Question
Are there rewards in Heaven?
Response
Do people get rewarded in heaven for what they have done during their life?
For a lot of people this just doesn't seem to sit quite right. After all, aren’t we saved by the free and unmerited action of God? So how then can we be judged by God and rewarded based upon what we have done? However, the bible seems to be clear that God does indeed give people rewards and that these are based upon what we have done in our life. In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Paul is writing about how the church needs to be careful as it builds upon the foundation that is Christ Jesus. The building will be revealed on judgment day through fire. "If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through flames" (14-15). Here Paul clearly states that a reward exists in heaven that is distinct from salvation. Rewards are also mentioned explicitly in 2 John 8 and Revelation 11:18 and implied in Matthew 5:12, 5:19, and 6:20, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 6:20-26, 12:21, 12:33-34, 14:12-14 and 19:11-27, Romans 14:10-12, 2 Corinthians 5:10 and 9:6-9, Ephesians 6:7-8, Colossians 3:23-25 and Revelation 22:12. That's a lot of verses!
What are these ‘rewards’?
As for the nature of the rewards the bible seems to remain silent on the subject. Some authors have likened rewards to crowns or medals while others have said that having a larger reward will translate into something like having a larger house in heaven. While these images may turn out to be true, they say more than what the bible says on the subject and probably assume too much.
The bible does allow us to say what rewards aren't though. The amount of reward you have isn't what dictates the level of your happiness or joy in heaven. The bible is clear throughout that our happiness is not dependent on how much we have but rather on how we live in relation to God. It is nonsensical to suppose that a God who says "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven" (Mark 10:21) could finish the sentence by saying "where the more you have, the happier you will be". In heaven our relationship to God will be perfect and therefore our happiness will be complete.
Why Are They Mentioned in the Bible?
Everything that is in the Bible is in there for a reason, and the reason that rewards seem to exist in the Bible is to encourage people to carry on doing good deeds to others. In Ephesians Paul writes “whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:8). More specifically they seemed to be mentioned to cause people who were teaching shoddily, or allowing poor teaching to take place, to reconsider their actions for fear that they might lose heavenly rewards. As Paul says “Let each one take care how he builds upon it [that is, the foundation that is Jesus Christ]” (1 Corinthians 3:10).
The challenge for us then is to value any future heavenly rewards so much that we aren’t tempted to teach lazily or sloppily but instead to godlily correct falsely teaching so as to help everyone get a better reward in heaven.
Key Bible Passages
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
2 Corinthians 5:10
"There are rewards in heaven that depend on how we work in this life. They exist to encourage us to work well for the gospel and teach people correctly."
This response was written by Mark Walley. Copyright © September 2006.
- Read as many Bible passages that speak of ‘rewards in heaven’ as possible and discuss what we learn about them. Think about some of the following questions: What do we learn about what they are and what they are not? Why are they important? Who are they for?
- Why do you think some people are uncomfortable with the whole idea of ‘rewards in heaven’?
- What is the danger of becoming too ‘obsessed’ over ‘rewards in heaven’?
- How should we view ‘rewards in heaven’ appropriately?
FAQ Disclaimer:
FAQ responses are designed to promote clear biblical thinking about subjects that are often difficult and confusing. The responses are all considered to be compatible with the Evangelical Alliance’s basis of faith but beyond that should not be assumed to represent the Evangelical Alliance’s ‘official standpoint’ on any particular doctrine or issue.
