One of the prominent doctrines of the New Testament is the Doctrine of Rewards. The rewards given to deserving Christians at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). The Judgment Seat of Christ is a place and time where rewards will be given or lost depending on how one has used his or her life for the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, the Apostle Paul was motivated by the fact of rewards at the return of the Lord for the church. While salvation is a gift, there are rewards given for faithfulness in the Christian life and loss of rewards for unfaithfulness. Ephesians 2:8-10 makes this distinction clear in the following way:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”….
Rewards help become one of the great motives for the Christian’s life of faithfulness when we understand the nature of these rewards. Some Christians are troubled by this doctrine of rewards because appears to suggest “merit” instead of “grace,” and because we should only serve the Lord out of love and for God’s glory. Of course we should serve the Lord out of love and for God’s glory, and understanding the nature of rewards will help us do just that. 

The fact remains that the Bible promises rewards. God gives us salvation, a gift by grace through faith, but He also rewards us for good works. God graciously supplies the means by which we may serve Him. He encourages us to appropriate His grace for good works (Phil. 2:12-13), but the decision to serve faithfully, and the diligence in doing so, are our responsibility and God sees our contribution as rewardable. Consider the following verses:

1 Cor. 3:8 “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. ”

1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

Colossians 1:29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

The Nature of the Rewards

What are they and how are they described in Scripture? They are described in general and no overly specific terms. What we know about them is enough to help motivate to faithfully do the good works God has planned for each of us. Scripture clearly presents: the Promise of Commendations, and of Crowns.

The Promise of Commendations.

This is seen in those passages where a reward is given in the form of verbal praise such as: “well done thou good and faithful servant …” Matt. 25:21 and 1 Cor. 4:2-5 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God”.

The Crowns and Their Significance

(1) The Incorruptible Crown (1 Cor. 9:24-25 ” Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”).

Paul’s commitment to this course of ministry did not come easily. It required personal discipline (strict training) like that of an athlete who strove for supremacy in his field. To that end Paul willingly gave up certain privileges which might otherwise be his to enjoy so that he could win the prize. The prize for Paul was not the temporary crown given by men but the eternal crown given by Christ (3:13–14; 2 Cor. 5:10).

Two things: (a) This describes all the crowns. It contrasts our crowns with the temporal and temporary treasure of this life. (b) It is also a special crown given for faithfulness in running the race and exercising self-control in order to serve the Lord and finish the race.

(2) The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim. 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”).

Looking back over his life, the apostle offered a remarkable description few could honestly echo. He had fought the good fight; had finished the race, and had kept the faith. The first two are common Pauline athletic images (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24–27), while the third draws again on the image of faithfulness in one’s stewardship of Christian truth (cf. 2 Tim. 1:14).

4:8. As a result of his faithfulness to duty Paul had no fear of facing the Lord, the righteous Judge, but only anticipation of reward in the form of a crown of righteousness which was already waiting in store for him.

This crown is a reward given for faithfulness to use our gifts and opportunities in the service of the Lord and for loving His appearing. Note that these two things go together. To love His appearing is to live in the light of it.

(3) The Crown of Life (James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him”).

This crown is given for enduring testings (trials) and temptation. The crown is not eternal life which is a gift through faith alone in Christ alone (Jn. 4:10; Rom. 3:24; 5:15-17; 6:23; Eph. 2:8), but a reward for enduring trials and overcoming temptation

(4) The Crown of Glory (1 Pet. 5:4 ” And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away”).

Christ, the Chief Shepherd, is “the True Shepherd”, “the Good Shepherd”, and “the Great Shepherd”. When Christ returns, His faithful undershepherds will share in His glory and receive unfading crowns.

This crown is a reward promised to Pastors for faithfulness in the carrying out of their responsibilities in shepherding the “flock of God”.

The significant word in the Doctrine Of Rewards is the word: Faithfulness. 1 Cor. 15:58 adequately describes the essence of this word: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

The way to this faithfulness is given to us in Phil. 2:5-11 ” Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”