Eternal Rewards

Here is a list of scriptures that prove God gives rewards and eternal rewards. Below the scriptures are a number of awesome quotes from famous theologians on the subject of eternal rewards.

Many people say, "I can accept Jesus right before I die," or "Heaven will be the same for everybody." Although Jesus can accept people into His kingdom whenever we repent and believe, trust, and accept Him as Lord and Savior, Heaven will not be the same for everybody; and if someone accepts Jesus right before death, they will have an empty treasure chest in Heaven.

So, when all you can see is the physical, temporal world we live in, look to the spiritual. We should invest in people and in eternity. Go the extra mile. "Leave it on the field," as my soccer coach (my Dad) used to tell us. Do it for Jesus! There is a time limit while we are here on earth, and when we get to Heaven, we will probably be asking ourselves, "Why didn't we do more?"

Ask yourself, "What would I do if I didn't care what anybody else thought?" Everybody else may not be with you in Heaven; and they surely will not be accountable for your rewards or lack thereof.

Keep in prayer as you make bold steps of faith.

If you question your motives, ask Jesus to purify your heart and give you good motives. And ask yourself, "Would I do this if nobody but God knew what I was doing?"

Some people never go out or do anything. They should do more. Some people go out all of the time and try and do everything. They should probably do less. However, whatever the case may be, we should always keep in mind that there will be eternal rewards in Heaven and blessings here on earth for the ones who seek God and do good deeds in His name.

If your treasures are on earth, each day you are moving away from them. If your treasures are in Heaven, each day you are moving toward them.

2 Chronicles 15:7 - "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."

Job 36:7 - "He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever."

Psalm 37:18 - "The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever."

Proverbs 8:21 - "That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries."

11:24 - "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."

11:25 - "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

19:17 - "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done."

24:12 - "Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?"

Isaiah 61:8 - "For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them."

Jeremiah 17:10 - "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

Matthew 5:12 - "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

5:19 - "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

6:1 - "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."

6:4 - "So that giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

6:6 - "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then you Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

6:20 - "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

10:41, 42 - "Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

16:27 - "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."

19:21 - "Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me'."

19:29, 30 - "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

20: 27 - "And whoever wants to be first must be your slave."

25:29 - "For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

Mark 9:41 - "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."

Luke 6:35 - "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked."

7:28 - "I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

12:8 - "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God."

12:33 - "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."

18:22, 23 - "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me'."

18:29. 30 - "I tell you the truth, Jesus said to them, no one who has left home or wife or brother or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."

Acts 20:32 - "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

1 Corinthians 3:14 - "If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward."

9:25 - "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

15:58 - "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

2 Corinthians 5:10 - "For 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."

9:6 - "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."

Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Ephesians 1:18 "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Ephesians 6:8 "Because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free."

Colossians 3:24 - "Since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

2 Timothy 4:8 - "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will reward to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

Hebrews 6:10 - "For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints."

Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

1 Peter 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Revelation 2:26 - "To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations."

3:12 - "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."

3:21 - "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

22:12 - "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."

Quotable

Justin Martyr - "Even of we persuade a few, we shall obtain very great rewards, for, like good laborers, we shall receive recompense from the Master."

Martin Luther - "Now when Christ says: make to yourselves friends, lay up for yourselves treasures, and the like, you see that He means: do good, and it will follow of itself without your seeking, that you will have friends, find treasures in heaven, and receive a reward."

John Wesley - "God will reward every one according to his works. But this is well consistent with his distributing advantages and opportunities of improvement, according to His own good pleasure."

Augustine - "Therefore, we should seek from non other than the Lord God whatever it is that we hope to do well, or hope to obtain as reward for out good works."

R. C. Sproul - "There are degrees of reward that are given in heaven. I’m surprised that this answer surprises so many people. I think there’s a reason Christians are shocked when I say there are various levels of heaven as well as graduations of severity of punishment in hell."

John Calvin - "Nothing is clearer than that a reward is promised to good works, in order to support the weakness of our flesh by some comfort; but not to inflate our minds with vain glory."

Theodore H. Epp - "The primary purpose of the Judgment Seat of Christ is the examination of the lives and service of believers, and the rewarding of them for what God considers worthy of recognition."

Charles R. Swindoll - "One of the great doctrines of Christianity is our firm belief in a heavenly home. Ultimately, we shall spend eternity with God in the place He has prepared for us. And part of that exciting anticipation is His promise to reward His servants for a job well done. I don’t know many believers in Jesus Christ who never think of being with their Lord in heaven, receiving His smile of acceptance, and hearing His ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ We even refer to one who died in this way: ‘He has gone home to his reward.’"

Jonathan Edwards - "There are many mansions in God’s house because heaven is intended for various degrees of honor and blessedness. Some are designed to sit in higher places there than others; some are designed to be advanced to higher degrees of honor and glory than others are; and, therefore, there are various mansions and seats, in heaven than others. Though they are all seats of exceeding honor and blessedness yet some more so than others."

Charles H. Spurgeon - "Seek secrecy for your good deeds. Do not even see your own virtue. Hide from yourself that which you yourself have done that is commendable; for the proud contemplation of your own generosity may tarnish all your alms. Keep the thing so secret that even you yourself are hardly aware that you yourself are hardly aware that you are doing anything at all praiseworthy. He will reward you, reward you ‘openly,’ reward you as a Father rewards a child, reward you as one who saw what you did, and knew that you did it wholly unto him."

John MacArthur Jr. - "There will be varying degrees of reward in heaven. That shouldn’t surprise us: There are varying degrees of giftedness even here on earth."

Origen - "But if it was recorded that my Jesus was received up into glory, I perceive the divine arrangement in such an act, viz., because God, who brought this to pass, commends in this way the Teacher to those who witnessed it, in order that as men who are contending not for human doctrine, but for divine teaching, they may devote themselves as far as possible to the God who is over all, and may do all things in order to please Him, as those who are to receive in the divine judgment the reward of the good or evil which they have wrought in this life."

Charles R. Swindoll - "He is waiting to welcome us. To those who serve, tho those who stand where Jesus Christ once stood many, many years ago, He promises a reward. And we can be sure He will keep His promise."

John Wesley - "Of those who had happily finished their course, such multitudes are afterwards described, and still higher degrees of glory which they attain after a sharp fight and magnificent victory, Rev. 14:1; 15:2; 19:1; 20:4. There is an inconceivable variety in the degrees of reward in the other world. Let not any slothful one say, ‘If I get to heaven at all, I will be content!’ Such a one may let heaven go altogether. In worldly things, men are ambitious to get as high as they can. Christians have a far more noble ambition. The difference between the very highest and the lowest state in the world is nothing to the smallest difference between the degrees of glory.

Clement of Alexandria - "And you know that, of all truths, this is the truest, that the good and godly shall obtain the good reward inasmuch as they held goodness in high esteem; while, on the other hand, the wicked shall receive meet punishment."

Dwight L. Moody - "If we are Christ’s, we are here to shine for Him: by and by He will call us home to our reward."

John Calvin - "Conversely, when we see the righteousness brought into affliction by the ungodly, assailed with injuries, overwhelmed with calumnies, and lacerated by insult and contumely, while, on the contrary, the wicked flourish, prosper, acquire ease and honour, and all these with impunity, we ought forthwith to infer that there will be a future life in which iniquity shall receive its punishment, and righteousness its reward."

R. C. Sproul - "Saint Augustine said that it’s only by the grace of God that we ever do anything even approximating a good work, and none of our works are good enough to demand that God reward them. The fact that God has decided to grant rewards on the basis of obedience or disobedience is what Augustine called God’s crowning his own works within us. If a person has been faithful in many things through many years, then he will be acknowledged by His Master, who will say to him, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’ The one who squeaks in at the last minute has precious little good works for which he can expect reward."

Theodore H. Epp - "God is eager to reward us and does everything possible to help us lay up rewards. But if we are slothful and carnal, so that our service counts for nothing, we shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Let us determine by the grace of God not to be empty handed when we stand before the bema, the Judgment Seat of Christ."

Martin Luther - "Therefore, he who does good works and guards himself against sin, God will reward."

C. S. Lewis - "If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is not part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak."

John Wesley - "For a man cannot profit God. Happy is he who judges himself an unprofitable servant; miserable is he whom God pronounces such. But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him is not unprofitable to us; for he is pleased to give by his grace a value to our good works which, in consequence of his promise, entitles us to an eternal reward."

John Calvin - "Thus Paul enjoins servants, faithfully doing what is of their duty, to hope for recompense from the Lord, but he adds ‘of the inheritance’ (Colossians 3:24)."

R. C. Sproul - "I’d say there are at least twenty-five occasions where the New Testament clearly teaches that we will be granted rewards according to our works. Jesus frequently holds out the reward motif as the carrot in front of the horse - ‘great will be your reward in heaven’ if you do this or that. We are called to work, to store up treasures for ourselves in heaven, even as the wicked, as Paul tells us in romans, ‘treasure up wrath against the day of wrath.’"

Charles R. Swindoll - "On top of these temporal benefits connected to serving, there are eternal rewards as well. Christ Himself, while preparing the Twelve for a lifetime of serving others, promised an eternal reward even for holding out a cup of cool water."

Billy Graham - "The believer has his foundation in Jesus Christ. Now we are to build upon this foundation, and the work we have done must stand the ultimate test; final exams come at the Judgment Seat of Christ when we receive our rewards."

Charles Stanley - "The kingdom of God will not be the same for all believers. Let me put it another way. Some believers will have rewards for their earthly faithfulness; others will not. Some will reign with Christ; others will not (see 2 Tim. 2:12). Some will be rich in the kingdom, of God; others will be poor (see Luke 12:21, 33). Some will be given true riches; others will not (see Luke 16:11). Some will be given heavenly treasures of their own; other will not (See Luke 16:12)."