Treasures in Heaven

Are there levels of rewards in heaven?  Do we all get the same thing when we get to heaven, or do we get more or less depending on how we lived in this life?

The Bible says that we will be judged on the day of the Lord.  If we are already saved in Christ why will we be judged?

Perhaps because there will be rewards based on what we did and did not do with our lives and with what God gave us.  Were we good stewards with our time, money and talents?  Were we grateful and tried to not complain?  Did we love those in our lives the best we could? etc.

Look at the story of the talents.  The master was very pleased with the servants who got a good return for their talents.

I think the more we do for God in this life, the more he will reward us in the next.  Why wouldn't he?  He loves us as a parent loves and so he wants to reward us. 

Some have the fear of loosing their salvation to keep them in check and living relatively well.  But others have this hope that what they do in this life will matter, somehow, in heaven.  That there is a positive incentive for trying to live out the Christian life as best as we can. 

The rewards are also in this life though.  The reward is somewhat intrinsic in doing good.  When we do good and follow God's laws we keep ourselves from harm.  That in itself is a reward.  We will live long and prosper if we follow his ways and what he has told us to do.

It is not necessarily money that we will prosper in.  I don't like the prosperity gospel and I do not think God wants us to be rich per se.  He will always give us enough though.  "Give us this day our daily bread."  Our needs will always be met as long as we are following God correctly.

His blessings come in many other ways that are not money; peace, joy, love, new friends etc.  

And what about blessings in heaven? 

Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." 

What will these treasures look like I wonder?  A bigger house?  More pets?  I personally would love to have a pet white tiger in heaven. lol :)

Does it mean we will get more acreage in heaven?

But that is thinking in earthly terms.  What could the treasures in heaven be I wonder? 

We cannot really know until we get there.  :)

Luke 14:12-14 says:   

"He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

How would we be repaid?  No one really knows.  But these verses are there in the Bible.  God will reward us based on what we do; on well we serve the poor and provide for the needy etc.

Matthew 6:1-4         

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Matthew 19:21-22         

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.        

Malachi 3:10         

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

(Here is an example of what a reward might be....getting to rule with Christ. :)

Revelation 3:21         

"The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne."       

So God will bless us based on how generous we are in this life and what we do with our lives. 

 

May we seek to obey him and follow him more and more, not just because of what we might get out of it though, but because we love him so much.

 

Amen :)  Grace and peace be with you!