# Doctrine of Rewards in Heaven: Where is it?



## Warren (Jun 19, 2015)

I can't find it. Is this treasure it?

Matthew 6:19-21
_Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also._

Everlasting Life is my treasure in heaven. I'm told by others I respect and befriend this is basic, and I should aspire to do well with my minas wages, because rewards await.

In all honesty, this is grotesque and smacks of an arrogant caste system. That doesn't sound like adoption, brotherhood, and sonship. If I'm wrong, please help me understand.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
_Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire._

Is Paul saying teachers, though their teaching (work) has flaws, will emerge justified like us? Or is he saying, because of their errors, their work is for naught, and they'll barely make it to heaven?

I think the point is good teaching - whether from Paul or Silas, or Barnabas, or Apollos - is refined during Christ's judgment on the last Day, when we will see with new eyes, and the bad teaching is burned up with the refuse of this world. It seems consistent, but I don't know if that's right...

Thanks!


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## Warren (Jun 20, 2015)

Paul uses the illustration of building on the foundations of Christ in Romans 15, when he's explaining why he wants to teach where no one else has. That and the context of 1 Corinthians, arguments of "I am of Paul", "I am of Apollos", has me seeing 1 Corinthians 3 is misapplied in a doctrine of rewards in heaven.

Any thoughts?


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## Contra_Mundum (Jun 20, 2015)

Luke 19:12-27, Parable of Talents. Matthew Poole's comment:


> The different account the servants brought in, signifies that men do not equally use the gifts with which the Lord blesseth them; some use them well, some ill; some bring honour and glory to God by the use of them, and that some in one degree, and some in another. Some bring him no honour or glory at all. The master’s answer to them upon their accounts, lets us know that every man shall be rewarded according to his work. There will be degrees in glory, (though we cannot well open them), as well as of punishments.



Mt.16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Rev.22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Your above quote of 1Cor.3 left off v8:
1Cor.3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

2Jn.1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
on this place, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's Commentary:


> *A full reward* - of grace, not debt: consummated glory. If 'which YE have wrought' be read, the reward is that of their "work (of faith) and labour of love." There are degrees of heavenly reward proportioned to the capability of receiving heavenly blessedness. Each vessel of glory hanging on Jesus shall be full. But the larger the vessel, the greater will be its capacity for heavenly bliss (Is.22:24, "And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons."). He who with one pound made ten, received authority over ten cities; he who made five pounds, received five cities: each in proportion to his capacity of rule, and his faithfulness (Lk.19:15-19; 1Cor.15:41, "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory."). 'There is no half reward. It is either lost altogether or received in full: full communion with God' (Bengel). No service of minister or people shall fail of its reward.



There's still no room in heaven for boasting. We will be what we will be; and all shall have been done in us, to fit us severally for heaven, by grace and mercy wrought.


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## Travis Fentiman (Jun 20, 2015)

For your convenience, most of the Bible's explicit statements on rewards in heaven are on this webpage:

Bible Verses on Rewards in Heaven​
Whatever theological objections one may have to the idea coming into the issue, are completely outweighed by the shear number and weight of the scriptures that teach that there will be rewards in heaven.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Jun 20, 2015)

Probably which accounts for the saying that in heaven everyone's cup will be full—but some cups will be larger than others' and no one will care.


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## Warren (Jun 20, 2015)

Thank you Bruce and Travis, and Patrick. There's actually a basis for some kind of meritorious reward. I suspected this was an American doctrine. Did I not look hard enough in the Westminster? I looked in there and the RPCNA Testimony. I wish I thought of asking in my church membership classes...

I realize I'm being crass, but this is one of those areas I'm the least learned in, and even worse most skeptical about. I come out of teaching environments, where the Christian's rational service was to help the church get bigger: volunteer an honest day's work at our campuses, Sundays as well, to the "glory of God", and your altruistic striving will be rewarded. I've heard a lot about jewels in the crown, in that time... Not much about holiness, or approaching God with a clear conscience, and what little was about holiness circled round to performing altruistic deeds. Maybe there was less to be offended by, than what I remember, I just have a really hard time with these verses...

Thanks again for your help! I have something to study, now.


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## TylerRay (Jun 20, 2015)

Warren said:


> Did I not look hard enough in the Westminster?



WCF XVI.vi:


> VI. Notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him; not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreproveable in God's sight; but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and *reward* that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.


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## Travis Fentiman (Jun 22, 2015)

Warren, 

I appreciate your sincerity, honesty and willingness to look into these things. If you are interested Cornelius P. Venema, a professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, has about the fullest discussion of this issue that one will find in one or two chapters in his Promise of the Future, published by the Banner of Truth. He surveys all the relevant Biblical data, analyzes the theological issues, quotes some dead theologians (Jonathan Edwards and others) and argues that there will be rewards in heaven, as well as different levels of punishment in Hell. 


Blessings.


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## Travis Fentiman (Jun 22, 2015)

Also,

WCF, 33.1

God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ,[a] to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father.* In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,[c] but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.[d]

[a] Acts 17:31.
 John 5:22,27.
[c] 1 Cor. 6:3. Jude ver. 6. 2 Pet. 2:4.
[d] 2 Cor. 5:10. Eccl. 12:14. Rom. 2:16. Rom. 14:10,12. Matt. 12:36,37.​*​


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## Pilgrim (Jun 22, 2015)

As alluded to in the portion of Poole quoted above by Rev. Buchanan, there are also degrees of punishment in hell. 

We see this in Matthew 11 



> [SUP]21 [/SUP]Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
> [SUP]22 [/SUP]But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
> [SUP]23 [/SUP]And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
> [SUP]24 [/SUP]But I say unto you, That *it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee*.



and Luke 10




> [SUP]10 [/SUP]But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
> [SUP]11 [/SUP]Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
> [SUP]12 [/SUP]But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.


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## Kaj (Jun 24, 2015)

This is helpful. Thank you, men.


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