REWARDS
There is a vast difference in the doctrine of salvation for the lost, and the doctrine of rewards for the saved. Salvation is “the gift of God; not of works”. (Eph. 2:8-9) Salvation is received by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3:36) “HE WHO BELIEVES IN (HAS FAITH IN, CLINGS TO, RELIES ON) THE Son has (now possesses eternal life. Rewards are according to the works of the believer. (Matt.16:27) For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he has done.
A most revealing scripture on rewards is found in I Cor.3:8-15
First, “yet each shall receive his own reward (wages), according to his own labor.” We do not labor for salvation. We yield to allow the Jesus in you to work through you.
Second, “For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God…” (vs.9) – not for salvation, but for rewards.
Third, the believer is to build on the Lord Jesus Christ, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ…” (vs. 11)
Fourth, the believer has a choice of 2 kinds of building materials: “gold, silver, precious stones” (WHAT CHRIST DOES THROUGH US)—this is building with eternal materials; or “wood, hay, stubble” (WHAT WE DO IN THE FLESH)—this is building with temporal materials. II Cor. 4:18 Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.
The believer who builds on Christ with eternal materials, “gold, silver, precious stones” shall receive a reward. Those who build with temporal materials, “wood, hay, stubble,” will receive no reward. The temporal works will be destroyed at the “Judgment Seat of Christ” and the believer will suffer loss—not the loss of salvation, but the loss of eternal reward.
Some believers will be ashamed at the “BEMA” (I John 2:28)And now little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.”
A man sat at the bedside of a dying friend. As they talked of the dying man’s home-going, tears filled his eyes. Being young in the Lord, the friend thought that he was afraid to die, and attempted to speak words of encouragement to him. The weeping man responded, “I am not afraid to die; I am ashamed to die.” He went on to say that Christ was his Savior, but he had lived for self, and now had to meet the Lord Jesus Christ empty-handed. His life loomed up before him as “wood, hay, stubble.” He was “saved so as by fire.
Rewards are called “crowns” in the New Testament.
THE CROWN OF LIFE
James 1:12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
This reward could be called the lover’s crown. Upon examination of the James 1:12, we find that the believer finds strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God. Paul said, “We glory in tribulations also.” The question is…do we today glory in tribulations? We can, only if the “love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:3-5) Without the love of God in the heart of the believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the “crown of life.
All believers have eternal life (John 3:15) In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trust Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and factually] live forever! However, not all believers will be rewarded with the Crown of Life. This crown will be given to those who are “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10) To receive the Crown of Life, the believer must love the Lord more than his own life. “Whosoever shall save his life (live for self) shall love it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels’ (live for Christ at all cost) the same shall save it”. (Mark 8:35) This reward will be given to those who live for Christ, and endure temptations, in the power of the love of God. I Cor. 10:13 (there hath no temptation taken you….)
THE INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN
I Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may7 lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.
Paul makes use of the Greek games to illustrate the spiritual race of the believer. They ran to win a “corruptible crown; but we an “incorruptible” crown. No young man could contend in the games unless he was a Greek citizen, born of Greek parents. No unsaved person can participate in the service of the Lord for rewards; only the born of God are eligible. John 3:3 Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
Just as the athlete must deny himself many gratifications of the body, so the believer must “keep under his body, and bring it unto subjection” or he will become a “castaway.” He will not lose his salvation, but he will lose the “incorruptible crown.”
The Greek games had hard and fast rules, for all participants. The N.T. contains the rules for believers who would enter the spiritual race to win the “incorruptible crown”.
1. The believer must deny self of anything that would weigh him down and hold him back. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.
2. The believer must keep his eyes fixed on Christ, and not look to the right or the left. Hebrews 12:2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. The believer must find his strength in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10-18 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. … put on whole armor…to me able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood…put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground…Stand…shod your feet…Lift up over all the covering shield…take the helmet of salvation and the sword the Spirit wields…Pray at all times…keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perserverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints.
4. The believer must place his all upon the altar of the Lord. Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age) [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
5. The believer must, by faith, refuse anything that would impede spiritual progress. Heb. 11:24-29 [Aroused] by faith Moses, after his birth, was kept concealed for 3 months by his parents….[Aroused] by faith Moses, grown to maturity…motivated by faith he left Egypt behind him…By faith (simple trust and confidence in God)…[Urged on] by faith the people crossed the Red Sea …
Do not be a spiritual spectator. Enter the race and run to win the “incorruptible crown.”
THE CROWN OF REJOICING
I Thess.2:19 For what is our hope or happiness or our victor’s wreath of exultant triumph when we stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? The “crown of rejoicing” is the soul winner’s crown. The greatest work you are privileged to do is to bring others to a knowledge of Christ as personal Savior. The degree of your joy in heaven will be determined by the souls you have had a part in bringing to Christ. Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that they are his “hope” or joy or crown of rejoicing” now and when Jesus comes.
1. It is wise to win souls to Christ. Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity].
2. It is a work against sin to win souls to Christ. James 5:20 Let the [latter] one be sure that whoever turns a sinner from his evil course will save [that one’s] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins [procure the pardon of the many sins committed by the convert].
3. It is a cause for joy in heaven to win souls to Christ. Luke 15:10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins).
4. Every soul winner will shine as the stars forever. Dan. 12:3 And the teachers and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness (to uprightness and right standing with God) [shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever.
Winning souls to Christ:
Witness with your life; live that others may see Christ in and through you. II Cor. 3:2 [No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody. Gal.2:20
Witness with your mouth, trusting the Holy Spirit to give power to the spoken word. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
Witness by tithes and offerings that others may preach Christ and you will have reward. Phil 4:15-17 Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account].
God has promised that your labor will not be in vain in the Lord. I Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].
The soulwinner will not rejoice alone—all of heaven will rejoice with him when he received the “crown of rejoicing.” John 4:36 Already the reaper is getting his wages [he who does the cutting now has his reward], and he is gathering fruit (crop) into life eternal, so that he who does the planting and he who does the reaping may rejoice together.
THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
II Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
The “crown of righteousness” is a reward and it is not to be confused with the “righteousness of God” which the believer receives when he becomes a Christian; for at that time, the believer is “made the righteousness of God in Him”. II Cor. 5:21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable, and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. This saving righteousness is a gift to be accepted by the lost. This crown is a reward to be earned by the saved. If the believer looks for, and loves the doctrine of the 2ndComing of Christ, it will affect his whole life. Look at the dynamic impact this truth had on the life of the Apostle Paul.
Paul said:
1. “I have fought a good fight.” I Cor. 15:32. He fought a spiritual battle throughout his Christian life, and won. He never surrendered to the enemies of righteousness. Eph. 6:12
2. “I have finished my course.” He had a course to travel, and he did not detour the hard places; neither did he look back. Luke 9:61-61 He finished his course with his eyes fixed on Christ. Phil. 1:6
3. “I have kept the faith.” He preached all the “counsel of God”—never betraying any of the great doctrines. Acts 20: 24-31 The Apostle looked ahead to the Judgment Seat of Christ” where the “Crown of righteousness” will be give to those who “love His appearing.” How important it is for the believer to look with a heart of love for the 2nd Coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he may receive the “crown of righteousness” (verse 8)
THE CROWN OF GLORY
I Peter 5:4
The “crown of glory” is a special reward for the faithful, obedient God-called pastor. He will receive this reward when the “chief Shepherd shall appear.” It is eternal; it “fadeth not away.” Every believer may share in the pastor’s “crown of glory.” Matt. 10:41 Support your faithful, God-called pastor by praying for him and encouraging him in the work of the Lord. Undergird his ministry with God’s tithes and your offerings. Mal. 3:10 giving freely of your time to the service of the Lord; and God will reward you for supporting His chosen servant by allowing you to share in your pastor’s reward. The pastor will earn this “crown of glory” by:
1. Feeding the church. He is to proclaim the Word of God without fear or favor, and when necessary, he will “reprove, rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. I Tim. 4:2-5
2. Taking the spiritual oversight of the church. The pastor is responsible to God for the message preached to his people. No pastor should preach to please the people; he is to please his Lord. Gal. 1:10
3. Being an example to the church. He is not to serve for the reward of money. Yet, the church is responsible to care for his every material need. I Tim. 5:18 He is to be a spiritual leader, and not a dictator. He is to walk with God by faith. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
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