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# 7 – Rewards
September 24th, 2009
“Rewards”
Introduction to Master Study Outline #7
There is a vast difference in the doctrine of salvation for the lost, and the doctrine of rewards for the saved. Salvation is “the gift of God not as a result of works” (Eph 2:8, 9). Salvation is received by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:36). Rewards are according to the works of the believer (Matt 16:27).
A most revealing Scripture on rewards is found in (I Cor. 3:8-15):
· First, every believer will be rewarded “according to his own labor” (I Cor 3:8). We do not labor for salvation.
· Second, “We are God’s fellow workers” (I Cor 3:9), not for salvation, but for rewards.
· Third, the believer is not to build “a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (I Cor 3:11).
· Fourth, the believer has a choice of two kinds of building materials: o “Gold, silver, precious stones”, this is building with eternal materials. o “Wood, hay, straw”, this is building with temporal materials (I Cor 3:12 and 2 Cor 4:18). The believer who builds on Christ with eternal materials, “gold, silver, precious stones” shall receive a reward. Those who build on Christ with temporal materials, “wood, hay, straw” will receive no reward. The works of “wood, hay, straw” will be destroyed at the “judgment seat of Christ”, and the believer will suffer loss, not the loss of salvation, but the loss of eternal reward.
Some believers will be ashamed at the “judgment seat of Christ” (1 John 2:28), ashamed of their works of “wood, hay, straw”.
From Porter Barrington’s, (the author/commentator of this bible study) personal experience:
· In the first year of my ministry, I sat at the bedside of a dying friend. As we talked of his home-going, tears filled his eyes. Being young in the Lord, I thought he was afraid to die, and attempted to speak words of encouragement to him. He said, “I am not afraid to die; I am ashamed to die.” He went on to say that Christ was his Savior, but he had lived for self, and now had to meet the Lord Jesus Christ empty handed. His life loomed up before him as “wood, hay, straw”. He was “saved, yet so as through fire”.
Rewards are called “crowns” or “wreaths” in the new testament.
Index of Master Study Outline #7
I. The Crown of Life
Read: James 1:12
II. The Wreath Imperishable
Read: 1 Cor 9:24-27
III. The Crown of Exultation
Read: 1 Thess 2:19-20
IV. The Crown of Righteousness
Read: 2 Tim 4:5-8
V. The Crown of Glory
Read: I Pet 5:2-4
I. The Crown of Life
Read: James 1:12
This reward could be called the lover’s crown. Upon examination of this verse, we discover that the believer finds strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God. Paul said, “We also exult in our tribulations”. The question is Do we, today, exult in tribulation? We can, only if the “love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:3-5). Without the love of God in the heart of the believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the “crown of life”.
All believers have eternal life (John 3:15-16), but not all believers will be rewarded with the “crown of life”. This crown will be given to those who are “faithful until death” (Rev 2-10). To receive the “crown of life” the believer must love the Lord more than his own life. “For whoever wishes to save his life (live for self) shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s (live for Christ at all cost) shall save it” (Mark 8:35). This reward will be given to those who live for Christ, and endure temptations, in the power of the love of God (1 Cor 10:13).
II. The Wreath Imperishable
Read: 1 Cor 9:24-27
Paul makes use of the Greek games to illustrate the spiritual race of the believer. They ran to win a “perishable wreath; but we an imperishable” wreath. No young man could contend in the games unless he was a Greek citizen, born of Greek parents. No unsaved person can participate in the services of the Lord for rewards; only the born of God are eligible (John 3:3).
Just as the athlete must deny himself many gratification’s of the body so the believer must say, “I buffet my body and make it my slave” or he will become “disqualified”. He will not lose his salvation, but he will lose the “imperishable wreath”.
The Greek games had hard and fast rules for all participants. The New Testament contains the rules for the believers who would enter the spiritual race to win the “imperishable wreath”.
· The believer must deny self of anything that would weigh him down and hold him back (Heb 12:1).
· The believer must keep his eyes fixed on Jesus, and not look to the right or the left (Heb 12;2).
· The believer must find his strength in the Lord (Eph 6:10-18).
· The believer must place his all upon the altar of the Lord (Rom 12:1, 2).
· The believer must, by faith, refuse anything that would impede spiritual progress (Heb 11:24-29).
Do not be a spiritual spectator. Enter the race and run to win the “imperishable wreath”.
III. The Crown of Exultation
Read: 1 Thess 2:19-20
The “crown of exultation” is the soul winner’s crown. The greatest work you are privileged to do for the Lord is to bring others to a knowledge of Christ as personal Savior. The degree of your joy in heaven will be determined by the souls you have had a part in bringing to Christ. Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that they are his “… hope or joy or crown of exultation” now and when Jesus comes.
· It is wise to win souls to Christ (Prov 11:30 OT).
· It is a work against sin to win souls to Christ (James 5:20).
· It is a cause for joy in heaven to win souls to Christ (Luke 15:10).
· Every soul winner will shine as the stars forever (Dan 12:3 OT).
How you can win souls to Christ:
· Witness with your life live that others may see Christ in you (2 Cor 3-2 and Gal 2:20).
· Witness with your mouth, trusting the Holy Spirit to give power to the spoken word (Acts 1:8).
· Witness by tithes and offerings that others may preach Christ, and you will have “profit which increases to your account” (Phil 4:15-17 and 2 Cor 9:6).
God has promised that your toil will not be in vain in the Lord (1 Cor 15:58). The soul winner will not rejoice alone, all of heaven will rejoice with him when he receives the “crown of exultation” (John 4:36).
IV. The Crown of Righteousness
Read: 2 Tim 4:5-8
The “crown of righteousness” is a reward, and it is not to be confused with the “righteousness of God” which the believer receives when he becomes a Christian; for at that time, the believer is to become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5 21). This saving righteousness is a gift to be accepted by the lost. The “crown of righteousness” is a reward to be earned by the saved. If the believer looks for, and loves the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, it will affect his whole life. Look at the dynamic impact this truth had on the life of the Apostle Paul. He could say:
· “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim 4:7 and 1 Cor 15:32). He fought a spiritual battle throughout his Christian life, and won. He never surrendered to the enemies of righteousness (Eph 6:12).
· “I have finished the course.” He had a course to travel, and he did not detour the hard places; neither did he look back (Luke 9:61, 62). He finished his course with his eyes fixed on Christ (Phil 1:6).
· “I have kept the faith.” He preached the “… whole purpose of God”, never betraying any of the great doctrines (Acts 20:24-31). The Apostle looked ahead to the “judgment seat of Christ” where the “crown of righteousness” will be given to those who “loved His appearing”. How important it is for the believer to look with a heart of love for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he may receive the “crown of righteousness” (2 Tim 4:8).
V. The Crown of Glory
Read: I Pet 5:2-4
The “crown of glory” is a special reward for the faithful, obedient God-called Pastor. He will receive this reward when the “Chief Shepherd appears. It is eternal; it is “unfading”. Every believer may share in the pastor’s “crown of glory”. “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Matt 10:41). Support your faithful, God-called Pastor by:
· Praying for him and encouraging him in the work of the Lord.
· Undergird his ministry with God’s tithes and your offerings (Mal 3:10 OT).
· Giving freely of your time to the service of the Lord.
And, God will reward you for supporting His chosen servant by allowing you to share in your pastor’s reward. The Pastor will earn this “crown of glory” by:
· Feeding the church. He is to proclaim the Word of God without fear or
favor; and, when necessary, he will “reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Tim 4:2-5).
· Taking the spiritual oversight of the church. The Pastor is responsible to God for the message preached to his people. No Pastor should preach to please the people; he is to please his Lord (Gal 1:10).
· Being an example to the church. He is not to serve for the reward of money. Yet, the church is responsible to care for his every material need (1 Tim 5:18). He is to be a spiritual leader, and not a dictator. He is to walk with God by faith. “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet 5:4).
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