Bible Studies

Heaven WITHOUT Reward Part Two

by Doug Laird 
11/22/23
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God is glorified when His Word is learned and applied to one’s own thoughts and actions, AND when His Word is passed along to others, affording them the opportunity to make the same choices. THIS is what becoming a disciple is all about.

Every born again believer has equal opportunity to become an active disciple. God is just as interested in the salvation and in the edification of the souls with whom we interact with on a daily basis, as He is anywhere else.

By our own spiritual growth (1), we prepare ourselves to give answer (2) to those who observe and ask us about the unspoken testimony of our daily lives. The advancing disciple’s part in the Great Commission is to accurately communicate the unadulterated Gospel Message for salvation, and to communicate accurate Bible Doctrine for the development of discipleship in OTHERS!

It is God (and not the disciple-John 15: 5) who takes the information that the disciple communicates, makes it understandable, affording the recipient the opportunity to be saved or edified.

God does not measure our success in the realm of discipleship by how others respond to our communications. He measures our success by how we respond to the daily opportunities that we are given to share the unadulterated Gospel Message and or accurate Bible Doctrine with others.

If and when the recipient chooses to believe in a presentation of the unadulterated Gospel Message, it is God that seals (baptizes) the soul and regenerates what had been the dead spirit of the recipient (3). The recipient is then and there a Heaven bound born again believer who has eternal life (4) John 3: 16).

If and when the recipient is presented with principles of accurate Bible Doctrine, it is God who makes the information understandable and affords the recipient the opportunity to grow in God’s knowledge (5). If and when the recipient chooses to apply the doctrine he or she has received, he or she advances along the road to spiritual maturity.

The advancing disciple humbly acknowledges what is, and what is not, his or her part in discipleship, and gives all the glory to. God. God, never the less, intends to reward the part that each individual disciple played in the execution of the Great Commission.

Good deeds that improve the Earthly experience and environment should be on the things to do list of every born again believer (6). But keep in mind the heavenly prioritization that Jesus spoke of in the investment of our time, talents, and treasure.‭‭‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt. 6: 19-21NASB2020).”

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Matt. 6: 24NASB2020).”

In closing, consider the negative consequences (7) that nearly an entire generation of the ancient Hebrews suffered as a result of desiring to return to what Egypt had to offer (8), rather than receive the EARTHLY blessings they could have received, had they remained in the plan of God, and faced the accompanying challenges (‭‭9).‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

After realizing their error, some attempted to secure the blessings, but without the support of God, met with great disaster (10). Their window of opportunity had closed.

The Church Age application is that there is a window of opportunity for Church Age believers to participate in the plan of God, and in doing so, secure the heavenly 1Cor. 3: 14 reward and the Revelation 2 - 3 privileges. This window opens on the day they are born again, and closes the day they depart this world. Once departed, its too late. Such believers remain saved, but forfeit (11) much or all of the 1Cor. 3: 14 reward and Rev. 2 and Rev. 3 privileges.

We are not SAVED by doing good deeds (12), but born again believers have the opportunity to be involved in the type of deeds that WILL be rewarded. “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will THEN repay every person according to his DEEDS (Matt. 16: 27 NASB2020).” 

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(1) 2Pet. 3: 18 (2) 1Pet. 3: 15 (3) Eph. 4: 30/Titus 3: 5 (4) John 3: 16 (5) 2Pet. 3:18 (6) Matt. 25: 35-40 (7) Numbers 26 : 65 (8) Numbers 11: 5-6 (9) Numbers‬ ‭13: 28 (10) Numbers 14: 40-45 (11)1Cor. 3: 15 (12) Eph. 2: 8-9‬