- RSS FeedSubscribe
- « Previous PostA La Carte (4/19)
- Next Post »Friends of the Blog 2
Should I Desire a Reward?
- 04/19/11
- 22
Sometimes I struggle with motives. I struggle with the idea that we are to be motivated to obedience in this world by the promise of reward in the next. This is particularly true when it comes to money. We are to store up treasures in heaven instead of on earth; we are to obey God not just out of a desire to obey him, but out of a desire to increase our reward in heaven. That has always struck me as wrong, as something that is just a little bit less than noble. A truly God-honoring Christian would take obedience as his only motive, wouldn’t he?
Is it wrong to be motivated by rewards? This has often confused me. Somehow in my mind it seems like the reward must negate the joy or the purity of obedience. The fact that I would seek an eternal reward for a temporal good deed concerns me. Shouldn’t I want to give out of the joy of obedience? Shouldn’t I want to give simply because I love the God who commands me to give generously?
Randy Alcorn has helped correct my thinking. In his book Managing God’s Money, he calls the doctrine of God granting eternal rewards for faithful obedience “the negelcted key to unlocking our motivation.” He offers Hebrews 11:26 as a simple example: “He [Moses] considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” And, of course, we know that the Apostle Paul was also running with his eye on the prize—the crown that would last forever (1 Corinthians 9:25). Even Christ endured the cross “for the joy that was set before him” (Hebrews 12:2). He humbled himself knowing that he would soon be exalted. He, too, found his motivation in the eternal reward that would await him—in this case the glory of his Father as he is worshiped by a church washed and redeemed.
If we maintain that it is wrong to be motivated by rewards, we bring an accusation against Christ, suggesting that he was wrongly motivated. We also essentially say that Christ is wrongly tempting us when he holds out a reward for our obedience.
Alcorn goes on to point out that in other areas of life we are routinely motivated by reward. This is true in home, school and business. “Every effective manager and every wise leader knows the importance of incentives. These are motivators that may be personal, social, spiritual, physical, or financial. Unfortunately, countless Christians consider incentives to be ‘secular,’ ‘carnal,’ or ‘unspiritual.’” We even use rewards to movitate our own children; so why should we be surprised that God uses rewards to motivate his children? Says Alcorn,
To say “I don’t do anything for the reward—I do it only because it’s right,” may appear to take the spiritual high ground. But, in fact, it’s pseudospiritual. Saying that there’s only one good reason to do something denies the other ways God himself uses to moviate us. It contradicts all the passages of Scripture that unmistakably attempt to motivate us by our desire for rewards.
This all leads to an interesting question: Whose idea is it to grant rewards to faithful stewards? Alcorn offers a metaphor. Suppose that I offer my son a reward if he spends his whole Saturday working outside with me. “Put in a day’s work and I’ll pay you $50 and take you out for dinner.” Is it wrong for my son to desire that reward? Is it wrong for him to want to be rewarded with the $50 and with the dinner? Not at all. And, of course, I want my son to desire this reward. It would be wrong for my son to refuse to do anything unless I offered him this kind of reward—he ought to obey me regardless; it would be wrong for my son to demand a reward. But the fact is that I am the one who has offered the reward and it will be my joy to give it to him. I want him to want it, and I want him to have it. I even want it to motivate him to joyful work based on joyful expectation.
In the same way, it was God’s idea to tie reward into our stewardship; it was his joy to tie reward into our obedience. God designed us in such a way that we are motivated by incentive. This would be true even in a sinless world. It’s just who we are.
The fact is, God does not have to reward us for what we do. Instead, he chooses to. And he delights to. At the end of the long day’s work, it is my joy to hand my son his reward and to take him out to dinner. He would not honor his father if he refused the reward. At the end of the long day’s work, his motivator has been my joy and delight. Why should I grant God any less?
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
This is a guide that calls men,
This review of the bestselling
New to the site? You can get
This is a guide written
Comments (22)
Thank you for this — I am on the other side of the spectrum, motivated by the reward in heaven but feeling a little guilty about that motivation.
“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”Mark 8:35
Jesus tells us that even our salvation should be motivated by desiring something - to save our own life.
_____________________
My question is this: Since we will be receiving direct fellowship with God in the next life, what more reward can there be? What is the extra reward for those who are more faithful? I can’t see myself being motivated by the promise of a sports car in heaven…My only guess is that those more faithful might have more access to the throne…?
I have actually thought for some time that part of the problem with motivation as Christians and part of the issue of apathy that can sometimes seem to grip us is that we hold to a much reduced eschatology. Many will say that we have no idea what “Heaven” will be like (although they usually mean the New Kingdom when they say this, but they say Heaven…another issue, but tied to the first…) so they just don’t think about it. But I think that in fact, we can know something of what the New Kingdom will look like (it will look something like Christ reconciling all things to Himself -Colossians 1:6) and as the royal priesthood of this new kingdom, we have a responsibility to work out with fear and trembling what that looks like now and how we can restore shalom to our homes, churches, neighbourhoods, etc. Yes, it will still be full of sin in this life but we should be trying at least to work out what “the already but not yet” of this Kingdom looks like.Thanks!
Tim - Great post, I have always gone back and forth between what God has promised to offer and Luke 6:35
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 is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
but I think this explains it well.
And, of course, I want my son to desire this reward. It would be wrong for my son to refuse to do anything unless I offered him this kind of reward—he ought to obey me regardless; it would be wrong for my son to demand a reward.
We are accepted in the Beloved, what greater reward is there? I am in Christ, seated in heavenly places, what greater reward is there?
You can have my mansion. I’m going to camp out at the foot of the throne.
While some elements of human nature are sinful, others are clues as to the image of God we’re created in. I’m not sure where to place the desire for recognition and reward into the image of God, and it’s apparent that all people have it.
I’ve run across many Christians who will piously tell you that you should do everything without a desire for a reward, but I’ve never met anybody who is able to live it.
That desire for a reward is part of the image we’re created in, and as long as it’s done righteously, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I started reading Randy Alcorn last year. I really enjoy his books, both fiction and non-fiction.
Hello Tim,
Dr. Jim Rosscup wrote a disertation on rewards and would be a great read since the man is bathed in prayer!
Paul’s Concept of the Christian’s Future Reward, with Special Reference to I Cor. 3:10-15, . Ph. D. Dissertation, Aberdeen, Scotland: King’s College, University of Aberdeen, 1976.
CS Lewis wrote something wonderful about this in The Weight of Glory:
“We must not be troubled by unbelievers when they say that this promise of reward makes Christian life a mercenary affair. There are different kinds of rewards. There is the reward which has no natural connection with the things you do to earn it and is quite foreign to the desires that ought to accompany those things. Money is not the natural reward of love; that is why we call a man mercenary if he marries a woman for the sake of her money. But marriage is the proper reward for a real lover, and he is not mercenary for desiring it. […] The proper rewards are not simply tacked on to the activity for which they are given, but are the activity itself in consummation. There is a third case, which is more complicated. An enjoyment of Greek poetry is certainly a proper, and not a mercenary, reward for learning Greek; but only those who have reached the stage of enjoying Greek poetry can tell from their own experience that this is so. The schoolboy beginning Greek grammar cannot look forward to his adult enjoyment of Sophocles as a lover looks forward to marriage or a general to victory. He has to begin by working for marks, or to escape punishment, or to please his parents, or, at best, in the hope of a future good which he cannot at present imagine or desire. His position, therefore, bears a certain resemblance to that of the mercenary; the reward he is going to get will, in actual fact, be a natural or proper reward, but he will not known that till he has got it. Of course, he gets it gradually; enjoyment creeps in upon the mere drudgery, and nobody could point to a day or an hour when the one ceased and the other began. But it is just insofar as he approaches the reward that he becomes able to desire it for its own sake; indeed, the power of so desiring it is itself a preliminary reward.
The Christian, in relation to heaven, is in much the same position as this schoolboy. Those who have attained everlasting life in the vision of God doubtless know very well that it is no mere bribe, but the very consummation of their earthly discipleship; but we who have not yet attained it cannot know this in the same way, and cannot even begin to know it at all except by continuing to obey and finding the first reward of our obedience in our increasing power to desire the ultimate reward. Just in proportion as the desire grows, our fear lest it should be a mercenary desire will die away and finally be recognised as an absurdity. But probably this will not, for most of us, happen in a day; poetry replaces grammar, gospel replaces law, longing transforms obedience, as gradually as the tide lifts a grounded ship.” [emphasis added]
Tim,
As an aside, your use of the ESV quote from Hebrews 11:26:
26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Compared to the NIV version: Hebrews 11:26
26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
Maybe it’s my “modern” understanding of the word “reproach” that is throwing me here; but I think the NIV version is an easier read. Anyway… Back on subject.
I think the use of the literal word and concept of “a reward” was perhaps more appropriate when viewed from an OT perspective. This is because they were looking ahead to, and fully anticipated, the promised redeemer. We have the enormous benefit of being able to look back at the accomplished work of Christ. From this perspective the idea of a “reward” takes on the flavor of somehow earning something. We, as the “elect” are taught by scripture to be sure of our election and to work out (increase) our assurance through an increasing knowledge of God via His Holy Word. (2 Peter 10-11).
If one is reverently confident that he is “one of the elect” then to me the idea of anticipating a reward and having that expectation influence one’s earthly behavior has a slight Arminian flavor to it.
We are of the elect solely by the Father’s choice and the Son’s perfect and effectual obedience. Therefore, we should serve our Lord in gratitude and purity of heart. This is a heart that is free from the fetid idea that we can in anyway contribute to our salvation. Our redemption has already been fully earned by the Son’s sinless life and final payment on the Cross. Even the slightest element of servitude (putting an obligation on God) taints the free gift of grace that we freely receive from the Father.
In Christ,
We just had a special 4-night conference at my church about a week ago, and one of the preachers talked about this very thing. Good timing! :]
God has wisely designed us to anticipate three kinds of rewards for righteousness - of knowing we have obeyed, of being pleased with our choices, and, and yes, of an improvement to our situation. All these are rewards we anticipate, just different kinds.
Note that I stress anticipating reward. That’s what must motivate us, not the reward itself, since of course we can’t experience reward until we’re actually rewarded! The more faith that we have in the reward, the greater our anticipation will be and the more motivated we will become. Again, I am astounded by the wisdom of God on display in the working of our minds.
They’re all rewards, but the situational reward is perhaps the most distinct in the gospel. The desire for situational reward is one that should be redeemed, not suppressed. Many world religions devote great time and effort to searing away desire for situational reward. This is deeply tragic but in a way understandable for those who don’t know Christ and so cannot look forward to His rewards. Christ is the master of our situational rewards, just like the master in the parable of the talents. As Christians we should glorify him in that role.
It’s easy to stray too far to either end of the spectrum on this question, and find yourself in an unhealthy place.
For those who have been solidly planted in justification by faith alone and a reformed understanding of their salvation, teaching on eternal rewards can be a healthy, freeing motivator, that actually leads to the “obedience that comes from faith” (Paul, Romans, NIV)… that is, a healthy, God-entranced obedience that isn’t in any way done to gain merit, justification, or right-standing… which would be dead works, done for the wrong reasons and emerging from an un-belief in the finished work of Christ on the Cross.
Many others have been taught thoroughly on eternal rewards (like me, from a DTS-style, “Bible Church” background), but because of a lack of any good teaching on justification by faith alone and any coherent, reformed understanding of salvation, they fall into an essentially “works-based” mentality, where they admit they’re saved by grace, but practically focus entirely on the attainment of eternal rewards for when they get there, and experience tons of guilt and condemnation when their performance is poor.
I believe the best path to a healthy view here is:(1) Good teaching on justification by faith alone and a reformed understanding of salvation;(2) Biblical teaching on eternal rewards in the context of (1); and(3) John Piper’s “God is the Gospel” (and Edwards, too), which puts (2) and (1) in their proper context.
Piper’s classic, “Desiring God,” has helped me a great deal in this area as well. I’ll have to check out Alcorn’s book though. Thanks for the post!
+++the negelcted key to unlocking our motivation.”+++
Sorry, this sounds like Olsteen to me..
I never think about heaven or hell in my day to day life.. .from the day of my salvation my heart has turned to Christ .. just as I >>>almost<<< always obeyed my earthly dad just because I loved him so much, I hunger for Christ because I love him so much … I have no desire for crowns or position.. my desire is HIM .
Following Christ for what you expect out of it will not fool God.. The reason for your faithfulness is not to the glory of our wonderful God..but for your own purposes..
I prefer to leave that kind of motivation to the prosperity folks …
I don’t know what to think about the reward aspect but I do think of heaven often. Why? Because being in heaven means being with our creator and savior. Having anticipation for heaven is having anticipation to never be separated from our God and Lord and Savior ever again.
the rewards for all the good deeds we do doesn’t come in prices, nor a promise for a suite in Heaven, it comes right then and there, the time you feel so happy and blessed because you did something good to your fellow men, the feeling of guilt free because you do what is right and just, the life you have now where you stay contented and happy is the direct reward given to you than no one could ever give.
Thanks Emily…I was ready to post something similiar but you said it better. I love Tim’s ministry…and I love the idea of a heavenly reward…but let’s not forget about the wonderful reward that is there NOW for the believer that shares in Christ reigning NOW. Sure it is not complete…YET…but let’s participate in then glorious, albeit incomplete shalom NOW. In prep for our Lord’s second coming…just because we love Him…just because He loves us and THEM. Shalom!
Thank you, Tim! I have the same struggle. I recently step out as pastor for sabbatical due to my wife’s cancer. After I read this, it helps me to understand better when I do for the Lord. I read a book on “Improving Your Serve” by Chuck Swidoll and one verse he mentioned was Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints” (NASB).
Would it not be considered an insult to giver to not desire the reward being offered?
Personally, I adbhor rewards and incentive systems, as my experience in business has been that extrinsic motivation almost always lends to unintended consequences, with failure a fairly common outcome. I much prefer intrinsic motivation over most extrinsic reward as its far less prone to corruption and failure. (Granted, I dont expect people to work for free).
As such, I struggle with this part of scripture a lot. In the past, I’ve thought of such as a necessary evil in order to cope with adversity in the here and now. Ie during Paul’s imprisonment, personal hardships, folks not feeling close to God etc, but such still seemed quite a stretch. When I’ve taught such passages, this is the approach I’ve taken, albeit in very positive style.
Rather the closest I come to dealing with this aspect is the parable of the wedding feast. I dont want to be one of those who blows it off, and there by insults God in the process. Likewise I dont want to be one of the dudes who show up in the wrong attire. (Granted such a connection to the wedding feast parable is stretching things a bit) I guess in some ways, its a fear motivator for me, rather than a reward motivator, but it is a matter of the heart deal, and that can take much struggle to work through.
The child being reward for the $50 however is a fascinating example. It is one I shall have to ponder for a while.
To put it simply, to purport not to desire the reward that Jesus says He will give you *as an incentive* is to suggest that you are more spiritual than even He wants you to be — which can only mean that in reality, you are less spiritual, since He’s the one who gets to define what it means to be “spiritual” and what you should desire.
But some of the commenters do make a good point about what the “reward” is — it’s not simply “the good life in the happy place” — it’s the relationship itself, one of whose manifestations is that good life in that happy place.
Hello there, thank you for the information you have been sharing, i am more than liking your stuff shared, keep updating here..NCCI Codes