Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Heb 11:6)Interesting, isn't it? In order to please God, we must 1) believe that He exists and 2) believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. You'd prefer not to seek rewards? He'd prefer you would.
The Bible speaks often of rewards. There is the "crown of righteousness" (2 Tim 4:8), the "crown of life" (James 1:12), and the "crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). Jesus promises to give the crown of life to those who are faithful unto death (Rev 2:10) and warns against losing crowns (Rev 3:11). We read of receiving the inheritance as a reward (Col 3:23-24), of Christ repaying each person for what he does (Matt 16:27), of being commended by God (1 Cor 4:5). Jesus speaks of standing in the judgment and hearing "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matt 25:21). Jesus said something fascinating on the subject. Not only do prophets and righteous people get rewards, but Jesus said this: "The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward." (Matt 10:41) This just keeps going and going. I know that it sounds holy to suggest that we should serve God without an eye on rewards, but God appears to disagree.
So, two important thoughts on this. First, I think if we keep in mind the source of our doing those things that earn rewards, it will make it easier to understand. In Philippians, Paul tells the believers there to work out their salvation with fear and trembling and then explains how that is accomplished. "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:12-13) Got that? Yes, you work. But in order to accomplish anything, you need two things: 1) the will to do it and 2) the power to do it. Not complicated. And Paul here says that's God's work in you. So, here's how it goes. God commands, the Spirit enters you and gives you both the will and the power to do, so you do, and God rewards you for doing what He worked out in you. It's not, you see, some supreme "good for me" thing. "I did it." Not at all. It's all Him.
Second, consider Jesus's command.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:19-21)Got that? You are supposed to lay up treasures in heaven. If you lay them up on earth (like we all seem to want to do), your heart will be here, but if you lay them up in heaven, your heart will be there, and that's the place it must be. So these rewards are those treasures that bind your heart to heaven. But consider this. In Revelation there is the scene in heaven where the 24 elders "cast their crowns before the throne" (Rev 4:10). Considering that the rewards we have earned were earned by the power of God at work in us, that makes perfect sense. So what is it that we are really doing? We're setting up a bank account in heaven so that when we get there we'll have something to give to the King. You know the old joke. The rich guy figured out how to take gold with him to heaven, but when he got there, Peter said, "So, what's with all the paving material?" That won't be us! We're not showing up with earthly treasures to give to God. We're showing up with heavenly treasures, rewards earned by God's work in us.
I don't know about you, but to me it is a real joy to think that my Father is going to give me the means to give Him a nice Father's Day gift. So I'm going to believe that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him and work for the rewards He claims I should want and set my heart on a treasure elsewhere so that I'll have something to give Him when I get to see Him face to face. That just seems like a good idea.
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