THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN TRADITION

 

Chapter 17

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How God Rewards His People

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Text

Heb. 11:1-6 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

 

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

 

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

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Memory Verse

2 Cor. 5:10 (NIV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

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Introduction

Your reward as a Christian depends on who is doing the rewarding and how He does it.

God is a Spirit (John 4:23-24), and His rewards are spiritual. He gives them through His Word, which is also Spirit and life (John 6:63; Eph. 1:3-4).

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Everything about following Jesus starts and ends in the spirit realm. God wants us to stay focused there so that what He says becomes the priority in every part of our lives.

 

Presentation

 

1. Who Rewards Christians?

God rewards Christians.

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(1) God is a Spirit - an invisible being.

You cannot see Him physically, but you see Him in the righteous and loving actions of His people (Matt. 5:13-16, 43-48).

 

(2) His character is what we call Him by.

He is love (1 John 4:16). He is faithful (1 Cor. 10:13).

 

(3) That love showed up in Jesus (John 3:16-17).

Jesus is the “unspeakable gift” of God’s love (2 Cor. 9:1 (KJV); Rom. 5:7-8; John 15:13-14). If you want to know what God’s reward looks like, look at Jesus.

 

2. What God Looks At Before He Rewards

 

(1) He checks your heart first (Mark 11:22-25).

That is where He lives through His Word. Your heart has to be free from doubt and worry.

 

(2) Your motives matter.

If your intentions are not powered by His Spirit and Word, He will not reward it as obedience (John 6:63; Matt. 15:9).

 

(3) God rewards intention, not performance (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

 

He does not grade prayers by how long you pray or how many words you use. What defiles a person comes from the heart (Mark 7:20-23). And what makes worship acceptable also comes from the heart (Prov. 4:23). So check yourself: is it real with you?

 

3. God’s Reward Starts in the Spirit

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(1) Jesus, the One who gives the Father’s reward, is accessed spiritually now (2 Cor. 5:16). And He gives spiritual blessings first (Eph. 1:3).

 

(2) Why? Because material things were already here before Jesus came.

They never saved anyone. They could not redeem us.

 

(3) That is why Jesus said depending on the flesh does not profit anything (John 6:63).

The spiritual comes first. Everything else follows.

 

Conclusion

Stop doing things for God just to be seen or to tick a box. God wants us working for the good of everyone Jesus died for (1 Tim. 2:1-7).

 

Let God’s love replace every label and division. It does not matter if you call Abraham ‘Abraham’ or ‘Ibrahim’, or Jacob ‘Jacob’ or ‘Yakubu’. Do not let language differences kill love among God’s people.

 

And among Christians, being part of Christ’s body matters more than being on a church membership list (1 Cor. 6:13-17).

 

Be a Christian who possesses Christ, not just professes Him. Live it out, do not just say it.

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Evaluation Questions & Answers​

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1. What can stop religious division over names, admin styles, and doctrines?

   • The love of God. When love for Christ and His people is greater than our differences, division loses its power.

2. Why would God not operate through the flesh?

   • Because the flesh is weak, selfish, and corrupted by sin. It cannot produce the righteousness God requires (Rom. 8:1-3). God works through the Spirit.

3. According to Rom. 8:1-3, why does God bless us with spiritual blessings first in Christ?

   • Because the law of the Spirit sets us free from sin and death. Spiritual blessing deals with the root problem - sin - so that everything else can line up.

4. Explain John 14:30: “For the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.”

   • Jesus was saying Satan had no claim on Him. There was no sin, no compromise, no foothold. Jesus lived in perfect obedience, so Satan could not accuse or control Him.

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Prayer

Father, thank You for this lesson. Give us grace to live for Your target here on earth, so that at the end we hear “well done” from You. Amen.