By Brandon Brown
I recently came upon an online discussion concerning whether rewards for the Christian varied in heaven or even on earth. The more I contemplated the question, the more I came to realize that it was a wrong question. While the scriptures speak of rewards, these are often in the context of receiving consequences or of the rewards of the Kindom of God in humility. Matthew chapter ten has such a passage.
Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward. (Matt 10:40-42 NRSV)
These rewards are not those of fame or fortune, but of living in closer discipleship with Jesus; rewards of the present in which we experience a fuller life.
The question of rewards in heaven may come from a misunderstanding of the old King James Version of the Bible. Besides mentions of rewards when Jesus describes his father's house, the KJV translates a Greek idea as mansions which is correct in the older and British use of mansion as a room or dwelling place within a larger house or building. Contrast the KJV and NRSV:
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (John 14:2 NRSV)
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2 KJV)
The NIV uses the word rooms here, and that is correct as well. The key is that Jesus is talking about a large house with rooms for all who follow him; not large estates with swimming pools and tennis courts. So the rewards of heaven in this context are being in the presence of God and one another.
The rewards of the Kindom of God seem to be more about how to make the world better for all than individual rewards. This carries into the idea of eternal life as a quality and quantity. For the Christian, the reward is being able to live a holy life. Not a life of wealth, power, or influence; nor a life of moralistic doing right and avoiding wrong. The reward is a life lived in a deep and ethical holiness because we are transformed into the likeness of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. This life is one which seeks the good of others before self and, therefore, transforms the world into a better place to live.
In fact, I wonder if we lean into the idea of holy living, would we more readily realize that the rewards of this life are such that living a holy life would be a reward even if heaven did not exist? Not that the hope of eternal life with God is in vain, but icing on the cake of Christianity. In holy living, we are on a journey of discipleship with Jesus such that we become more like him and impact our world as we are being transformed.
I often pray that the Church is a beacon of light in a dark world; calling the hurting, oppressed, and others into a more full and joyful life. The rewards of seeking this become a better world and a more faithful church.