LESSON EIGHT – THE REWARDS FOR FAITHFULNESS

 

                The Lord rewards the faithful. Throughout the Scriptures, He gives examples on how He would bless and reward those who stay close to His will.  The will of God for His Children is faithfulness.  It does not come easy.  It takes a lot of sacrifice.  It is a choice one has to make.  What is the blessing of faithfulness?  How is faithfulness measured and achieved?  These are the questions that need answers from the Word of God.

                 Ephesians 2:10 explains that our salvation is for “workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works”.  We are saved to serve.  I always say that if the only purpose of our salvation is for Christians to go to heaven, God should have taken us there the moment we are saved.  Although heaven is our destination,  service is the way to enjoy that trip and to earn heavenly position and  reap great rewards.

                 God’s perfect will for us here on earth is yet to be fulfilled.  We live in a parenthetical time in Biblical Prophecy.  God intended from the beginning to establish His Kingdom where He could reign over His people in peace and harmony.  But because of sin and the rejection of His own people, that plan was postponed giving way to the Church age and the Dispensation of Grace.  This gave way to the Grace of God to be revealed to all men, allowing all to have the opportunity to be saved by Grace through faith.

                 Before His ascension, He promised to come back and take His people to heaven to face the giving of rewards.   This was pictured in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  Upon the return of Christ, He will determine what we have done with the talents, opportunities He has given us.  What we have done in this life will determine our position in the Kingdom and possibly in the new heaven and the new earth.

                 Many Bible verses exhort us to obey, commit, surrender, seek first His kingdom with obvious emphasis on giving all for His glory.  Is it inconceivable to think that the life we live today is just a life of testing to determine our position in the Millenial Kingdom and possibly the eternal Kingdom?  Our average life span in this life  is only 70 years compared to 1,000 years with the Lord Jesus Christ during the Kingdom age.

                 In the parable it is clear that the Lord rewarded the faithful with a position in the Kingdom and forfeiture for the one who failed His expectations.  John 15 speaks about abiding.  We are told to abide in Him.  If we do not abide in Him we will be set aside.  Abiding means remaining, continuing, and occupying till He comes.  I Corinthians 3:14-15 states “if any man’s work abide...he shall receive a reward...  if any man’s work shall be burned (John 15.6) he shall suffer loss…” of rewards.

                Rewards are not based on how long or how much we serve.  It is based on constant abiding – continuing, occupying until you die or the Lord comes back.  It means that even if you were to serve faithfully for many years, and yet found  not not doing anything at the moment of death or when the Lord comes, “ye shall lose your reward“.  Any rewards you earned in the past when you were faithful will be forfeited. (Rev. 3:11_  No one can say, “I have put in my time for the Lord.  It is time for me to relax and live for myself.”  The key here is “abiding faithfulness” or being found faithful at all times.  On the other hand, if you had ruined your spiritual life in the past and yet became faithful at the end, you will receive a reward.  The Great I AM is interested with NOW and He rewards those who are faithful NOW.   I Corinthians 4: 2 says, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

                II Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”  There is a time of reckoning for us Christians: not for condemnation but for reward, called the Judgment Seat of Christ.  This is followed with  the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Bride of Christ, which represents the closest and the most faithful Servants of God, who will reign with Him in the Kingdom.  This shows that the Bride of Christ is totally different from the Church that we know now.  The Bride of Christ will consist of Christians who are not only looking forward towards heaven but faithful and obedient to the full command of God and His will.  They are those who are saved, scripturally baptized, members of the empowered Church, and those who are found faithfully performing their tasks during the Lord’s return or upon their death.

                As Christians, our goal is not just to get saved or be a member of the family of God.  Through our faithfulness, let’s strive to obey, fulfill, abide and be found faithful to join the Bride who will reign with Him (Revelation 3:21) and dwell in the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:7,10).  Our Salvation determines our place in heaven but our faithfulness and obedience, our position in the Kingdom to come.

                The Lord promises a ruling position to those who are found faithful.  (Matthew 24:23).  That’s the reason why Christians are also instructed to be watchful until He comes.  (Mark 13:32-37).  What is 70 years of sacrifice compared to 1,000 years of reigning with Christ or 70 years of  relaxation, easy going life, and fun compared to 1,000 years of being just a subject in the Kingdom. (See Matthew 24:44-51).   May God gives us the desire to remain faithful to Him until we see Him in death or in His coming..

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” 

Revelation 3:11

 

“Behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

Revelation 22:12