Matthew 6:1-4 (NIV)
1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
In verse 1 of our passage above, reward here is FROM Father who is in Heaven not from our father here on earth. The rewards we will discuss here are the rewards that come FROM our Father GOD; whether we received or will still receive here on earth, and the rewards that awaits us IN Heaven.
As we have the Righteous GOD, all our good works shall be rewarded.
First, let us discuss The Rewards FROM Heaven. Rewards FROM Heaven are the rewards given here on earth. It includes not only good health, long life, prosperity, happiness, and material benefits, etc., but also honor and glory. All these rewards from GOD are surely to be enjoyed while we are still on earth. Romans 2:6-7 says, “6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” However, immortality will also come to everyone as a Reward FROM Heaven, the difference is where you will spend your immortality. If you will have your life forever in the New Earth that is yet to come, that will be a reward. But if not, and otherwise in the Lake of Fire, then immortality is a punishment. At this point, we must be sure that our doings are all good for the glory of GOD to have immortality in the New Heaven and in the New Earth that is yet to come.
So take heed of Saint Paul advice in Galatians 6:6-10. It says “ 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
On the other hand, Rewards IN Heaven cannot be done based on our good doings. Remember the story of The Young Rich Man who knew that he himself did good things? He cannot even enter the Kingdom of Heaven by his current situation at that time. Here’s the excerpt:
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother, ’and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.
The rewards that the rich man acquired in the story is the perfect example of Rewards FROM Heaven because he did really well in following the commandments. In fact, he was rewarded great wealth (v. 22) in this world. But to get a reward IN Heaven is impossible for this rich man. Why? Because rewards which are in Heaven can be achieved if you can only enter in it.(v.24)
How can a person enter Heaven to be rewarded IN Heaven?
Luke 6: 22 to 26 will help us determine how. And it says;
“22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, because great is your REWARD IN HEAVEN. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.”
Another ‘how’ is in the same source; (Luke 6:27-35)
Love for Enemies
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
Here are some Rewards IN Heaven:
To the one who is victorious, Jesus will give them the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. They will not be hurt at all by the second death. GOD will give them authority over the nations. Jesus Christ will give them the right to sit with Him on His throne, just as He was victorious and sat down with His Father on His throne. (Revelations 2:7,11,26, 3:21)
So let us take Saint Paul encouragement in Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Praise be to GOD, the Father, the Son. and the Holy Spirit, AMEN
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