What should the christian's view of reward be? Most sermons/messages say we shouldn't be concerned with reward but should only serve period. Biblical?

"Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" Luke 17:10

What I am receiving from this passage is that the reward of our work in the field is serving Jesus and eating with him, and it is amazing that he would condescend to allow sinful man to serve and eat at his table. He is so full of Grace.

What do we eat with him at his table?

But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. John 4:32-34

Doing the will of our Father in Heaven is a wonderful reward. But the greatest reward of all is fellowship with the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Our love for him and obedience to him go hand in hand like a bride and her groom.

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Travis

In Luke 19:11-27, you have a variation of the parable of the talents, where each of the servants receives a minas. One generates 10 minas out of the one given to him, and another receives 5. The one who generated 10 minas was put in charge of 10 cities and received a rather verbose commendation from his master. The one with 5 received authority over 5 cities, though not quite as verbose a commendation.

I think there is some merit to considering that even though we all receive eternal life, such as the laborers in the vineyard got the same despite when they came into the vineyard, and unless my understanding is not correct (may God clarify it), there are degrees in what kind of glory we will receive, or what God will eternally entrust to us.

I admit I don't have all the details pointed out, and though even though no one person is more justified than another, and that all true servants will share in their Master's happiness, there will be some particular privileges given to some more than others. Two people with the same grace, and one does more, may probably expect to receive a greater glory than the other (though both will certainly receive great reward).

So should we work for reward? Well, it certainly shouldn't be the sole aspect of attention in our spiritual walk, but I would say that if Christ mentioned it in the parable, it is there for us to apply :)

GOD is our highest joy, our
exceeding great reward!!

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Martin G. Smith

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Travis

I am very interested where this thread goes and evolves into, I have been left very jaded by the rewards based gospel. I grew up here all about storing up in heaven, giving our tithes and offerings and if we didn't we wouldn't be blessed, or sometime throughout the week something would happen that cost the same thing as the tithe the person didn't give. This brought about great condemnation on my part and also on many others in the church. I have come to a place of contentment that I deserve nothing at all so any amount of giving isn't really a credit to my name in heaven. I hear God spoke about as if He is a bank teller or some kind of investment worth putting your money into, because you will reap a large blessing in your business or life. My heart cringes at these statements. My response to those that believe in such a system is this, Isn't Jesus enough?

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Matthew Guldner

Interesting thread. I haven't thought about this for a while.

Thanks for provoking my thoughts, friends!

Love in Jesus,

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Ryan G.

I don't believe this view makes one holier that Christ, on the contrary I deserve to the very least an eternity in hell. My motivation is not reward since I don't deserve one but it is the simple pleasure of serving God dispite reward. Ultimately Jesus is my reward and this is all I need. Many will stand before God and expect a reward they will have their good works held in mind and have it tallied how much reward they deserve. Bottom Line God is so outrageously Holy our works on earth are filthy rags and worth nothing. Will God give us a reward? I believe so but I don't think its going to be because we are so awesome and good but simply because God is so awesome and good.

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Matthew Guldner

I know the scriptures speak of reward but I just don't care if I get any or not. I just want to be with Jesus, now and in eternity. I don't know if this is a godly attitude to have or not. The only reason I like do good works is because I experience Jesus that way. I just want him. Not Sin. Not Rewards. Not my life. But his life, with Him, for Him, In Him and through Him.

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Travis