[Lightknight]

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

I noticed these verses in another thread but the question about them was not mine. These verses, although not applicable to salvation, do talk of some sort of a reward for how "good or bad" we are. Thus meaning that God does give honor to man in some ways, though also retaining the ultimate honor for Himself, having created life and everything produced by it. But also infers that some people are better than other people. That one Christian necessarily just as low as another one. That, according to this, our level of honor recieved in Heaven is in directly proportion to our works. What is your explanation on this? It is interesting.

[Ted Logan]

Originally Posted by Lightknight

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

I noticed these verses in another thread but the question about them was not mine. These verses, although not applicable to salvation, do talk of some sort of a reward for how "good or bad" we are. Thus meaning that God does give honor to man in some ways, though also retaining the ultimate honor for Himself, having created life and everything produced by it. But also infers that some people are better than other people. That one Christian necessarily just as low as another one. That, according to this, our level of honor recieved in Heaven is in directly proportion to our works. What is your explanation on this? It is interesting.

I have always understood it to mean that the reward will be that, in heaven, we will essentially have the honor of reflecting God's glory in our own lives moreso than someone who is rewarded less. In other words, if I look at the rewarded man, I will see God's amazingness more clearly in him than in someone else. But I don't really know where I got that idea, so it's probably an unexamined assumption.

[Lightknight]

Originally Posted by Aaron Adams

I have always understood it to mean that the reward will be that, in heaven, we will essentially have the honor of reflecting God's glory in our own lives moreso than someone who is rewarded less. In other words, if I look at the rewarded man, I will see God's amazingness more clearly in him than in someone else. But I don't really know where I got that idea, so it's probably an unexamined assumption.

Well, even then, that is still an awesome reward. And each person would receive a different amount. Which would still be honoring one person over another due to works in life.

[Chico]

Originally Posted by Lightknight

Well, even then, that is still an awesome reward. And each person would receive a different amount. Which would still be honoring one person over another due to works in life.

i've always wondered this myself, but do you have a problem with God doing that even if we take this literally? i don't think i really see a problem with God doing this. i don't think it contradicts His character or anything like that, seeing as how it doesn't relate to salvation. but there has always been something about this that makes me feel uneasy. can anyone pinpoint why that may be?

chris

[Lightknight]

Originally Posted by Chico

i've always wondered this myself, but do you have a problem with God doing that even if we take this literally? i don't think i really see a problem with God doing this. i don't think it contradicts His character or anything like that, seeing as how it doesn't relate to salvation. but there has always been something about this that makes me feel uneasy. can anyone pinpoint why that may be?

chris

I have no problem with it whatsoever. I'm asking what others think about God giving honor to man.

[Chico]

Originally Posted by Lightknight

I have no problem with it whatsoever. I'm asking what others think about God giving honor to man.

ok. well like i said, i can't think of any reason i would question this, but i have always had an uneasy feeling when i think about it. i don't know why, so maybe someone else will hit a nerve that kinda brings out why i feel this way.

a friend of mine told me that she believes all these treasures that we get in heaven are given to us so that we can lay them at the feet of Jesus, giving them back to Him. i thought that was pretty cool, but it doesn't really deal with why some get more than others. pretty confusing stuff.

chris

[Lightknight]

Originally Posted by Chico

ok. well like i said, i can't think of any reason i would question this, but i have always had an uneasy feeling when i think about it. i don't know why, so maybe someone else will hit a nerve that kinda brings out why i feel this way.

a friend of mine told me that she believes all these treasures that we get in heaven are given to us so that we can lay them at the feet of Jesus, giving them back to Him. i thought that was pretty cool, but it doesn't really deal with why some get more than others. pretty confusing stuff.

chris

That isn't scriptural though. What your friend said.

[Chrysostom]

Judgment according to deeds is taught throughout the Bible. You've pointed it out in Jesus' teaching in Matthew's Gospel and John's Apocalypse, and I can readily think of it in Paul (e.g., Romans 2:10) and Peter (e.g., 1 Peter 1:17). It must first be noted that judgment according to deeds is not contrary to justification by faith alone. Judgment on account of deeds is contrary to justification by faith alone. One of the few cliches I like is, "If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would they have enough evidence to convict you?" Will God have the evidence to "convict" us of having faith at the judgment?

You are correct to say that there may well be variations in what we are given in Heaven.

[Chico]

Originally Posted by Lightknight

That isn't scriptural though. What your friend said.

i wouldn't say that it is anti-biblical. i would agree that it is not found within scripture, but what can you provide that would disagree with that? i don't believe scripture gives us an idea of what we will do with these rewards. i believe her answer is as good as anyone's.

chris

[link2001]

Lightkinght said:
These verses, although not applicable to salvation, do talk of some sort of a reward for how "good or bad" we are. Thus meaning that God does give honor to man in some ways, though also retaining the ultimate honor for Himself, having created life and everything produced by it. But also infers that some people are better than other people. That one Christian necessarily just as low as another one. That, according to this, our level of honor recieved in Heaven is in directly proportion to our works. What is your explanation on this?

The explaination I have for Christians being rewarded proportionaly to their works is 1 Cor. 3:11-15

"11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

I interpret this to mean that the good works we do (i.e. caring for the poor, witnessing, etc.) will be rewarded. This is comparitive to building our foundations on Chirst with gold, silver and costly stones.

If you do "bad" works, or works that do not contribute to the kingdom (i.e. the pursut of wealth, fame, power, etc) is like build on the foundation with wood, straw, and hay.

On the judgement day our works will be put throught the fire, and those works which are good won't only surive, but be refined and purified.

[Lightknight]

Originally Posted by Chico

i wouldn't say that it is anti-biblical. i would agree that it is not found within scripture, but what can you provide that would disagree with that? i don't believe scripture gives us an idea of what we will do with these rewards. i believe her answer is as good as anyone's.

chris

The fact that it ends with Him giving it to us.

[Lightknight]

Originally Posted by link2001

The explaination I have for Christians being rewarded proportionaly to their works is 1 Cor. 3:11-15

"11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

I interpret this to mean that the good works we do (i.e. caring for the poor, witnessing, etc.) will be rewarded. This is comparitive to building our foundations on Chirst with gold, silver and costly stones.

If you do "bad" works, or works that do not contribute to the kingdom (i.e. the pursut of wealth, fame, power, etc) is like build on the foundation with wood, straw, and hay.

On the judgement day our works will be put throught the fire, and those works which are good won't only surive, but be refined and purified.

Yes, this is my point. That there is reward to people according to this. That we do have our own works and are rewarded because of them. But no glory is taken from Christ since he laid the foundation on which all things were placed upon.

[Chico]

Originally Posted by Lightknight

The fact that it ends with Him giving it to us.

but would it not make sense that we give these gifts back to Him. why would we need treasures? so we can boast? certainly not. because we need them? i don't think so.

i would think that the picture laid out by my friend is a perfect example of what should happen in our lives right now, laying everything at the feet of Jesus, and i would hope that that example would actually get carried out perfectly in heaven.

again, i'm not saying she is right, but i don't think we can just say that this is stupid because we really don't have an idea of what these treasures or rewards are for.

chris

[Lightknight]

Originally Posted by Chico

but would it not make sense that we give these gifts back to Him. why would we need treasures? so we can boast? certainly not. because we need them? i don't think so.

i would think that the picture laid out by my friend is a perfect example of what should happen in our lives right now, laying everything at the feet of Jesus, and i would hope that that example would actually get carried out perfectly in heaven.

again, i'm not saying she is right, but i don't think we can just say that this is stupid because we really don't have an idea of what these treasures or rewards are for.

chris

who sits at the left hand of the father? Who sits at the next seat over? and after that? I suppose we'll still want stuff when we get to Heaven. And who knows what these rewards will be. Something of a Heavenly nature is obvious. Perhaps a position closer to God. stuff like that.

[Chico]

Originally Posted by Lightknight

who sits at the left hand of the father? Who sits at the next seat over? and after that? I suppose we'll still want stuff when we get to Heaven. And who knows what these rewards will be. Something of a Heavenly nature is obvious. Perhaps a position closer to God. stuff like that.

you could be right for all i know. it is rather hard for me to fathom right now that we will be given certain things that we can use to get closer to God than someone else. i'm not debating the fact that some are given more than others, just the reason why it would be done. it just seems that it would bring on jealousy and boasting. but of course, we will be perfect and will evidently be able to handle things like that in a holy and perfect manner. just hard to comprehend on this earth, with this unperfect mind.

chris