Rewards and Recompense

Everyone (believer, unbeliever, Satan and his agents) will stand before the judgement to receive the final verdict of God. It is known that no one can be fully righteous before God to escape condemnation, but through faith in Christ people can receive the grace to live and please God for eternal rewards. If we hope for eternal rewards we should continue to invest our lives in things that have eternal values. Daniel 12:2 – Many of them that slept in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and eternal contempt. The followings are discussed: The Reward of Believers; Satan’s Final Defeat and The Final Judgement.

The Reward of Believers: Daniel received the revelation about the end times that those who are saved will shine in heaven (Daniel 12:3). Having this in mind, Christians should be a good example of godly living and righteousness needed for right relationship with God for the eternal rewards.

All works shall be judged for reward and recompense. Christ has been set as the solid foundation on which people should build their lives by faith. Whatever we are building upon him should be considered for eternal value (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Our works will be tested by fire to see whether they can stand or get burnt. God wants our works to stand like gold, silver or precious stone which gets refined and becomes more valuable when tested by fire.

It is stated that a worker shall be saved by faith in Christ and his redemptive work, even if his work is burned up (verse 14). Our deeds are not in vain, they are being recorded for eternal rewards. As we keep faith in Christ we should strive to enter heaven with good works (verse 15). Though our works and deeds cannot save us, they are still required as evidence of our salvation.

Those who are rewarded are blessed for divine favour. God will give grace to and reward those who are redeemed to Him by Christ. His redeemed saints will be invited to the ‘marriage of the Lamb’ Revelation 19:6-10).

Satan’s Final Defeat: Satan has been deceiving people from the beginning and accusing believers. He shall be bound and thrown to bottomless pit at the end of the Great Tribulation. At the end of one thousand years (Christ’s millennium reign) he will be released for a short time to trouble nations again. Then those who follow him shall be gathered together on the earth to oppose God and His people around Jerusalem. But fire will come from heaven and devour his armies. At that time he will be defeated and thrown to hell as punishment of his final judgement. Though the Devil is powerful and his influence is so strong Christians can resist him and make him flee (1 Peter 5:8&9; James 4:7). The victory is in Christ.

The Final Judgement: All people will be raised to face the final judgement (Daniel 12:2). The righteous will be raised to everlasting life while the unrighteous will be raised to shame and everlasting contempt. This earth is not the end of life; everyone shall be raised either to heaven or hell. Where individual will spend eternity depends on his or her attitudes to God’s offers of eternal life through Christ.

At the judgement, Book of Life shall be opened and everyone will be judged according to his or her deeds (Revelation 20:11-15). Those whose names are not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (second death). There they will join the beast, false prophet and Satan. The Final judgment will be righteous. It will not favour the rank, condition or profession. Hell is a terrible place to spend eternity, but people are assured of heaven if they place their trust in Christ and help others to know God and do His will. Lesson Texts: Daniel 2:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 19:6-10; 20:7-15.