What does "You reward each man according to his work" imply about salvation? I. Textual Focus: Psalm 62:12 “and loving devotion to You, O Lord—for You reward each man according to his work.” II. Literary and Historical Context Psalm 62 is Davidic, written amid pressure from treacherous opponents (v.3–4). Verses 11–12 form the climax: “God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God, and loving devotion to You, O Lord—for You reward each man according to his work.” David links God’s omnipotence (power), ḥesed (steadfast love), and justice (reward). In the ancient Near-Eastern milieu, kings were expected to combine these traits; Scripture attributes them perfectly to Yahweh. Archaeological confirmation of the Davidic monarchy (e.g., Tel Dan Inscription, ca. 9th century BC) supports the psalm’s historical credibility and the author’s authority to address salvation themes. III. Old Testament Principle: Retributive Justice Grounded in Covenant Grace 1. Divine assessment of deeds is a repeated motif: • “I, the LORD, search the heart… to give every man according to his ways” (Jeremiah 17:10). • “You will repay every man according to his work” (Proverbs 24:12). 2. Yet Israel was saved from Egypt before receiving the law (Exodus 12–19), showing that covenant relationship preceded performance. Works were the evidence of fidelity within a grace-initiated covenant, not the entry ticket. IV. New Testament Continuity: Salvation by Grace, Judgment by Works 1. Grace foundation: “For by grace you have been saved through faith… not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9). 2. Works as diagnostic: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). 3. Universal judgment: “He will repay each one according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10). 4. Final reward for believers: “The Son of Man will come… and then He will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27). V. Soteriological Synthesis: Works as Evidence, Not Currency • Basis of salvation: substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). • Means of reception: faith (John 3:16). • Evidential fruit: transformed behavior (James 2:14–26). Works authenticate living faith; they do not purchase justification. The judicial declaration (“righteous in Christ”) is distinct from the evaluative reckoning of post-conversion deeds for reward or loss (1 Corinthians 3:12–15). VI. Eschatological Dimensions: Two Verdicts 1. Salvation Verdict (gatekeeping): Eternal life or condemnation based on union with Christ (John 5:24). 2. Reward Verdict (stewardship review): Varied recompense for believers’ service (Luke 19:17; Revelation 22:12). Psalm 62:12 anticipates both aspects—God’s fidelity (ḥesed) secures salvation, and His justice evaluates service. VII. Philosophical and Behavioral Corollaries Human moral intuition recognizes that actions deserve consequence; Scripture affirms this innate awareness while clarifying that flawed deeds cannot bridge the moral gap (Romans 3:23). Regeneration provides the internal transformation enabling genuinely God-pleasing works (Philippians 2:13). From a behavioral-science perspective, external fruit reliably indexes internal disposition—precisely the biblical pattern. VIII. Addressing Common Objections • “Reward language contradicts grace.” Response: Grace establishes relationship; rewards acknowledge stewardship within that relationship, not meritorious earning. • “Judgment by works implies salvation by effort.” Response: Judgment sorts authentic from spurious faith (Matthew 7:21–23); effort without grace is insufficient, while grace without evidence is nonexistent. IX. Practical Implications for the Believer 1. Assurance rests on Christ’s completed work (Hebrews 10:14). 2. Motivation for holiness: knowing labor “in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). 3. Evangelistic urgency: all people will face a deed-based evaluation revealing whether they embraced the gospel (Acts 17:31). X. Conclusion Psalm 62:12 teaches that God, in steadfast love, saves by grace yet faithfully rewards—or exposes—each person’s works. The verse harmonizes with the full biblical message: salvation is received, not achieved; nevertheless, deeds remain the God-ordained metric that demonstrate genuine faith and determine eternal reward. |
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