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“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” – Revelation 22:12 – KJV

Although the Scriptures teach clearly that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” – Titus 3:5, they do state that we are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” – Ephesians 2:10

Good works will never produce salvation, but they will produce heavenly rewards. “The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide . . . he shall receive a reward” – 1 Corinthians 3:13-14.  Note that this particular criterion is not how much a man’s work may accomplish, but what sort it is.

The greatest reward could well be the joy of hearing the Lord Jesus say to us at His judgment seat: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” – Matthew 25:21

But if we wonder just what the particular reward will be, perhaps our text may give us a clue. Remember that, in the ages to come, “His servants will serve Him” – Revelation 22:3. There will be work to do! Not drudgery or sweaty labor, but glorious work, enjoying God’s great creation and helping in the accomplishment of His holy purpose in creation. In an infinite universe, with endless time, we can never run out of useful, rewarding work to do, as we serve Him.

He says He will ‘give every man according as his work shall be’ – Revelation 22:12.  Perhaps this suggests that our work here, with the interests, skills and abilities God has blessed us with, will have some relation to our work there, using those same interests, skills and abilities. In any case, we can be confident that our “labor is not in vain in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58

Listed below are supplemental Scripture verses which exemplify the topic.  Note the works which are accomplished to receive such rewards:

1 Samuel 26:23
“The Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness.”

2 Chronicles 15:7
“But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”

Psalm 11:7
“Certainly the Lord is just; he rewards godly deeds; the upright will experience his favor.”

Psalm 16:11
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 62:12
“And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work.”

Proverbs 22:4
“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.”

Isaiah 40:10
The Greatness of God:
“Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him.” 

Isaiah 61:8
“For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an everlasting covenant with them.” 

Isaiah 62:11
“Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.’ “

Jeremiah 17:10
” ‘I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.’ “ 

Daniel 12:3
“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Daniel 12:13
“But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

Matthew 5:12
” ‘Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ “

Matthew 16:27
” ‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.’  “

Matthew 25:21
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “ 

Mark 9:41
” ‘For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.’ “

Luke 6:22-23
” ‘Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.  Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.’ “

Luke 6:35-36
Love for Enemies:
” ‘But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.’ “

Luke 14:13-14
Parable of the Guests:
” ‘But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’”

Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 3:8
“Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

1 Corinthians 3:13-15
Foundations for Living:
“Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 

2 Corinthians 5:10
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Galatians 6:9
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

Ephesians 6:8
“Knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord.”

Philippians 3:14
Pressing on Towards the Goal:
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” 

2 Timothy 2:10
Be Strong:
“For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.“

2 Timothy 4:8
Preach the Word:
“In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Hebrews 10:35
Enduring great sufferings for His name:
“Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” 

Hebrews 11:6
The Triumphs of Faith:
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” 

James 1:12
Testing Your Faith:
“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

1 Peter 5:6-7
Serve God Willingly:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.”

2 Peter 1:4
Growth in Christian Virtue:
“For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 

2 John 1:8
Walk According to His Commandments:
“Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.”

Revelation 2:23
” ‘And I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.’ “

Revelation 3:11
” ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.’ “

Revelation 11:18
“And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Revelation 22:12
” ‘And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.’ “

“No eye has seen,

no ear has heard,

no mind has conceived

what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

– 1 Corinthians 2:9

To maintain a proper balance, the flip side of rewards is also provided.  “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.” – 2 John 1:8

2 Samuel 3:39
“The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.”

Psalm 54:5
“He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.”

Proverbs 24:20
“For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.”

Jeremiah 17:10
The Deceitful Heart:
” ‘I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.’ “

Hosea 4:7-10
“They sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame…and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. For they shall eat, and not have enough…because they have stopped giving heed to the LORD.”

Obadiah 1:15
The Day of the Lord and the Future:
“For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.”

Matthew 6:1
Giving to the Poor and Prayer:
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”

2 Corinthians 5:10
The Temporal and Eternal:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Colossians 3:25
“For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

Hebrews 2:2
Give Heed:
“For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward…”

2 John 1:8-9
Walk According to His Commandments:
“Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.  Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God…”

Revelation 2:23
[Good news – Bad news]
” ‘And I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.’ “

Revelation 20:12-15
The Great White Throne Judgment [for the unsaved]:
“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds…
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Click here for: Salvation Call – God’s Love

Credit: ICR, Days of Praise, May 25, 2004