For your reward in heaven is great

Recently I've been studying about our works on this earth, and why they matter.

Do I do good things for other people solely out of the will to obey God, or is there something else that motivates me?  What motivates me to live an amazing Christian life, risking all for Christ, when I could choose to settle for a much easier path, and a normal Christian life?

Well, there's many things I could get into, especially about "the surpassing worth of Christ" as Paul describes it, and how this allows us to count all things as lost compared to His worth.

But specifically, I've been thinking lately about my "reward in heaven" and how this motivates me to live an extraordinary life for Christ.

John Piper said once, "Do you think it would be fair if apostle Paul and I were given the same reward in heaven?  No, absolutely not!  Surely Paul is worthy of a much greater reward in heaven!"
It makes sense right?  

And the scripture supports his idea:
1 Corinthians 3:8 "The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor."
Ephesians 6:8 "knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord"

But these works, are not simply good deeds, they are "works of faith", works done by faith in future grace.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Thessalonians 1:11 "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith."

This reward is given to the believer, acting out of trust in the future grace in God, and not to the one who does good deeds by human initiative.

Remember the parable of the minas (or pounds) in Luke 19:12-27?

 12He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13Calling ten of his servants,^a he gave them ten minas,^b and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!^c Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

The parable shows us that there are varying degrees of reward in heaven for the faithfulness of our lives.  But it also teaches that there is a loss of reward and heaven for those who claim to be faithful to Chris but do nothing to show that they prize God's gifts and love the Giver.  This is what happened to the third servant.  Jesus also says in Matthew 25:30 "And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

"all" means Christians and non-Christians.

Other texts on this topic:

Romans 2:5-8 " But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

 He will render to each one according to his works:  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury."

James 2:26 "Faith without works is dead"

John 5:28-29 "Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment."

In the words of John Piper "the way one lived will be evidence for whether one passes through judgement to life, or whether one experiences judgement as condemnation"

These are some of the things I remember when I think about my motivation to work hard for God's kingdom on this earth, giving up everything for Christ.  It is much more difficult for me to live such a life, but I want to count all my sufferings and everything I have here on the earth as nothing compared to "the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 3:8

One last piece of scripture that I hold constantly in my heart, that encourages me in my life:
Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This gives me the strength and courage to not fear what people will do to me if I have a crazy love and faithfulness to Christ.  I know that my reward will be great in heaven!  This is extremely motivating for me!

I recommend the book "Future Grace" by John Piper, to the Christian who wants to grow in their love and faith in God.

Praise be to the Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!