WHAT KIND OF REWARDS WILL BELIEVERS RECEIVE IN HEAVEN?

The 5 rewards in Heaven

 Crown of Life.
 Incorruptible Crown.
 Crown of Righteousness.
 Crown of Glory.
 Crown of Rejoicing.

10 Things Christ Promises to Reward

 Prayer and Fasting. ...
 Compassion for the vulnerable. ...
 Bearing insults and being excluded for the name of Christ. ...
 Love for your enemies. ...
 Generous giving. ...
 Hospitality that cannot be repaid. ...
 Endurance through pressures in ministry. ...
 Quality work for your employer.

WHAT ARE THE REWARDS OF GOD?

Rewards are a motivator. Interestingly, God is a Rewarder of His children, who show loyalty to
Him. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to
God must believe that ....8 Aug 2021

WHAT IS REWARD BIBLICALLY?

In English Versions of the Bible, however, "reward" is used quite generally for anything given,
and the term covers the recompense of evil (Psalms 91:8), wages (1 Timothy 5:18 the King
James Version), bribes (Micah 7:3), and gifts (Jeremiah 40:5 the King James Version).

WHAT IS MY REWARD IF I PREACH THE GOSPEL?

1 Corinthians 9:18, NASB: What, then, is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may
offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Five crowns
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search

The Crown of Life in a stained glass window in memory of the First World War, created c. 1919
by Joshua Clarke & Sons, Dublin.[1]
The Five Crowns, also known as the Five Heavenly Crowns, is a concept in Christian
theology that pertains to various biblical references to the righteous's eventual reception of a
crown after the Last Judgment.[2] Proponents of this concept interpret these passages as
specifying five separate crowns, these being the Crown of Life; the Incorruptible Crown; the
Crown of Righteousness; the Crown of Glory; and the Crown of Exultation. [2] In
the Greek language, stephanos (στέφανος) is the word for crown and is translated as such in the
Bible, especially in versions descending from the King James Version.[3] These five rewards can
be earned by believers, according to the New Testament, as "rewards for faithfulness in this life".
[4]

Contents
1. Crown of Life
2. Incorruptible Crown
3. Crown of Righteousness
4. Crown of Glory
5. Crown of Rejoicing
 1. Crown of Life

Martyrdom of Ignatius of Antioch from the Menologion of Basil II

The Crown of Life, also called the Martyr's Crown, is referred to in James 1:12 and Revelation
2:10; it is bestowed upon "those who persevere under trials."[5][6] Jesus references this crown
when he tells the Church in Smyrna to "not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful
even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."[7]

2. Incorruptible Crown
The Incorruptible Crown is also known as the Imperishable Crown, and is referenced in 1
Corinthians 9:25.[2] This epistle, written by Paul of Tarsus, deems this crown "imperishable" in
order "to contrast it with the temporal awards Paul's contemporaries pursued".[8] It is therefore
given to those individuals who demonstrate "self-denial and perseverance".[8]

3. Crown of Righteousness
The Crown of Righteousness is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:8,[2] and is promised to "those who
love and anticipate" the Second Coming of Christ.[9] These Christians desire intimacy with God.
[10]

4. Crown of Glory

A clergyman administers confirmation to a confirmand.

The Crown of Glory is discussed in 1 Peter 5:4 and is granted to Christian clergy, who "shepherd
the flock in unselfish love being a good example to others" 1 Peter 5:2–4. [11][12]

5. Crown of Rejoicing
The Crown of Rejoicing is also known as the Crown of Exultation, or Crown of Auxiliary.
[2]
 Delineated in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 and Philippians 4:1, it is given to people who engage
in evangelism of those outside the Christian Church.[13] In the New Testament, Paul earns this
crown after winning the Thessalonians to faith in Jesus.[14]

What Kind of Rewards Will Believers Receive in Heaven?

By David Jeremiah
 Olympic athletes train for years to win prizes and acclaim that will quickly fade away. But
Christians who diligently run the spiritual race will receive rewards for their faithfulness at the
Judgment Seat of Christ, rewards which they will reinvest in the glory of Christ for eternity.
The Judgment Seat of Christ is not a final exam to determine our suitability for heaven. If we
have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior, our sins have been forgiven, and that is what qualifies us
to enter the holy presence of God in heaven. As the apostle Paul states, “There is therefore now
no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Our sins—past, present, and
future—were all paid for on Calvary’s cross.  
When we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, our faithful service to Him will be evaluated
and rewarded. With perfect knowledge, He will assess our every thought, motive, and action.
Erwin W. Lutzer has said, “We do not desire rewards for the reward itself, but because rewards
are a reflection of Christ’s approval of us.” The prospect of this coming judgment should
motivate us to be please the Lord in our daily life, running our spiritual race toward His heavenly
rewards.
The prospect of this coming judgment should motivate us to be please the Lord in our daily
life, running our spiritual race toward His heavenly rewards.

5 CROWN REWARDS IN HEAVEN

The Victor’s Crown (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
Self-discipline requires the ability to say “No” when necessary—and not just to things that are
sinful. As the saying goes, “The good is the enemy of the best.” Serving God involves narrowing
our focus to those things with the highest eternal value. Life is full of good things that take our
focus off the best Christ has to offer. It is up to us to identify them and choose accordingly.
Those who exercise such discipline will receive the Victor’s Crown.
Think about how you spend your time, money, and talents. Do your habits reflect service to God,
or do they indicate other priorities?  
The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19)
This crown is awarded to those who bring others to Christ. It’s often called the Soul-Winner’s
Crown, and it’s the reward given to those who reach out beyond themselves and lead others to
heaven.
When was the last time you talked about Jesus to someone who wasn’t a Christian?
The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8)
Many Christians become so caught up with earthly activities that they forget heaven is their true
home. This crown is not for those believers. It is for those who long for heaven, their true home,
who long to see the face of their Savior when He comes for them in the clouds.
What aspect(s) of heaven do you most look forward to?
The Crown of Life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)
Believers who maintain their love for Christ while triumphing over persecution, temptation, and
even martyrdom, receive this crown. Many people will receive this crown because they gave
their life for their faith, but there will be others wearing this crown too. Any believer who has
kept the faith when it was costly to do so—anyone who has suffered, endured, persevered, and
encouraged others—will receive the Crown of Life.
How have you suffered for the sake of the Gospel?
The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4)
This crown is given to faithful shepherds of God’s people—pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday
school teachers, ministry team leaders, and more. It will reward those who answer the call of
leadership.
Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew
9:37). How have you responded to this need? Pray to the Lord, asking Him to send more
shepherds for His people.
Every Christian should pursue these rewards, but no crown could ever compare to the splendor
of seeing our Lord and Savior face to face. And until that day, we have a responsibility to run the
spiritual race with all the determination and devotion of an Olympic athlete.
Every Christian should pursue these rewards, but no crown could ever compare to the
splendor of seeing our Lord and Savior face to face.
PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL
In 1896, an American track and field athlete named James Connolly ascended the victor’s
podium at the first modern Olympic games. He was the first Olympic champion in 1,400 years.
Connolly embodied the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” That’s a good slogan for the
Christian life too. The apostle Paul embodied this attitude when he wrote,
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)
What does it take to run toward the upward call of God?
Resolve to do it. When Connolly was determined to be an Olympian, it cost him a Harvard
education, all his savings, and loads of stress and strain. He abandoned his former dreams and
embraced a new one. As Paul wrote in Philippians 3, “What things were gain to me, these I have
counted loss for Christ” (verse 7).
When we decide to follow Christ, everything else becomes secondary. Some things we give up
entirely—sinful lifestyles, unhealthy habits, unholy relationships. Other things we offer to the
Lord for His service. As we press toward the goal, we pursue Christ with all our heart.
What do you need to give up as you commit to following Christ? What talents can you dedicate
to His service?
Stick with the training. The Bible emphasizes exercise in the form of godliness, self-control,
righteousness, and leadership. To train our spiritual muscles, we need to study our Bibles on a
regular basis, applying its truth to our life. We then make room for Christian disciplines and
activities by saying “No” to other opportunities. We wake up early to attend church and make
morning devotions a habit. We seek opportunities to serve the Lord, and we memorize Scripture
so that we can offer words of encouragement to others from the Word of God.
Don’t give up. Spiritual transformation doesn’t just happen. Reaping the harvest, gaining the
victory, finishing the race, and glorifying the Lord are connected to the forcefulness and fortitude
of our spiritual race. Each trial we face carries the power to develop our character and hope as
we press on with grit and grace. Perseverance is the key to spiritual success.
Each trial we face carries the power to develop our character and hope as we press on with
grit and grace. Perseverance is the key to spiritual success.
The contemporary praise and worship group Casting Crowns began in Daytona Beach, Florida,
with you pastor Mark Hall, who ministered at the First Baptist Church in 1999. Initially a student
worship band, Hall recalls that when the group started, they were studying Revelation 4 and
singing Chris Tomlin’s song that says, “We fall down, we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus.”
That was the inspiration for their name.
Hall went on to say, “For me, as a believer, if you’re not careful, little things will rise up in your
life and become important. And it will create distance between you and God; and these little
kingdoms don’t have to be bad things, sometimes that can be good things. They just take our
focus away, and we have to let these kingdoms fall and fall before Him and make sure that we
are setting apart Christ as Lord in our lives.”
The five heavenly crowns described in the Bible will be awarded to faithful believers. If we live
wholeheartedly for Christ, we will receive a crown to cast at the feet of Jesus in heaven. 

Are There Different Degrees of Reward In Heaven?

By J. Warner Wallace

Image Credit: Roy Mattappallil

As Christians, we believe that we are saved solely by the grace of God. When we say this, we
mean we believe God sets us apart for salvation based not on anything we could do on our own
effort, but based on the “free gift” of salvation offered by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Our
‘works’ play no role in our salvation. We cannot ‘earn’ our way into Heaven, this is a gift of
God, so no man or woman could ever boast they ‘earned’ a place in Heaven with God.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
But when we make this claim to non-Christians who believe salvation results from some human
effort in combination with the work of God (Jewish believers or Mormons for example), we
often hear the complaint orthodox Christianity seems to ignore the behavior of believers
altogether. After all, do we actually think all believers are acceptable to God no matter what they
do or how they behave? Do we believe someone can simply say they believe but then live a life
exhibiting very little evidence of this belief and still expect to get into Heaven? Doesn’t the
Mormon notion of levels of Heaven (for example) seem to be a more equitable and fair position
on the nature of the afterlife?

Aren’t We Asked to Work While We Are Here?

The beliefs of Christians are often mischaracterized. While we, as Christians, don’t believe our
works have anything to do with our entry to heaven, we do understand our works have
everything to do with our reward once we get there. This is clear from the Biblical record of
Scripture. The Apostle John reminds us of the importance of the need to “work” while we are
here on Earth:
John 9:4-5
“We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no
man can work.”
So, why is it so important for us to “work”? Is it so that we can earn our Salvation? No, that can’t
be the reason, because the passage we just read in Ephesians makes it clear our Salvation
is not the product of our work. The issue here is not Salvation; it is reward. The orthodox
Christian view of Heaven sees it as a place where rewards are distributed to the saints in
accordance with the nature of their lives here on earth.
Now, not everyone in Christendom agrees with this idea. Some argue all heavenly reward is
measured out equally to those who are saved. So let’s examine both cases and see if we can
determine the best inference from the Biblical evidence.

The Case for Equal Reward in Heaven

Now remember as we proceed, every faithful follower of Jesus Christ will receive the best gift of
all; eternal life. The question is only whether or not there is an additional reward waiting for
some of us. Those who say God rewards every saved Christian equally sometimes point to a
specific parable of Jesus to make their case:
Matthew 20:1-15
For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he
sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in
the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I
will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did
the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and
he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They said to him,
‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ When evening came,
the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages,
beginning with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each
one received a denarius. When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive
more; but each of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they grumbled at the
landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal
to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ But he answered and said to
one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take
what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me
to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’
At first glance, it appears from the parable everyone who gets into heaven is given an equal
reward, independent of their “work” here on earth. After all, these workers enter at different
times and appear to perform different amounts of work, yet they all get the same payment. Does
this mean regardless of what we do here on earth, the reward will be the same for all of us? Or is
it possible this parable is really trying to make an entirely different point?

Remember this passage of scripture comes right after a discussion Jesus had with a Gentile ruler
(the ‘Rich Young Ruler’ encounter). Here Jesus told a Gentile what was required for him to enter
the Kingdom, and he did it right in front of all of his Jewish disciples. After talking to this
Gentile, Peter asked Jesus if the disciples themselves had done enough to enter the Kingdom, and
importantly, Peter asks, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there
be for us?” (Matthew 19: 27). Jesus assured Peter the Jewish disciples would have authority in
the Kingdom, but also told Peter many others who come to the truth later would also be in the
Kingdom:
Matthew 19:28-39
And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration
when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or
father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and
will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”
This last statement is important. Jesus told the disciples some who come late would also be in the
Kingdom. Who were these late comers? The parable of the vineyard workers answered this
question. When read in the context of Matthew Chapter 19, it’s easy to see the parable of the
vineyard is all about the Salvation of the Gentiles. The parable was designed to illustrate the fact
the Gentiles (who actually heard the Gospel and entered the Kingdom very late compared to the
Jews who possessed the scripture all along), would also enjoy the same privileges and rights as
the Jews who were ”chosen” and “favored”.
This parable does not teach all reward in heaven would be the same. In fact, if you read the
parable in the context of Matthew Chapter 19, you can easily see all reward in Heaven
will not be the same. After all, in Matthew 19:28-29, Jesus clearly told his disciples they would
have a greater reward than those in Heaven over whom they will judge:
“Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man
will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes
of Israel”
In light of this statement, any attempt to read the parable of the vineyard and conclude reward in
Heaven will be equal for everyone, is simply an inaccurate interpretation of the parable.While
we, as Christians, don’t believe our works have anything to do with our entry to heaven, we do
understand our works have everything to do with our reward once we get there. CLICK TO
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The Case For Unequal Reward in Heaven

There are many good Biblical reasons to believe there are different levels of reward in Heaven.
Orthodox Christianity does teach faith alone saves us. But Christianity also teaches our salvation
is not the same as our reward. We serve an equitable and fair King, who loves us and is also just
and holy. Grace alone brings us into the kingdom. Nothing we can do on our own can ever ‘earn’
this for us:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
In this sense, the gift of “eternal life” is given to all believers equally based on their faith alone.
But there is plenty of Scripture suggesting there is a reward awaiting us in Heaven beyond our
Salvation, and this reward will be distributed to us on the basis of our obedience and love for
God demonstrated in our mortal lives. Let’s look at some verses making the case for differing
levels of reward in Heaven.
Jesus Said There Are Degrees of Joy in Heaven
The first thing you notice when examining the Biblical passages describing Heaven is the fact
there are differing degrees of joy experienced in the next life:
Luke 15:6-7
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents,
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
From this passage, it’s clear it’s possible for us to have more joy (meaning of course, it must be
possible for us to less joy as well). If this is true, and our experience of joy can be thought of as a
reward, then it is also clear there are differing degrees of reward in Heaven.

Jesus Said That There Are Rewards in Heaven

Jesus specifically told us that Heaven is a place where rewards will be given to the saved. Look
at Jesus’ words from the most important sermon He ever gave (the Sermon on the Mount):
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil
against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great,
for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
 
Matthew 6:1-6
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have
no reward with your Father who is in heaven. When therefore you give alms, do not sound a
trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be
honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give alms, do
not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing that your alms may be in secret; and
your Father who sees in secret will repay you. And when you pray, you are not to be as the
hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order
to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go
into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret,
and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
 
Matthew 6:16-18
“And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their
appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face so that you may not be seen
fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will
repay you.”
 
Matthew 6:20
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where
thieves do not break in or steal…”
From this one sermon it is clear there is a “reward in heaven” waiting for each of us who is
saved. There are “treasures in heaven” for each of us. God has rewards waiting for us, and much
of this sermon from Jesus is an admonition for us not to forsake our heavenly reward by seeking
worldly rewards and acknowledgment.

Jesus Also Said That There Are DEGREES of Reward in Heaven

Jesus told his followers each of them would receive a reward in heaven based on what they did
here on earth:
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then
recompense every man according to his deeds.
This statement is so clear and direct it can hardly be argued. Jesus promised to “repay each
person according to what he has done” (ESV). Think about it for a minute. If Jesus is not telling
us God dispenses fair and just rewards (and punishments) in the next life, what in the world does
this passage mean?
To further advance the point, Jesus used a famous parable to illustrate this for his followers:
Matthew 25:14-30
For it (the kingdom of heaven) is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own
slaves, and entrusted his possessions to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another, two,
and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately
the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more
talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he
who received the one talent went away and dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money. Now
after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And the one
who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you
entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well
done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of
many things, enter into the joy of your master.’ The one also who had received the two talents
came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted to me two talents; see, I have gained two more
talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a
few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the
one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard
man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was
afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours.’ But his
master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not
sow, and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank,
and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the
talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ For to everyone who has shall
more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what
he does have shall be taken away.”
Jesus clearly told his followers the Kingdom of Heaven would be a place where individual saved
believers would be rewarded according to their deeds. If you do a lot with what God has given
you; you will get a greater reward in Heaven. If you squander what God has given you; don’t be
surprised to find that your reward is much less.

Paul Agrees That There Are Degrees of Reward

Paul seemed to understand this as well. When writing to the believers in Rome, he used language
very similar to the language used by Jesus:
Romans 2:5-6
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in
the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man
according to his deeds…
Since we know from the scriptures God does not render salvation according to our deeds, what is
it He is rendering? He is rendering reward according to our deeds. This means as our deeds
increase, our reward increases as well. Look at what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. He clearly
told them their Salvation was built on Christ alone, but in addition to this, each of us, as saved
Christians, also builds on this foundation of Salvation resulting in our reward in Heaven:
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if
any man builds upon 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
upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss;
but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.
Paul clearly proclaims rewards are waiting for us as saved Christians. But he is also clear about
the fact some of us will receive more reward than others. Some will work here on earth to create
something persevering and as a result will obtain an enduring reward in Heaven. Others will not
produce enduring work here on earth, and while they will still be saved, their reward in heaven
will be nothing more than Salvation (“he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire”).

Solomon Agrees That There Are Degrees of Reward

God has always maintained there are varying degrees of reward in Heaven. Even the Old
Testament speaks of this truth. Look at what Solomon says:
Proverbs 24:12
If you say, “See, we did not know this,” Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And
does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?
Jesus, Paul and Solomon are simply reflecting the heart of God when they tell us we will be
saved by His work and rewarded by our work.

So, What Actually Earns Us A Reward?

The question you might then have is simply: “What is it that will earn us a reward?” The
Scriptures are pretty clear about this as well. Let’s begin in the Old Testament and read from the
Book of Daniel:
Daniel 12:3
“And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and
those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
In describing the heavenly order of things, Daniel said “those who have insight will shine
brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to
righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Did you notice Daniel used the word “many”
when describing the number of people we might lead to righteousness? By using the word,
“many”, Daniel made a comparison to the possibility of leading “few” to righteousness. This
comparison tells us something about how we can earn a reward. Some of us will ‘shine brighter’
in heaven for having brought more ‘to righteousness’. It appears our effort to bring people to the
truth about God and tell them about His free gift of Salvation is rewarded by God in the next life.
Paul understood this. When writing to the Thessalonians, he said he expected to have great joy
and a “crown of exultation” in Heaven. He expected heavenly reward. But he made it clear to the
Thessalonians they were the reason why he expected this reward:
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our
Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.
Paul knew his work here on earth was important because it produced believers who would then
someday join him in Heaven. Paul understood what Daniel taught hundreds of years before: the
more people you bring to Heaven, the greater your reward in Heaven will be.

So, What Will This Reward Be?

The last question you might be asking is, “What form will this reward take?” Keep in mind we
already acknowledge Salvation comes freely from God. We are talking about the reward earned
by those who are already saved freely by God. What kind of reward might we receive based on
our work here on earth? This is actually a very tough question to answer, as the Bible does not
give us the clarity we might like on this issue. But there are several clues we can work from.
First, let’s remember joy is a reward, and the Bible tells us there are degrees of joy in the next
life. So we know whatever it is God gives us, it will be something resulting in great joy. Maybe it
will be different for each of us, who knows? But there is a reason to believe God has a particular
way of rewarding his beloved.
It appears God enjoys rewarding his Children with increased and valuable roles of responsibility!
Look at the Apostles for a minute. Jesus told them they would be rewarded with roles as the
“judges” over the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus told them their reward would be increased and
more powerful responsibilities. This is consistent with the parable we’ve already looked at from
Matthew 25:14-30. In the parable, Jesus affirmed the rest of us will also earn greater
responsibilities as the result of our efforts here on earth (“I will put you in charge of many things;
enter into the joy of your master”)
Sometimes we see responsibility here on earth as a burden, but in Heaven, when we are reunited
with the God who gave us every talent we possess, His reward will be responsibilities
maximizing our talents in such a way as to produce great joy. We will have a complete sense of
our own significance and role in Heaven. Joy will be ours.

Don’t Lose Your Reward

Once God has given you the free gift of Salvation, once you have truly received Jesus as your
Savior, the issue of your Salvation is no longer in question. But reward is another matter
altogether. While your Salvation cannot be lost (because it is not earned), your reward can, in
fact, be forfeited. Look at what John writes:
2 John 4-10
I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received
commandment to do from the Father. And now I ask you, lady, not as writing to you a new
commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just
as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone
out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the
deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have
accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not
abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has
both the Father and the Son.
John does not want anyone of us to lose our ‘full reward”. He doesn’t want us to get to Heaven
and receive only a portion of what could have been ours. He wants us to get all the reward God
wants us to have. And it appears we could, in fact, lose a portion of our reward if we begin to
neglect the truth. We can forfeit a portion of our reward if we stray from the life God has called
us to. When we no longer love others enough to share the truth, comfort the needy, shelter the
homeless in an effort to demonstrate the love and nature and salvation of God, we risk losing the
reward that could be ours. God promises us Salvation as a free gift, but he clearly calls us to live
a life He can bless, both here on earth and in the life to come.

WRITTEN BYJ. Warner Wallace

J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker
and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a
Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He is also an Adj. Professor
of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a faculty member at
Summit Ministries. He holds a BA in Design (from CSULB), an MA in Architecture (from UCLA),
and an MA in Theological Studies (from Gateway Seminary).