Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 22:12-15.
“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.” Revelation 22:12-15.
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Our natural condition of pride and experience in the business world may lead us to think of different rewards. We may want credit for earning rewards based on our works. We may not be satisfied with eternal life and all the riches of heaven. We may want extra rewards, and we may want the extra rewards to set us higher in a pecking order above others.
But, we do notice in today’s Scripture, that Jesus refers to reward in the singular as “My reward is with Me” and not in the plural as “My rewards are with Me”. There is “only” the reward of eternal life in heaven covered by description “the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city” and eternal punishment in hell covered by the description “Outside”. Verses 14-15.
One of the most clear and dramatic teachings of one reward, eternal life in heaven, is Jesus’ Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard in which each of the laborers received the same one reward, namely one denarius (so to speak, a just and exact amount of money for a full day’s labor) but which some of the laborers complained: “These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.” Jesus answered: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.” See Matthew 20:1-16.
Even one of the Parables that I thought would be an example of different rewards, the Parable of the Talents, there was only one reward. The exact same reward was given to the one who was entrusted with five talents and brought his master five more talents as to the one was given to the one who was entrusted with two talents and gained two more talents. “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” Matthew 25:21 (five talents) and Matthew 25:23 (two talents).
In Jesus’ discourse of the Judgment in Matthew 25:31-46, notice that despite mentioning different services that I quote below, the Son of Man separates into only two groups, the sheep on the right and the goats on the left, and there were only the reward of eternal life and the punishment of eternal punishment.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’” Matthew 25:34-36.
“These will go away into eternal punishment (the goats), but the righteous into eternal life (the sheep).” Matthew 25:46.
If God gives the greatest and most comprehensive reward to us (eternal life including all the riches of heaven) by grace alone, then it is both logical and supported by Scripture that God will give us other lesser rewards (if any) by grace alone.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
If different rewards were so important, compared to the one reward of eternal life, then one would expect more to be mentioned about different rewards in the Reformed Confessions of Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dordt, and Belgic Confession. But, we do not see much presented of different rewards. (As I have stated in both the Headnotes of “About Me” and “Links”: “The reader is advised to follow the example set forth in Acts 17:11: “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”)
For example, consider the very lukewarm statement in Belgic Confession in Article 24: Of man’s Sanctification and Good Works.
“… In the meantime, we do not deny that God rewards our good works, but it is through his grace that he crowns his gifts. …”
First, the statement that God rewards our good works is not positively declared; it is only not denied. Second, in any event, the statement does not declare that there are plural rewards, only that God rewards, which the writer could maintain is by one reward, eternal life. Third, the emphasis of this article is on the following central point. “Therefore we do good works, but not to merit by them, (for what can they merit?) nay, we are beholden to God for the good works we do, and not he to us, since it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
As another example, consider the following Question and Answer from the Heidelberg Catechism which would present a good opportunity to present different rewards, but it does not do so.
Q. 86. Since then we are delivered from our misery merely of grace, through Christ, without any merit of ours, why must we still do good works?
A. Because Christ, having redeemed and delivered us by His blood, also renews us by His Holy Spirit after His own image; that so we may testify by the whole of our conduct our gratitude to God for His blessings, and that He may be praised by us; also, that every one may be assured in himself of his faith by the fruits thereof; and that by our godly conversation others may be gained to Christ.
In summary and conclusion, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32. “So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 