The Heavenly Reward

The Heavenly Reward
Robert Wurtz II

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(A)”> We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(B)”> for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(C)”> those who through faith and patience<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(D)”> inherit what has been promised. (Hebrews 6:10-12 NIV)


Our passage is a great encouragement to those, that by implication, are overlooked in the service of the Lord. The writer states first, God is not unjust. That is to say, God will not withhold the reward that He has determined and ordained for you to receive. He will seek no opportunity to keep back by fraud the wages of the laborers that have worked in His fields (James 5:4). Not that God has ever owed man anything; but rather, He is determined to reward those good works He has proposed. He is the gate-keeper of the Heavenly storehouse where moth and rust doth not corrupt, nor thieves break through to steal. Secondly; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him. Here ‘forget’ is the Greek word epilanthanomai (ἐπιλανθάνομαι) and it means to forget either by carelessness/accident (James 1:24, Matthew 16:5) or intentionally (Philippians 3:13). At any rate, it will not happen with Him; the omniscient God will not forget your work and the love you have shown him. 

The greater blessing

Paul said it plainly, I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. He then goes on to tell us that he worked with his own hands while at Ephesus providing for his own needs and the needs of those who were with him. Why? By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Think strongly upon those words. He had no desire for anyone’s silver or gold or clothing, though he rightfully could have received of their offerings and support. No one chose this way for him, he chose it for himself. Nobody ever accused Paul of being in it ‘for the money’. He chose the more blessed thing to do, to work with his own hands and in turn give rather than receive. Praise the Lord! Amen.

Serving Christ

Jesus has said plainly that in as much as we have done it unto the least of these, we have done it unto Him. (Matthew 25:34-40) It seems very plain from the reading of the text that the writer may have proactively encouraged these dear saints, that in the midst of persecution and trouble, would have to forgo any earthly compensation or recompense for their efforts. Perhaps their synagogues were receiving of the tithe, but because they were believers in Christ they were not allowed to be ‘partakers of the altar’ (1 Cor. 10:18)? All the while they looked on faithfully discharging their duties. As we say, it will be on their own dime and on their own time. What did God say? God is not unjust (unrighteous); He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Man may defraud unjustly or forget unintentionally, but God will remember. Their only compensation in this life will be the blessed joy of giving itself. They may indeed forgo, but God will not forget. Theirs is a Heavenly Reward.    

Keep working!

So don’t quit! No matter how bad you want to. Overlook the ways of men and circumstances, looking on to a day when God will reward. The writer continues, we want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(B)”> for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(C)”> those who through faith and patience<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(D)”> inherit what has been promised. Imitate Paul. Imitate Jesus. Imitate Stephen and James. Don’t get discouraged and lazy just because man could care-less about your labor of love. Keep going! What ever God has called you to do, blindfold yourself if you have to and focus your mind on eternity. You don’t have to tell a soul. Some men’s good works go before, but some follow after. Jesus told us more plainly, Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (Matthew 6:2) Lay up for yourselves treasure in Heaven, where the Judge of all the earth is the paymaster. He will do right. 

One of the last things Jesus ever said to man in inspired text is found in Revelation 22:12; And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Time is running out to get about the Master’s work. May we all  show this same diligence to the very end, so that what we hope<sup class="crossreference" style="color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(B)”> for may be fully realized.