Rewards In Heaven
The Bible clearly teaches a reward system in Heaven. And just stop and think about it for a moment. These rewards will not affect you for just a year or a decade or a century, but for all eternity.
Incorruptible crown
1 Cor. 9:25 1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
This crown is given for those who strive for mastery and is temperate in all things. Now here is a simple truth. Only those who strive will get this crown so therefore if you don’t strive then you will not get this crown. Not everyone is going to get one.
The Bible teaches a reward system in heaven.
Crown of rejoicing
1 Thes. 2:19-20 For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.
This is often referred to as the Soul Winners Crown.
The verse says what is our crown of rejoicing? And then it answers the question with ye are. Who are the ye? They are the people that they won to the Lord. This is the Soul winners crown. So people who win souls get one and those who do not win souls don’t get one.
The Bible teaches a reward system in heaven.
Crown of righteousness
II Tim. 4:7-8 I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
This crown goes to those who love his appearing. Now if you are sitting there with a bottle of the Devils brew in your hand when Jesus comes, you are not going to love His appearing. If you are carrying a load of un-confessed sin, you are not going to love His appearing, because when He appears you are then going to the Judgment seat of Christ to give an answer. That is not going to be any fun if you are living in sin.
And again some Christians are going to get a crown of righteousness and many Christians are not.
Crown of glory
1 Peter 5:2-4 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over [God’s] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
This is often referred to as the Pastor’s crown. This crown is for those who feed the flock and take oversight of it. And notice that they have to do it with the right motivation. They have to do it willingly and not for money.
There are many Pastors that are expecting to get this crown that won’t. Instead of preaching the whole consul of God and exercising proper oversight over the flock. They tickle people’s ears so that they can have more people so that they can have more power and more money.
Some Pastor’s are going to get this crown and some will not.
Crown of life
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
This crown is often referred to as the Martyr’s crown. This crown goes to those who are faithful unto death. This crown goes to those who are killed for their faith.
There are a total of 5 crowns that Christians will be rewarded with.
But that is not the only rewards in Heaven.
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
We are commanded to lay up treasures in Heaven. That tells me several things. One there must be treasures for us to lay up in Heaven. We would not be commanded to do it if it was not possible. And if we have to lay them up, then some people are going to get them and some will not.
Two is says treasures. Plural. So there are many treasures that we can lay up in Heaven. Three it should be obvious that some are going to lay up more treasures than others.
The Bible teaches a reward system in Heaven.
2Jo 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
This verse is talking about rewards and not salvation. You cannot loose your salvation. But this verse teaches that you can lose your rewards. It says to look to yourselves so that you don’t lose the things that you have wrought. So that you can receive a full reward. If you are not careful you can have a full reward laid up and then get careless during the last years of your life and lose those things which you have wrought.
And when Jesus comes you will not get what you would have had coming.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
It is our works that lays up treasures in Heaven.
Heb 6:10 For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
You do a good work with the right heart and God will not forget your work and labor of love.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
What ever work that you do for the Lord is not in vain. God takes notice and God will reward you for it.
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Our works are going to be tried by the fiery judgment of God. If our works are wood hay and stubble then they will be burnt up. It will be like we never did them.
However, if our works abide. If they survive the test of God’s fiery judgment, then we will receive a reward. The Bible clearly teaches a reward system in Heaven.
And just stop and think about it for a moment. These rewards will not affect you for just a year or a decade or a century, but for all eternity.
That is why the Bible says in
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.