THE DOCTRINE OF REWARDS

By Milburn Cockrell

Part 1

“So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth” (Ps. 58:11).

          While the doctrine of rewards for the righteous is more fully developed in the New Testament, this truth is also taught in the Old Testament as Psalm 58:11 proves. Some brethren completely reject the doctrine of rewards because they fear it takes something away from salvation by free grace. These people confuse salvation with rewards. These people have a host of scriptures in the Old and New Testaments to try to explain away. After their most zealous efforts, the Bible still says: “There is a reward for the righteous.”

            Salvation and rewards must never be confused. Salvation is by free grace (John 4:10; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5), but rewards are earned by works (Matt. 10:42; Luke 19:17; I Cor. 9:24; II Tim. 4:7-8; Rev. 2:10; 22:12). In the matter of salvation we must look to the Lord Jesus Christ: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isa. 45:22). In the matter of rewards we must look to ourselves: “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (II John 8). To these distinctions may be added still another truth. Salvation is a present possession (Luke 7:50; John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47; Acts 16:31; I John 3:1; 5:1), while rewards are a future attainment, to be given out at the coming of Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:27; Luke 14:14; II Tim. 4:8; I Pet. 5:4; Rev. 22:12).

            Instead of taking away from the doctrine of salvation by free and sovereign grace, the doctrine of rewards adds luster to it. God saves the soul by free grace so that there is no obligation on the part of a believer for after payments, else it would not be by grace (Rom. 11:6). Therefore, God recognizes an indebtedness on His part to reward a believer for his service to Him (Heb. 6:10). Hence God offers rewards for faithful service which is rendered toward His name. In truth it is those who deny the doctrine of rewards who diminish the doctrine of salvation by free grace.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD

          In the Old Testament a number of Hebrew words are rendered “reward” in our KJV. The primary word (misthos) in the Greek New Testament means “to pay for service,” or “hire, wages, or reward.” The doctrine of rewards is seen in other terms such as “sheaves” (Ps. 126:6), “treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20), “the prize” (Phil. 3:14), “an inheritance” (I Pet. 1:4), and “crowns of gold” (Rev. 4:4). Peter speaks of these as “praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 1:7). In I Corinthians 4:5 Paul speaks of rewards as “praises of God.”

            What manner of love is this? God so loved us as to give His Son to die for us, and then He rewards us for every little thing done for His glory. This is grace upon grace.

THE REWARDER

          The rewarder is called in Scripture “The LORD” and “the LORD God of Israel” (Ruth 2:12). Isaiah 40:10 declares: “Behold, the LORD God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.” Paul called Him “the Lord, the righteous judge” (II Tim. 4:8). The Judgment Seat of Christ is the place rewards are given out by Christ, the righteous Judge. All saints must appear before Jesus Christ to be rewarded or to suffer loss of rewards: “For we must all appear before he judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the thing done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Cor. 5:10). The word “receive” has the idea of receiving back, which implies that each deed will receive what it deserves. The entire life from conversion to death is viewed as a unit, having one or two characteristics, either “good” or “bad.” Some works will be well-pleasing to the Judge, while others will be worthless and displeasing to Him.

            The very expression, “the judgment seat of Christ” indicates Jesus Christ will be the One who executes judgment on that day: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Rom. 14:10). This is also seen in other Scriptures. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). “And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (John 5:27). “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom” (II Tim. 4:1).

            Rewards are usually given according to the character and ability of the rewarder. So, first, let us think of the greatness of the Rewarder: “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:24). The Lord Jesus Christ is our Judge. He is the eternal Son of God, the Lord from Heaven, the King of glory, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Our rewards will be in proportion to the greatness of our Rewarder.

            Second, think of the wealth of the Rewarder. The Lord told Abraham: “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen. 15:1). The cattle upon a thousand hills belong to Him. He owns all the silver and gold in the world. The earth is His and the fullness thereof (Ps. 24:1). He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).

            Third, think of His goodness. He loved us so much that He died in our room and stead. All spiritual blessings are in Christ, and all rewards come from Him. He is good because He is God. If we, being sinners, know how to give good gifts unto others, how much more so the One who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38)? Oh, “the riches of his goodness” (Rom. 2:4)!

            Fourth, think of His faithfulness. Christ is called “Faithful and True” in Revelation 19:11. In Hebrews 2:17 He is denominated as the “faithful High Priest.” Hebrews 3:2 tells that He was “faithful to him that appointed him.” Even if “we believe not, yet he abideth faithful” (II Tim. 2:13). Jesus Christ “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (I John 1:9), and He will be equally faithful to reward us for our faithfulness (Heb. 6:10).

THE REWARDED

            Not every disciple of Christ shall have their works rewarded. Some will not have done “good,” but “bad” (II Cor. 5:10). Some will let others beguile them of their reward (Col. 2:18). Others  will lose some crowns (Rev. 3:11). Still others will lose some of the things which they have wrought and not receive a full reward (II John 8). There will be some followers of Christ who can go to the Judgment Seat of Christ with confidence and boldness (I John 4:17), while others shall “be ashamed before him at his coming” (I John 2:28). Some Christians “shall receive a reward” (I Cor. 3:14), but others will have their works burned and “shall suffer loss” (I Cor. 3:15).

            I want to begin to discuss the type of true believers who are to receive rewards. First, there is the upright dealer: “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: and according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God” (II Sam. 22:21-22). The special reward in David’s case was deliverance from his enemies. The Lord rewarded him according to his comparative moral purity. God spared Noah, a righteous man (Gen. 7:1), and He delivered Lot, a righteous man (II Pet. 2:8). There is laid down a principle here that God rewards a man (here and hereafter) for upright conduct. If we claim to follow the Holy One of God, we must be fair and upright in our dealings with God and man (II Tim. 2:19). Remember, Psalm 58:11 says: “There is a reward for the righteous.”

          Second, there is recompense for the diligent sower: “The wicked worketh deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward” (Prov. 11:18). The reward to the sower in this Scripture is as sure as eternal truth can make it. Righteousness is the seed; happiness is the harvest. Hosea says: “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy” (Hosea10:12). Galatians 6:7-8 declares: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Men are sowing seeds in the course of this life which will be harvested in eternity (Ps. 126:5-6). If we plan to reap a bountiful harvest, we must persevere in much sowing now: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).

            Third, there is proper payment for the humble walker: “The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life” (Prov. 22:4) margin). The godly man walks humbly with his God. Humility arises from an understanding of the greatness of God, especially His spotless purity. Such conduct will produce comfort and long life in this world, and in the world to come honor, praise, and glory (I Pet. 1:7). God’s plan is to exalt the humble (Luke 18:14), and the humble shall “inherit the throne of glory” (I Sam. 2:8).

            Fourth, there is compensation for the pursuer of wisdom: “So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off” (Prov. 24:14). We are told in Proverbs 4:7: “Wisdom is the principle thing.” Wisdom is God-given (Jas. 1:5) and very precious (Prov. 8:11). Those who seek it and practice it find it presently to be “full of mercy and good fruits” (Jas. 3:17), and in the life to come the “wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament” (Dan. 12:3). Our hopes of future reward for wisdom is founded upon the Word of God, and we shall never be ashamed.

            Fifth, there is a reward for the godly sufferer: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12). Suffering is a part of being a Christian (Phil. 1:29; II Tim. 2:12). The godly sufferer has a home in Heaven, and He will be given special rewards in Heaven (Getting to Heaven is not the reward). John Broadus says on these verses: “The Greek implies a definite reward designed for them, and kept for them in Heaven.” To those who suffer the most, the Lord will impart the highest reward. This reward is not on earth, but it shall be given out by Jesus Christ in Heaven.

            Sixth, there is proper credit given to the liberal soul: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” (Matt. 6:1-4).

            Hypocrites have their rewards now; the saints in the future life. A disciple must question the motives behind his charitable acts. Are they being done to please God (I Thess. 2:4), or to please men (Matt. 23:5)? God takes notice of our charitable deeds. He sees secret good done by us. The liberal giver will discover in this life it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35) and that God loves a cheerful giver (II Cor. 9:7). The alms given in secret now will be rewarded openly at the Judgment Seat of Christ before redeemed men and the elect angels.

            Seventh, there is a dividend for the prayer warrior: “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt. 6:5-6).

            Our Lord takes for granted that all Christians pray. The old Baptists said, “If prayerless, then graceless.” Real disciples of Christ pray to God, not men. Prayer is to be a private matter between the believer and his heavenly Father (Matt. 26:39; Mark 1:35; Neh. 2:4). God sees our secret prayers. The Lord told Ananias regarding Saul: “Behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11; cf. John 1:48). All prayers are to be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ before men and angels. The prayer warrior will have his reward from the great Intercessor.

            Eighth, there is a prize for the humane disciple: “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matt. 10:41-42).

            All followers of Christ demonstrate hospitality to other believers. It is the same as if they received Christ Himself (Matt. 25:40). It is a great honor to help another believer even in the simple basic necessities of life. Our future rewards will be commensurate with our deeds. We will be rewarded as if we were prophets and righteous men.

            Ninth, there is a recompense for the careful worker: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:11-15).

            Some believers build upon gold, silver, and precious stones---imperishable and incombustible things. Others build on wood, hay and stubble---perishable and combustible things. The holiness of the righteous Judge of all the earth will test the foundations on which men have built their Christian lives. In view of the coming fiery test, we had better take heed how and what we build. “Abide” indicates your works survive the fiery test and gains the approval of the Lord.

            The words “suffer loss” means loss of rewards. The word “suffer” denotes a painful process. A man’s work may be burned up, and yet he may still be saved. He shall escape with his life, as a man is rescued from a burning building. He is saved, although his property is lost and his labor has come to nothing. What a man believes and practices is important. The Judgment Seat of Christ will try every man’s work as to “what sort it is,” not how much it is. The motive behind our service counts.

            Tenth, there is a reward for the willing minister or missionary: “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me” (I Cor. 9:16-17).

            Because of the divine call, Paul felt compelled to preach. To him it was not a paid profession, nor a pastime. It was something he had to do. But if he preached by choice, showing his heart entirely concurred, he would obtain a reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If he preached involuntarily, he could regard him at best as an unprofitable slave, who had merely done his duty.

            The Lord wants willing service. “Take ye from among you as offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass” (Ex. 35:5, 21-22, 29). It is written in II Corinthians 8:12: “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” The missionary and minister who has willingly preached the gospel shall have the elder’s crown. Writing to elders (I Pet. 5:1-3), Peter said: “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (I Pet. 5:4).

            The sinners converted under our preaching are our crown of rejoicing: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy” (I Thess. 2:19-20). Ministers must do their duty willingly and cheerfully, knowing that those who “turn many to righteousness” shall be “as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3).

            The old Baptist preacher who baptized me was put on the back burner in his latter years. The last time I ever visited with him before his death, we talked about some of these things. On this same afternoon we visited the grave of his wife who had recently passed from this earth. As we stood there, he urged me to keep to the old landmarks of church truth. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke with grief about his wife and how some brethren had treated him. Then he added: “They can keep from doing many things in the association, but they cannot deprive me of my rewards.” How true this is of a faithful minister of the gospel.

            Eleventh, there is remuneration for the temperate child of God: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Cor. 9:24-27).

            Using the figure of a runner (v. 24) and a boxer (v. 26), Paul stresses the need of the discipline of self-control. “So run” requires tremendous effort, much dedication and determination, in order to win the prize. There is no place for half-heartedness. We must exercise the mastery over the power of sin in our life (Rom. 6:12). Otherwise, we shall not obtain the incorruptible crown. Let us consider again the inspired exhortation: “So run, that ye may obtain.”

          But what is meant by an intemperate believer being “a castaway” (adokimos)? The Greek word can mean “unapproved.” This word is taken from bad metals, and it denotes those who will not bear the test that is applied to them. Such metals are worthless and are cast away. It does not mean God will cast away His people (Rom. 11:2). Rather, it means that fellow Christians will cast you away as an unfit servant of Christ. They will not approve of your intemperance.

            Twelfth, there is payment to the successful runner in the Christian race: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). Paul uses the foot race as a symbol of the Christian life. To him, this was a very common metaphor (Rom. 9:16; I Cor. 9:24, 26; Gal. 2:2; 5:7; Phil. 2:16; Heb. 12:1). The apostle pressed ahead in three ways

            First, he had learned to forget the past: “Forgetting those things which are behind.” This expression does not refer to the Jewish distinctions he had just mentioned (Phil. 2:5-6). He had abandoned these previous to his entering upon the Christian race. Paul means his past experience in the Christian life, his successes and failures, his good works and his sins alike. This past is as nothing to him. He has blotted it out of sight and thought. The “things before” alone concern him.

            Often older Christians are content with past achievements, to look at the fading laurels which they have gained, as though they never could be equaled or surpassed. But to look back only slows the pace and lessens the speed. We must not let the past overshadow the present. Rather, we must constantly look forward to the work God still has for us. To look back is to be a leeks-and-garlic Christian (Num. 11:5-6).

            Second, he looked forward to those things before: “Reaching forth unto those things which are before.” The words “reaching forth unto” is one word in the Greek (epeketeio), and it means “to stretch out” and “to strain toward something.” This expression brings before our eyes an excited runner, with his head and neck extended toward the goal, his mind outrunning his lagging feet. The plural (“things”) for which he is reaching is not the prize at the finish line, but the many things he is striving to reach along with it. There are new things to be done and new lessons to be learned. This involves a striving for these things---discipline, concentration, and perseverance.

            Third, he presses on toward the mark of the prize of God’s calling: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” In ancient games there was a wreath hung at the goal post. The prize will be bestowed when the goal is reached and the race is over. The believer’s life consists of standing fast, but it is never standing still. The prize is not the high calling of God, but it is the reward which the heavenly calling holds forth. The prize looks on to the rewards of the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Tim. 4:8).