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GraceNotes
GraceNotes is a concise quarterly Bible study on the important issues related to
salvation by grace and living by grace. They are designed for downloading (*pdf available)
and copying so they can be used in ministry. No permission is required if they are
distributed unedited at no charge. You can receive new GraceNotes by subscribing to
our free quarterly GraceLife newsletter.
Topic: Rewards
Why do we as Christians serve God? Why should we serve God? Many have probably never paused to consider their motives.
The word reward (misthos) comes from the Greek word for pay or wages. While salvation is absolutely free, rewards are clearly earned.
Many Bible interpreters assume there is only one judgment at the end of the age, a judgment that separates believers from unbelievers. This causes major problems in harmonizing some Scriptures.
In the seven letters to the churches of Revelation chapters 2-3, the overcomers can be seen as either 1) all believers who are promised entrance into the kingdom, or 2) individual believers who overcome trials and are promised rewards in the kingdom and in eternity. The churches and their problems are obviously familiar and thus contemporary with the apostle John, the author, but the exhortations are relevant for all times.
There are two ways to view the rewards to the overcomers in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The recurring phrase “to him who overcomes” suggests Jesus is not making promises to every person in the church, but only to certain individuals. Though some rewards are a bit enigmatic, there is some biblical evidence that can help us interpret them.
Dismissed. Neglected. Forgotten. These words can describe how many treat the doctrine of the Judgment Seat of Christ (JSOC) in the New Testament.
This passage is packed with language and theology that has generated various interpretations. These three verses are most easily understood within the flow of the preceding context of verses 8-27, which speaks of the restoration and return of creation to a glorious end with believers ruling with Christ over all creation, and the following context of verses 31-36 which assures believers that nothing can prevent them from realizing this destiny. Verses 28-30 explain how God’s eternal purpose for every believer guarantees their final destiny with the encouragement of verse 28 explained by verses 29-30. The entire context focuses on the divine side of salvation.
This passage is packed with language and theology that has generated various interpretations. These three verses are most easily understood within the flow of the preceding context of verses 8-27, which speaks of the restoration and return of creation to a glorious end with believers ruling with Christ over all creation, and the following context of verses 31-36 which assures believers that nothing can prevent them from realizing this destiny. Verses 28-30 explain how God’s eternal purpose for every believer guarantees their final destiny with the encouragement of verse 28 explained by verses 29-30. The entire context focuses on the divine side of salvation.
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