If you take the beginning of this passage alone without the whole of Scripture, you could come up with a doctrine of salvation by works. But we know from other Scriptures that this is not what the Bible teaches.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5 KJV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)
The verse must be taken in the context of where it is found as well in the context of Scripture as a whole. Our pastor says that God judges all men by works. The unsaved are judged by their works of self righteousness and because they fall short of God's standard will be rewarded in Hell. The elect are judged according to the work of Christ on their behalf and because Christ's work meets God's perfect standard, they are rewarded in Heaven.
I love the second half of this:
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
There is a lot of doctrine right there!
* Our salvation is not secured with things that can be corrupted
* Our salvation is secured by the precious blood of Christ
>without blemish or spot
>foreordained before the foundation of the world
>manifest for us
* Our Part
>believe in God
~raised Christ from the dead
~gave him glory
>faith and hope in God alone (His works alone, not our works)
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