As a next step in our analysis, we’ll look at the position that Dr. Grudem expressed that came under question.
Page 132 of our book contains the following paragraph.
The final judgment also provides us with motivation to live each day in obedience to God and thus to “lay up … treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). Even though these treasures do not earn us our salvation, they do reward us for the good we have done.
Now, that doesn’t give us a whole lot of detail on what he means by rewards. To get a fuller understanding of what he means, we’ll look at his Systematic Theology.
Scripture also teaches that there will be degrees of reward for believers. Paul encourages the Corinthians to be careful how they build the church on the foundation that has already been laid—Jesus Christ himself.
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:12–15)Paul similarly says of Christians that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10), again implying degrees of reward for what we have done in this life. Likewise, in the parable of the pounds, the one who made ten pounds more was told, “You shall have authority over ten cities,” and the one whose pound had made five pounds more was told, “And you are to be over five cities” (Luke 19:17, 19). Many other passages likewise teach or imply degrees of reward for believers at the final judgment.
But we must guard against misunderstanding here: Even though there will be degrees of reward in heaven, the joy of each person will be full and complete for eternity. If we ask how this can be when there are different degrees of reward, it simply shows that our perception of happiness is based on the assumption that happiness depends on what we possess or the status or power that we have. In actuality, however, our true happiness consists in delighting in God and rejoicing in the status and recognition that he has given us. The foolishness of thinking that only those who have been highly rewarded and given great status will be fully happy in heaven is seen when we realize that no matter how great a reward we are given, there will always be those with greater rewards, or who have higher status and authority, including the apostles, the heavenly creatures, and Jesus Christ and God himself. Therefore if highest status were essential for people to be fully happy, no one but God would be fully happy in heaven, which is certainly an incorrect idea. Moreover, those with greater reward and honor in heaven, those nearest the throne of God, delight not in their status but only in the privilege of falling down before God’s throne to worship him (see Rev. 4:10–11).
Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic theology : An introduction to biblical doctrine (1144). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House. (pp. 1144-1145)
So the question was raised in the class discussion…
Is this biblical? Are we going to get stuff during the judgement? Will some need a wheelbarrow to carry theirs while other only need a bucket or bag? Is there another way to understand the idea of heavenly rewards?
Matthew 25:32-34 has Jesus separating sheep from goats then inviting the sheep to come with Him and inherit the kingdom; so, where is the reward dispensing? Is there a second stage to the judgement?
I think these are good questions and worth trying to answer. I’ll start that in part 4.
In the spirit of “Life Journaling”, here is an entry from my blog from over 2 years ago on the topic of how materialism creeps into our views of the afterlife.
Great Post. I was wondering about the reward for good and bad. Will we be punished for bad deeds that we have done in the flesh? Or am I reading that wrong and it is not really implied? Eager to hear what our rewards will be.
From my very simplistic background from being saved in a small independent Baptist church (heavy on Bible light on loving others) I have it ingrained in me with many many verses to back it up (I will quote a few if you wish) that we are saved by faith alone but can receive “rewards in heaven” by how we live our life after we are saved. Some will live in mansions and others might be in a heavenly shack but all are still in heaven, but no envy, greed or anger over our different status.
I always had that thought in the back of my mind if this was man made theology to give Christians “motivation” to live for Christ, much like those that teach absolute lordship salvation as a way to maybe scare people into living their life better.
Both cases are wrong when taken to the extreme because our motivation to service and living for Christ should be 100% from gratitude and devotion of what He did for us and not for getting some crown, mansion, or assurance we are saved because we are living “good enough and bearing fruit with no scale to weigh that fruit”. We are so unworthy anyway and deserve nothing.
So for me I will just give God all the glory and cast the crowns at His feet out of thanksgiving, as any good thing I do is from Christ living in and through me.
To God be all the glory and no inheritance will make me any more or less motivated for service.
No deep theological discussion from me on this. Just my thoughts and opinions. 😉
To elaborate further on what Jason mentioned, I was taught what I think would be considered an even more radical teaching that there could be physical punishment in Heaven. Even pain. Rewards being burned up as by fire, and the weeping and gnashing of teeth and tears verses were used for this argument. Could never really swallow that part of the teaching as it seemed to deal more with eternal punishment and those called up for the final judgment than beleivers in heaven.
Am I wrong here or would most level headed folks believe that physical punishment in heaven is just bad theology and just a way for those to justify how Christians can possibly “live in sin” after they are born again?
Though I don’t like the phrase I admittedly do lean more toward the “easy believism” thinking in some ways but not all. Still I am always leery of those that would seem to stretch verses and passages to justify their own theology on either side, or to convince someone to win an argument.
I think I would agree with you C.A. No condemnation means just that. I don’t know if I am convinced that the Bible teaches that there is punishment post-judgment (which takes place at the cross for those who are believers and at the final judgment for those who are not). It seems that the verse in 1 Cor. 3 is impling that deeds will be recognized, but physical rewards or punishment? And if rewards, why not punishment? Are we imposing more on the verse than is said?
How do we reconcile the concept of physical treasures in heaven with the teaching that we already are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1)?
How does this rewards/punishment scheme of judgment fit with the imputation of Christ’s righteousness? Are we not judged by HIS works on that final day and we are found in him? Blessed is the man whose deeds are not counted against him, right? Are not even my most “righteous” deeds found wanting in light of God’s standard?
I am just trying to work this all out. I have no definete answers. To me it seems that there will be a degree of embarrasment for our wicked deeds not being credited to us and rather being credited to Jesus Christ on the Final Day, but I am not so sure we can say more than that. And if there are any righteous deeds (and there will be for true believers), are they not wrought by the Holy Spirit and therefore not ours exclusively to claim?