Rewards for Deeds?

"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Matthew 16:27-28

 

So what good deeds have you done lately? God wants us to give and pray secretly. Good deeds should be the same so that we aren’t tempted to be prideful about what we’ve given or done.

But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ... But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:3-4, 6

God will reward or repay everyone for their actions—including their deeds in thoughts and words. No good deeds—no rewards? Good deeds done for prideful reasons—will those be rewarded?  Not likely. Good deeds done quietly or even secretively to bring glory to God. Rewards? That what is promised. Will those “rewards” get anyone into Heaven? No. Jesus said…I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6.

 

Additionally, James shows the relationship between faith and works.

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:14-18

So where is your faith…your works?

 

RSVP: Jesus is preparing us for His return by encouraging us to do works…and seek God’s rewards. How will you respond to Him today?

 

Prayer ~ Jesus, I look forward to singing one day about Your works... in the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,  "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!  Revelation 15:3. You are an awesome God and I want to serve and honor You by helping others. Open my eyes to opportunities to do even small deeds for You.

 

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.