I was looking up all the references the New Testament makes on "rewards" and "treasures" based on a discussion Stephen and I had this morning, which was based off a concept Brennan had said in his book. Are you given rewards in heaven based on your good deeds on earth? Will some have mansions and others have shacks, some big, bejeweled crowns and others small piddly ones?
It just struck me as odd that the whole point seemed to be you can't earn salvation you just accept it because no one is better than someone else, but in heaven there would be a sort of caste system of who got more honor than someone else. And what would the nature of the rewards be? Treasures, gold, honor, more of God's attention and love than someone else? I don't think anyone really believes that you'll have a nicer dwelling or more spending money, but when Christ talks about building and storing treasures in heaven, what is he getting at?
I'm not thinking it has anything to do with levels of salvation for sure! What, more salvation than that guy or being more accepted than that guy? That's salvation based on deeds & works. And it doesn't make sense, to be "more accepted." So, what do the scriptures mean talking about treasures and rewards?
As far as I can tell from each verse talking about believers and rewards, it's talking about one of two things. The obvious one would be treasure singular, i.e. the ultimate treasure of salvation. And not by earning it, but by living the life of gratitude for the gift of salvation you received. Like the fruits thing, knowing what side someone is on by their fruits. Or receiving the treasure, as in you're supposed to sell everything to buy the land the treasure is buried in - complete devotion and commitment. Also, as in when you live as you should, you're showing the treasure you already have.
The other times the message isn't building/storing treasures like every feeding the poor good act gives you one more shilling in your heavenly pile, but the focus of the passages is more why are you feeding the poor? Where is the motivation coming from? Where is the treasure of your heart? The focus is on, are you trying to please God or man.
I don't think "pleasing God" is the same as "earning rewards." Where it says "treasures" it's talking about the source of motivation. Pleasing God with your life is expected of you. It is how you show gratitude for your salvation. And it's not something forced. When you receive the Holy Spirit, you let the Spirit move you (live by the Spirit). If you understood what the cost was and what the sacrifice was to allow the gift to be possible, you naturally show devotion to God through your acts. In other words, you might say that your fruits show the type of tree that you are.
All this seems to mean that heaven is a community of equals. No, not equal with God, but equal with each other. Mother Teresa won't get all the front row seats to the angelic choirs in heaven, and I'm positive she wasn't motivated by that thought either. She was acting in gratitude, trying to show God how much she appreciated the sacrifice. By our standards, she should be rewarded, because we're used to a rewards based system of living. But is that how God sees it? Based on the New Testament writings, I'm not sure he does. I think he'll be more pleased with someone who shows gratitude like that, but there's also a sense of that's what you're suppose to be doing. Mother Teresa did what she was expected to do.
Am I?
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