Motivation and Reward
Many people (Christians) say, “I am not going to worry about rewards. After all, what I am doing for God is out of love and not for personal gain.” Such reasoning may appear unselfish, but it is also unscriptural. As we have seen, the Scriptures admonish us repeatedly to take this whole matter of rewards seriously. We dare not ignore such exhortations from God’s Word. God has given them to motivate us to exchange our lives for things that will count for eternity rather than temporal things.
We must bear the eternal consequences if we fail to heed God’s instructions and warnings. Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader, and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterward, and now He sits in the place of honor by the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2 (LB).
Jesus was motivated by the eternal rather than the temporal rewards, and he forsook the immediate rewards for the ultimate ones. We, as His followers, must also be motivated for the ultimate. It was by faith that Moses when he grew up, refused to be treated as the king’s grandson but chose to share ill-treatment with God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the promised Christ than to own all the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking forward to the splendid reward God would give him. – Hebrews 11:24-26 (LB).
Moses was also motivated by eternal rewards. As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he could have enjoyed “the good life” here on earth, but he realized that such pleasures were “fleeting” – only for a season. He was more concerned about the eternal rewards of God. As Jesus and Moses were, we must also be motivated by the ultimate. Each of us will take one Day account for the stewardship of our lives. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. – 2 Corinthians 5:10
2 Corinthians 5:10 . τοὺς γὰρ πάντας κ . τ . λ .: for (explanatory of the reason of our desire to be “well-pleasing” to Him) we all ( τοὺς πάντας is emphatic, not only Paul who has been speaking of himself as ἡμεῖς , but “all of us” quick as well as dead ) must be made manifest . The A.V. “appear” weakens the force of the word; the Day of Judgment is to be a day when men’s characters shall be made patent to the world, and to themselves, as they have always been to God;
There are three words in the Greek language for the word “bad.” The Greek word in the verse above refers to the worth of something. It is not a word used to describe something ethically or morally wrong but rather something of little or no value. Paul is saying in this passage that one day Christ will judge the works and accomplishments of Christians to see if they are worth or worthless in light of the building of His Kingdom.
Judgment Seat of Christ
The preceding verse speaks of Christ’s “Judgment Seat,” where only believers will appear (Non-Christians will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment recorded in Revelation 20:11-15). In 1 Corinthians, we find Christ’s Judgment Seat described for us. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field and building. According to the grace of God, which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and other builds on it. But let each one take heed of how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ?
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw, each one’s work will become manifest; for the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work, which he has built on it, endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he will be saved, yet so as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:9-15. Paul says that as fellow workers, we may use two sets of materials to build upon this foundation, which is Jesus Christ: One set is indestructible: gold, silver, and precious stones. This set will stand the test of fire and only be purified by it.
The other set is very perishable: wood, hay, and straw. Such materials have a shallow kindling point and will not endure the test of fire. Peter describes the test of fire for us as he warns us about the end of the age. But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in It will be burned up. – 2 Peter 3:10. With what are you building? Are you using eternal material to build His Kingdom—that which has worth in the eyes of God (gold, silver, precious stones)? Or are you using temporal things to build your Kingdom (hay, wood, straw)? The Bible tells us that if our works do not stand the test, we will still be saved but suffer eternal loss (see 1 Corinthians 3:9-15).
What Is Eternal:
God, Himself is Eternal
In the beginning, you (God) laid the earth’s foundations, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing, you will change them, and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. Psalm 102:25-27 (NIV)
God’s Word is Eternal
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not. – Mark 13:31
The Souls of Men and Women Are Eternal
People will last forever—either in HeavenHeaven or with God, for the Lord Himself will descend from HeavenHeaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who remain alive shall be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 or separated from God in hell. And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from HeavenHeaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power when He comes, on that day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe because our testimony among you was believed. – 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
Jesus said:
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him. – John 6:27
Discovering Spiritual Gifts:
- Explore the possibilities. Learn the gifts and how they function in the Body of Christ.
- Experiment: with as many gifts as possible. Get involved in ministries that require different spiritual gifts that you think you may have or desire.
- Examine your response toward ministries that you have tried. You will feel personal fulfillment when you exercise the gift that God has given you. Therefore, honestly examine your feelings after serving in an area of ministry.
- Evaluate your effectiveness in a ministry. Since God gifts to benefit others, you can expect to see positive results as you use your gifts.
- Expect confirmation from other Christians. Gifts are given to build up the other members of the body of Christ. You cannot discover and develop a gift without other members of the Body of Christ recognizing and confirming the gifts they see.
*****Let me celebrate my second daughter, who celebrates her 45th birthday today, Sunday, April 30, 2023.
Today, Sunday. April 30, 2023, is a unique Day of a Landmark and Milestone. Precisely, 45 years ago, On a Sunday, like this, I gave birth to my second daughter, a star child. We named her Olubukola Folasade. I called her Bubi and sang a particular song to and for her,” Flying High and High”. The song became prophetic in her Life. Today, she is known more as Folafayo, a well-known Transition & Leadership Coach specializing in Perception Shaping & DISC Profiling, a motivational speaker, and an Executive MBA in-view (Hult International Business School, United Arab Emirates). She runs the Polished Lens.
I wish my beloved daughter, Bukola Ogunfayo, a happy birthday @ 45. I rejoice with her and her family (husband & children). I also celebrate her for her achievements so far. I wish you, dear Bubi, more landmark achievements. I am very proud of you, and Mom loves you. I pray that you continue enjoying God’s Abundance and Fullness of Grace—long Life coupled with excellent health in Jesus’s Name. Congratulations Bubi @ 45
