community, but Galatians 3: 1 tells us it's been going on since the very beginning of the Church Age. The record of Church history reveals that this has been a problem all along. 1Timothy 4: 1 reveals it will only get worse as the Church Age dispensation comes to it's prophesied (Matt. 24: 14) end.
There is the on going battle with evil (information or activity running contrary to the Word of God) taking place everday. The edified soul structure of a advancing disciple is bombarded with human viewpoint and evil that appeals to our fallen nature (Romans 7: 14 - 20). This is why Jesus made praying for the deliverance from evil (Matt. 9: 13) an ongoing part of an advancing disciple's DAILY prayer life.
Like cancer in the natural realm, evil can generate much damage in the spiritual realm if it is not detected and addressed early. The devil, being a master in the art of spiritual combat, knows the value of promoting evil from where (e.g. a pulpit) it's presence is least expected. Just as screening for cancer is the best proactive help that one can take, ongoing 2Cor. 13: 5/Acts 17: 11 examinations serve the same purpose in the spiritual realm.
While some denominations and organizations are more culpable than others, it has been my experience that a close inspection of any one of them will reveal teachings and practices that are inconsistent with Scripture.
In fact, if all of these add ons, take aways, and distortions were to be addressed, what would remain would leave the "Church" barely recognizable to many who attend.
One of the challenges that advancing disciples will face is the desire to connect with a local assembly (Heb. 10: 25) on the one hand, while dealing with all meaningless traditions of men (Mark 7: 7) that have been incorporated into the teachings and practice within the Christian Community at large. Such things will becomes more and more apparent as one grows in 2Pet. 3: 18 knowledge of the Lord.
Christian Religion consists of *all the things that those who consider themselves Christians TRY to do (or refrain from doing) in order to make themselves right with God in order to receive His earthly and eternal blessings.
Corporate worship (Heb. 10: 25), engaging in doing good deeds (James 2: 14), and good behavior (Phil. 1: 27) ARE a part of the post (after) salvation spiritual life, but have NOTHING to do with either obtaining or retaining salvation (Eph. 2: 8).
Christianity, on the other hand, is about establishing a personal/individual relationship with God while here on Earth that continues on throughout all of eternity (Romans 8: 1).
This personal relationship begins the moment one is born again (John 3: 5, 7), IF and when one chooses to place his/her individual trust and confidence in the Person and in the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
AFTER establishing this personal relationship, THEN the born again believer has the daily (Luke 9: 23) opportunity to *deny him/herself and to advance in the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.
Self-denial changes one from being self-centered (the natural disposition of Man) to being Christ-centered, developing the mind (1Cor. 2: 16) of Christ, and conforming to His likeness (Romans 8: 29) in both thought and deed.
Success or failure to identify or to execute the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship does NOT increase or diminish the integrity of the salvation (eternal life) that has already been received.
However, the degree of such success or failure determines the degree to which one brings glory to God.
The glorification of God in the midst of an ongoing battle between the forces of good and evil was the reason that God created the human race, and each one of us.
Success or failure will result in receiving or forfeiting rewards (1Cor. 3: 14, 15) and privileges (Rev. 2/Rev. 3) in Heaven. These rewards and privileges are in addition to experiencing eternal life in Heaven that all born again believers have secured.
Advancing disciples do not serve God to be rewarded, but Scripture teaches that God intends to do so.
Because of all the deception inside and outside of the Christian Community, one must be careful of from whom or what he/she listens (Luke 8: 18) to when receiving his/her spiritual edification.
...
No matter how prosperous we become, we would have not acquired it if God and other people had not given us the opportunity to do so. Again, another blow to our ego.
If we are not careful, the pursuit of or the retention of prosperity can become a stumbling block (Mark 8: 36/Rev. 3: 17) along the road to spiritual maturity (Matt. 6: 24).
When someone has a need to keep reminding others of all their past accomplishments, it is actually an indication of his/her personal insecurity (Prov. 27: 2), seeking the much desired ongoing support, recognition, and approval of people. For the advancing disciple, it's not what people think, but what God thinks that matters.
"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of (for - See Luke 14: 26) the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever (1John 2: 15 - 17 - parentheses mine)."
END of Part One
Part One
In our pride, arrogance, and ignorance, we can easily adopt a cocky attitude concerning all that "we" have accomplished, as if "we" did it all on our own.
No matter how educated our mind, or how edified our soul may become, with few exceptions (e.g. Eccl. 3: 11/John 14: 26), all of the knowledge that we have acquired has been the result of what another human being had discovered or learned, and then passed along to us.
Some of this "knowledge" is based on human viewpoint.
There are times that human viewpoint is in agreement with divine viewpoint, and there are times when it is not. There are times when the "religious" teachings and practices we have received from human beings are consistent with Scripture are in line with the Word of God, and there are times when they are not.
One must learn the difference unconditional promises and conditional principles found in the Word of God. Otherwise, we set ourselves up for a lot of disappointment based on expectations and assurances that God NEVER made.
Being good and doing good draws enemy fire. God places His best soldiers in the most intense and frequent scenarios of spiritual combat (Ephesians 6: 12)!
Here in the devil's world (Luke 4: 6), wicked people do "prosper (Matt. 16: 26)" and "bad (Romans 8: 28) " things do happen to "good (Romans 3: 10)" people. There are wicked ones who go through this world unscathed (Psalms 73), while godly ones face adversity after adversity (2Tim. 3: 12). Faith comes into the picture when we acknowledge that there is a divine purpose behind e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g (Job 2: 10), good or bad, that takes place here on Earth.
When our expectations fail to materialize, our confidence is shaken. The devil will be there to capitalize on our disappointment.
Strongly believing in false information does not make it true.
The world for example, is not flat, as many "knowledgeable" people believed for centuries.
We do NOT go to Heaven because of religious ceremonies, attending Church, practicing good behavior, or performing good deeds (Eph. 2: 8, 9), as many religious people would have us believe.
Many such activities are a part of discipleship that FOLLOWS salvation, but never were, are not now, and never will be the means of securing salvation (John 3: 5, 7).
Evil and wicked people will "get ahead (Mark 8: 36) while here in the devil's (Luke 4: 6), while people living godly lives are persecuted (2Tim. 3: 12), and come up short by worldly standards.
God is not impressed by self-induced poverty, but advancing disciples will be called to deny themselves a lot of what this world has to offer.
"Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it. Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred (Prov. 15: 16, 17)."
Regardless of how educated an individual may become, Fallen Man is fundamentally flawed (Romans 8: 7) and inherently incapable (1Cor. 2: 14) of understanding spiritual issues.
Our secular education can be very beneficial here on Earth, but can also become a stumbling block (Col. 2: 8) along the road to spiritual maturity.
Knowledge (science) is a work in progress. A lot of what Man accepted, assumed, or presumed to be true in both the spiritual and secular realms has (or will be) later proven to be inaccurate, and in some cases, completely false.
This is not only true in regard to the secular sciences, but in the interpretation and application of the spoken (Genesis 3: 1) and the written (2Tim. 3: 16) Word of God.
"...which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction (2Pet. 3: 16 NASB)."
In the secular realm, errancy often stems from not having enough accurate information, coupled with the pressure to make a timely decision. In the spiritual realm, errancy is usually the result of distorting (2Pet. 3: 16) or adding (Proverbs 30: 6) to the information (Bible) we already (should) have.
All of the apostasy in the Christian Community at large has been the result of distorting or adding to what Scripture actually has to say.
When there are two or more conflicting interpretations and/or application of Scripture, they can not all be right. While there is room for allowing each believer to exercise his/her free will, there are some issues that are not open for negotiation, creating the inevitable divisions.
When Scripture speaks of false teachings and practices, most Christians conclude that it must be taking about the Church down the street and not there own.
Many of the denominational differences within the Christian Community at large are based on traditions of men. Such traditions are held in high esteem by religious community, but have no Biblical foundation. Some contradict Scripture.
Seminaries train and ordain their clergy to promote the teachings and practices of the denominations that created them, allowing for NO deviation from the company line.
Divisions has been a problem in Christian Community from the very beginning, long before the labels of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, or non-denomination came into the picture (2Pet. 3: 16/1Cor. 3: 4). The longer the divisions, teachings, and practices created by Man exist, the deeper the roots grow and the harder they are to remove.
. . .
Our omniscient God has ALL the facts. We do not (Deut. 29: 29). How many times have we said, "IF I only knew then what I know now...". This WILL be the result of Biblical discipleship.
Many people will concede that they do not concur with everything that their chosen denomination has to say or offer. Familial, social, cultural, considerations,as well as tradition and convenience are often given greater consideration (Luke 14: 26) than Biblical accuracy when .selecting or remaining with a local assembly.
If many Christians were as particular about the quality of food with which they feed their souls as they are about the food they feed their bodies, our battle with apostasy would not be as difficult.
Scripture, not because of deficiency, but by design establishes a gap between what can be dogmatically proven and what we are asked to believe. This gap can only be filled by faith, as God desires (Heb. 11: 6).
Never-the-less, we have been given enough evidence (Romans 1: 19, 20), warning (John 8: 24/John 3: 5, 7, 18/John 14: 6) and help (Heb. 3: 15) for God to hold us accountable for the spiritual decisions we make.
When presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message, the pre-salvation ministry of God the Holy Spirit makes what would otherwise not be understood (1Cor. 2:14), clear to the recipient. Without the involvement of God the Holy Spiritual and a willingness to listen on the part of the recipient, the words of an evangelist, pastor teacher, parent, or layman will fall on deaf ears. The same principle applies to the post (after) salvation spiritual life. As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
You can not help someone who does not want to be helped.
While He does make the Gospel Message understandable, God does not violate the free will that He has given to Man. It is up to each individual soul, when presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message to choose to believe it or to reject it. There is no middle ground. Either one believes it, or one does not.
The same applies to post salvation doctrine. One chooses to apply it, or not.
By doing either one, the individual soul reaps the accompanying blessings (John 3: 16/Titus 3: 5/ Eph. 4: 30/ Romans 8: 1, etc.) or the accompanying consequences (John 3: 18/Rev. 20: 15) of those decisions.
Once saved, the born again believer THEN chooses daily to live for what he/she wants and/or what this world has to offer, or to deny him/herself of such things and pick up he cross, and follow Him. By choosing to do so, a born again believer will reap the heavenly reward (1Cor. 3: 14) and privileges (Rev. 2/Rev. 3), or the consequences (Heb. 12: 6/1Cor. 3: 15), of those daily decisions.
The ongoing spiritual conflict, for which the human races was created to participate in, manifests itself in many different ways, but has always been a war of words, promoting both truth on one hand and evil on the other.
This should not come to us as a surprise, as deception (promoting falsehood as truth) has always been the devil's primary weapon of mass destruction.
By the time the deception is uncovered (Gen. 3: 13), much damage (2Pet. 3: 16) has already taken place. The longer that falsely teaching or accompanying practice/ritual exists, the deeper its roots become, making it's removal increasingly (but not impossible) more difficult to accomplish.
Differences in the interpretation and application of the Word of God is what has established differences among the many so-called Christian denominations and organizations that have taken root and evolved within what is generally referred to as the Christian Community.
Jesus warned us that, "...many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many (Matt. 24: 5 NASB)."
In addition to promoting false Christs as the person and means of salvation, many wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt. 7: 15) have and will infiltrate the Church, claiming to speak "in His name" regarding post salvation doctrine, as well.
Such wolves will claim and appear to speak with divine authority, but will lead many BELIEVERS astray from their confidence in the unadulterated Gospel Message (e.g.Galatians 3: 1), and their understanding and application of accurate Bible Doctrine (2Pet. 3: 16) pertaining to the post salvation spiritual life.
This is NOT the "help" we need, no matter how well-intended it may be.
While attacking the significance of the atoning work that was finished (John 19: 30) on the cross, such wolves promote the traditions of men as necessary requirements to either obtain or retain the salvation that a born again be!never has ALREADY secured and can not lose.
Just because one quotes Scripture (Matt. 4/Luke 4) does not mean he/she is speaking for God. The devil, and those who knowingly or unwittingly do his bidding, can quote Scripture.
Note that in the Gal. 3: 1 scenario, it was Church-going BELIEVERS that had been "bewitched (Gal.3: 1 NASB)," indicating demonic influence WITHIN the local assembly. Scripture (1Timothy 4: 1) warns of Church Age believers adopting doctrines taught by demons during the end times of the Church Age.
Many believers are shaken and/or reject the concept that evil can take place WITHIN the local assemblies of the Christian Community, but Galatians 3: 1 tells us it's been going on since the very beginning of the Church Age. The record of Church history reveals that this has been a problem all along. 1Timothy 4: 1 reveals it will only get worse as the Church Age dispensation comes to it's prophesied (Matt. 24: 14) end.
There is the on going battle with evil (information or activity running contrary to the Word of God) taking place everday. The edified soul structure of a advancing disciple is bombarded with human viewpoint and evil that appeals to our fallen nature (Romans 7: 14 - 20). This is why Jesus made praying for the deliverance from evil (Matt. 9: 13) an ongoing part of an advancing disciple's DAILY prayer life.
Like cancer in the natural realm, evil can generate much damage in the spiritual realm if it is not detected and addressed early. The devil, being a master in the art of spiritual combat, knows the value of promoting evil from where (e.g. a pulpit) it's presence is least expected. Just as screening for cancer is the best proactive help that one can take, ongoing 2Cor. 13: 5/Acts 17: 11 examinations serve the same purpose in the spiritual realm.
While some denominations and organizations are more culpable than others, it has been my experience that a close inspection of any one of them will reveal teachings and practices that are inconsistent with Scripture.
In fact, if all of these add ons, take aways, and distortions were to be addressed, what would remain would leave the "Church" barely recognizable to many who attend.
One of the challenges that advancing disciples will face is the desire to connect with a local assembly (Heb. 10: 25) on the one hand, while dealing with all meaningless traditions of men (Mark 7: 7) that have been incorporated into the teachings and practice within the Christian Community at large. Such things will becomes more and more apparent as one grows in 2Pet. 3: 18 knowledge of the Lord.
Christian Religion consists of *all the things that those who consider themselves Christians TRY to do (or refrain from doing) in order to make themselves right with God in order to receive His earthly and eternal blessings.
Corporate worship (Heb. 10: 25), engaging in doing good deeds (James 2: 14), and good behavior (Phil. 1: 27) ARE a part of the post (after) salvation spiritual life, but have NOTHING to do with either obtaining or retaining salvation (Eph. 2: 8).
Christianity, on the other hand, is about establishing a personal/individual relationship with God while here on Earth that continues on throughout all of eternity (Romans 8: 1).
This personal relationship begins the moment one is born again (John 3: 5, 7), IF and when one chooses to place his/her individual trust and confidence in the Person and in the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
AFTER establishing this personal relationship, THEN the born again believer has the daily (Luke 9: 23) opportunity to *deny him/herself and to advance in the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.
Self-denial changes one from being self-centered (the natural disposition of Man) to being Christ-centered, developing the mind (1Cor. 2: 16) of Christ, and conforming to His likeness (Romans 8: 29) in both thought and deed.
Success or failure to identify or to execute the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship does NOT increase or diminish the integrity of the salvation (eternal life) that has already been received.
However, the degree of such success or failure determines the degree to which one brings glory to God.
The glorification of God in the midst of an ongoing battle between the forces of good and evil was the reason that God created the human race, and each one of us.
Success or failure will result in receiving or forfeiting rewards (1Cor. 3: 14, 15) and privileges (Rev. 2/Rev. 3) in Heaven. These rewards and privileges are in addition to experiencing eternal life in Heaven that all born again believers have secured.
Advancing disciples do not serve God to be rewarded, but Scripture teaches that God intends to do so.
Because of all the deception inside and outside of the Christian Community, one must be careful of from whom or what he/she listens (Luke 8: 18) to when receiving his/her spiritual edification.
...
No matter how prosperous we become, we would have not acquired it if God and other people had not given us the opportunity to do so. Again, another blow to our ego.
If we are not careful, the pursuit of or the retention of prosperity can become a stumbling block (Mark 8: 36/Rev. 3: 17) along the road to spiritual maturity (Matt. 6: 24).
When someone has a need to keep reminding others of all their past accomplishments, it is actually an indication of his/her personal insecurity (Prov. 27: 2), seeking the much desired ongoing support, recognition, and approval of people. For the advancing disciple, it's not what people think, but what God thinks that matters.
"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of (for - See Luke 14: 26) the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever (1John 2: 15 - 17 - parentheses mine)."
END of Part One