Both efforts and results count

Paul had a lot to say to the believers in Corinth about eternal rewards.

He was attempting to end an argument over which Bible teacher they should hold in highest regard.  Some advocated for a man named Apollos, another group for Paul, and some for Peter.  Instead of taking sides, Paul points them to something higher up and more important than the name of their favorite preacher:

1 Corinthians 3:5-7
What then is Apollos?  What is Paul?  They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who give the growth.

Pretty clear analogy here.  Putting a seed in the ground or putting water on the seed is small stuff compared to the actual growth of the seed.  That’s the miracle of life, and eternal life is only given to us by God when we believe in Jesus.

Many Christians stop reading the passage here.  However, Paul continues the analogy and provides us with an incredible insight into eternal rewards:

1 Corinthians 3:8-9
Now he who plants and he who waters are one [i.e. – united in purpose], and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God’s coworkers.  You are God’s field, God’s building.

Although all credit goes to the One who gives life and designed it for growth, God will give each coworker his own reward.  Apollos and Paul are servants, but God will reward them according to his own labor – how well they have fulfilled the work God has given them to do.  In this analogy, the Corinthian church is God’s field…and Paul also calls them God’s building.  Switching to the “builder” analogy, Paul shows them that they can be rewarded, too:

1 Corinthians 3:10-11
According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it.  But each one is to be careful how he builds on it.  For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down.  That foundation is Jesus Christ.

Just as Paul “planted” in the farming analogy, he is the master builder laying down the foundation of Jesus Christ for them to build on.  Then Paul warns them – be careful how you build:

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious.  For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.

If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved – but only as through fire.

Most of the New Testament is instruction for how believers can live their lives according to God’s design…how to grow and how to build.  God will look at our life’s work and evaluate what we have done in comparison to the time He has given us. 

For the times we’ve partnered with Him, we’ll find eternal rewards that are valued much like we currently value gold, silver, and costly stones.  For all the work we’ve done selfishly, we’re only storing up wood, hay, and straw.  Both will be evaluated…and the quality of each one’s work will be determined.  And here is the promise: if what we built survives, then we will receive a reward.  And if God called His initial creation “good”, then sign me up for what He considers a reward!

Don’t be confused – this judgment isn’t to determine who goes to heaven and who doesn’t…this evaluation for eternal rewards is only for those who have believed in Jesus for eternal life.  Paul made that clear when he said that those whose work does not survive, while he will experience loss [of receiving a reward], he himself will be saved. 

This isn’t to say there will be “second class citizens” in heaven, either.  However, it is clear that God intends to reward those partner with Him in this life.  So, we gotta ask ourselves…

Am I spending my time and effort on actions with eternal value, or will my activities leave me at a loss?

If you don’t like your answer, then today is a good day to choose differently.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Does God play favorites?

If a kid has siblings, at some point they are going to wonder which kid their parents like the most.  With some parents, it’s painfully obvious that they favor one child over another.  At the other end of the spectrum are parents who express love to their children equally.  However, since we all receive love differently (see: love languages), there is a possibility that children can interpret a parent’s expression of love to a sibling as favoritism.

The same dynamic can play out in other settings when there is an authority person over a group.  Work, sports teams, and social clubs are all examples of places where favoritism can show up.  And if you’ve read even a chapter or two of the gospel accounts, you’ll notice that the disciples are constantly angling to be considered Jesus’ “right-hand man”.

Out of the 12 disciples, Jesus did have an inner circle made up of Peter, James, and John.  However, even among those three, you can find some jostling for position.  While you might assume this kind of posturing only took place early on in the ministry, you would be wrong.  Even after Jesus’ resurrection, we see expressions of concern about positions and favorites.

The setting for this particular scene is a familiar one – Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times during the night Jesus was arrested.  After the resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples.  During that time, He had a specific conversation with Peter, restoring him three times and re-commissioning him as a leader.  Towards the end of their conversation, Jesus tells Peter this:

John 21:18-19
“Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted.  But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”

He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God.  After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me.”

On the one hand, Jesus gave Peter some good news – he’s going to live to the point that he has grown old.  But then there’s also bad news – Jesus is indicating that Peter’s death will be via crucifixion, as to stretch out your hands was a common euphemism for someone dying on a cross.  Although He just gave Peter an incredible foresight into his future, Jesus then brought his attention back to the present with His command of “Follow Me”.

However, Peter’s attention did drift elsewhere:

John 21:20-21
So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray You?”  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

John was the youngest disciple, and he seemed to have a special “in” with Jesus…after all, he was the one to ask such a direct question to Jesus during the Last Supper.  In fact, it was Peter who put John up to asking the question in the first place.  Peter didn’t have the confidence that he could ask such a question…but thought John could.

You can almost hear the thoughts of Peter in this moment…Oh, so I’m going to die violently.  I wonder if Jesus’ “favorite” will face the same pain?  How fair is this going to be?

That’s always our hang up, isn’t it?  If we’re going down, we want to know how many others are going to suffer with us.  And…if someone else isn’t going to suffer like us…then we want to know WHY.

However, Jesus didn’t answer Peter’s question.  Instead, He said:

John 21:22
“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you?  As for you, follow Me.”

Jesus wasn’t obligated to answer Peter’s question.  Peter is not the one to determine if God’s plan for another person’s life is acceptable.  Peter doesn’t get to judge Jesus’ actions, looking for favoritism.  I love the blunt question, “What is that to you?”.  Peter’s focus needs to be on his own walk with God, and not on anyone else.

So, when we get full of ourselves or down on God because someone else has been blessed in ways that we haven’t, or we think that our struggles are unfair compared to the lives of other believers, I hope Jesus’ question to Peter rings in our ears:

What is that to you?  As for you, follow Me.

Keep Pressing,
Ken