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Bible Question: What
are the rewards that each believer will receive in heaven? Should
we do God's work here on earth with these in mind so that we can obtain
many rewards in heaven one day?
Bible Answer: Recently,
an agnostic shared his point of view when he said that he would "'improvise,
adapt, and overcome' if it turns out that there is an afterlife"
(Arizona Daily Star, June 10, 2001). That is a view not shared by
the vast majority of people in the world. Every major religion teaches
that after we die something good or something bad will happen to us.
We sense there is a judgment to come. Why? God put it in us. Some
of us can suppress it, but inside we can sense there is coming a time
of "review for what we did in this life." That is even true
for Christians. Listen to these words.
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For
we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is
written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW
TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” So then
each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
(NASB) Rom. 14:10-12
For
we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according
to what he has done, whether good or bad. (NASB) 2 Cor. 5:10 |
Our
Review. The non-Christian's review is a time of sentencing - a
verdict that sends him or her to hell.
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And
these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life.
(NASB) Matt. 25:46 |
But
for
the Christian, our review is a time for receiving rewards. What a
difference! The first and best reward that God gives us is the reward
of eternal life with Him in heaven. Christians do not need to fear
going to hell. This reward is enough reason to seek to please Him.
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Whatever
you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for
men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward
of the inheritance.
(NASB) Col. 3:23-24 |
There
are other rewards that God gives us in addition to heaven. He gives
rewards for the holy things we do.
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For
no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation
with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s
work will become evident; for the day will show it, because
it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test
the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work
which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but
he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.
(NASB) 1 Cor. 3:11-15 |
We
will receive rewards and not judgment for what we did. |
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