We will be rewarded in heaven
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:20–21)
The Bible indicates that there will be degrees of rewards for those who are saved, and that our rewards are connected to the lives we live in relation to Jesus. This implies that every Christian’s reward won’t be the same. Some will find that though they are saved, the lives they led didn’t reflect the love of God, they didn’t live in a manner which bore fruit in their lives or the lives of others, and they didn’t lay-up treasures in heaven.
What we do in our lives makes a difference in the life beyond, as we each receive what is due for the things done while in the body. This doesn’t mean that the works we have done will save us from judgment, as only faith in Jesus can do that. But it does mean that how we live after receiving salvation is taken into account when it comes to rewards. There is the expectation that our faith in Christ will result in Christlike living and works.
The way we live is an indicator of our personal relationship with Christ, and how that personal relationship is manifested in our lives, character, decisions, interactions with others, etc., plays a role in the rewards we receive. When we live our faith by applying the teachings of Jesus, and act in love, and operate in obedience to God’s Word, with the right motive, we will be rewarded in heaven. [1]
Here is the great secret of the Christian life: Do not look for your reward here. The rewards is Christ Himself, and it is reserved for the life to come. – Elisabeth Elliot
[1] Anchor Rewards
