It may be difficult for believers to accept that "every man" receives eternal life on the basis of his perseverance in well-doing. That would mean a non-Christian could gain eternal life by perseverance in well-doing. This indeed may be true for those who never have had an opportunity to hear the Gospel (although in any case they could receive eternal life only through Christ, for He alone is the Resurrection and the Life). However, the concept of how God deals with people who never have had an opportunity to hear the Gospel raises issues we will not address at this time.

The point we are making is that Paul as well as all the other writers of the Scriptures associates eternal life with righteous conduct. To depart from this concept in favor of eternal life coming to godless individuals on the basis of a profession of belief in Jesus is to change God's purpose in bringing forth the new covenant.

If we cannot accept the scriptural "every man" because this would signify that a non-Christian can gain eternal life by patient continuance in well-doing, we are forced to conclude that Paul is speaking to Christians.

The Christian gains eternal life by patient continuance in well-doing.

If it is true that the Christian gains eternal life by patient continuance in well-doing, then our thesis, which is that Christians will be rewarded according to their works, is strengthened.

The confusion has arisen because of a misunderstanding of the Kingdom principle, the just (righteous) shall live by faith.

The confusion is centered on the difference between the current Christian definition of faith and the scriptural definition of faith.

The popular Christian definition of faith has to do with our acceptance and confession of the facts of the atonement and the resurrection. This is close to the philosophy of Gnosticism, an ancient heresy presenting specialized knowledge as the key to salvation.

The scriptural definition of faith is found in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. If we assemble the behavior of all the people mentioned by name in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we have the scriptural definition of faith. These people are all from the Old Testament, revealing to us that no person ever was saved by the Law of Moses or by any other program of works. The saints, whether of the Old Testament or the New Testament, always are declared righteous on the basis of their faith.

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a record of people who by patient continuance in well-doing were seeking for glory and honor and immortality. What did they gain? They gained eternal life in the Presence of God.

But the eleventh chapter of Hebrews does not mention anyone's acceptance and confession of the facts of the atonement and the resurrection. Such acceptance on the part of an individual to whom Christ has granted true faith is only the doorway to the life of faith, the life of humble dependence on God. It is righteous behavior that leads to eternal life, not the acceptance and confession of the facts concerning the Divine redemption.

To be continued.