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Hello everybody, it's me, Alexander Larsen with Bible Truth 23, back with another video in the series called 4 Dummies in which I explain certain doctrines which are commonly misunderstood, things which are taught in the Bible but which are rejected by a lot of Christians today, unfortunately. And today I want to talk about the doctrine of rewards in the Bible, of receiving rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven because of our works. Now this is something that a lot of Christians don't understand, even saved believers, even good Christians, people who do work the works of God, who go out and preach the Gospel, you know, who disciple people, etc. People who do the good works that are commanded in the New Testament but who don't understand the concept of rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven. So today I want to talk about what the Bible says about rewards, all about rewards, okay? There's several things I want to address in this video and hopefully the subject becomes very clear. Okay, so the first thing I want to talk about is the fact that our works do not earn our salvation but rather they give us rewards. So the works that we do have nothing whatsoever to do with us going to Heaven or Hell, okay? Because the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8, For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works thus any man should boast. So the Bible makes it very clear that our salvation has not anything to do with works but rather it's by grace through faith. So we can only be saved from Hell by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. It's not by our works because it's a gift, it's free, okay? If we received salvation by doing works then that would mean that salvation is a reward. But the Bible does not teach that salvation is a reward, it's given by grace, meaning it's something that we don't deserve. Again the Bible says in Titus chapter 3 verse 5, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. So again, the Bible makes it very clear that we are not saved by works of righteousness, okay? God saves us by his mercy, by his grace. We don't deserve to go to Heaven. He gives it to us even though we don't deserve it if we put our faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. Okay? So if you are following along in your Bible, go to Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4, it says in verse 4, Now to him that worketh is a reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. So the Bible makes it clear here again that our salvation, our justification, has nothing to do with the works that we do because it makes it very clear that him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. So our sins are forgiven, we are justified, Christ's righteousness is imputed unto us even if we don't have those works. But it says in verse 4, Now to him that worketh is a reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. So that shows us that if God were to give us salvation through our works, then that would not be something that would be given by grace. But the Bible makes it very clear that salvation is of grace. It says in Titus 2.11 that the salvation, what does it say, I don't have it memorized. Salvation, the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. That's what it says, Titus 2.11. So it's the grace of God that brings salvation. Like it says again in Ephesians 2.8, for by grace are ye saved. So if salvation were a reward, if it was something we could earn, then that would not be something that's given of grace. So the fact that it's of grace means that it's not earned, it's not a reward, it's not something you can work for. But once we get saved, once we are already saved, once we become a Christian, the Bible tells us that God wants us to do good works. It says in Ephesians 2.10, right after it tells us that our salvation is not of works, it says, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. So when we are born again, when we are created as a new creature, the purpose of that is that God wants us to do good works. Again it says in Titus chapter 2 that Jesus died for us, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. So God wants us to do good works. God wants us to serve him, God wants us to obey him, God wants us to do those good deeds. The thing is, they can't get us into heaven, but if we do serve God and we obey him and we do those good works, we will receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven. That's not something by grace, that's something that's given of debt, meaning compensation. God is a just God. If we work for him, if we do things, if we perform things and serve him according to his word, he is going to reward us, he is going to pay us for what we have done. So Revelation chapter 22 teaches this and several other portions of scripture talk about God rewarding us according to our works. This also answers the question for those people out there who attack the gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone. They'll say, well, if works have nothing to do with salvation, then why even do good works? Well because the Bible teaches that if we do good works, we receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven. There's several other reasons as well, such as we want to have a blessed life on this earth. If we disobey God, he's going to punish us, he's going to chastise us, he's not going to bless us. But another reason is also because if we serve God, if we do the good works, then we receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven. So the Bible says in Revelation chapter 22 verse 12, Jesus says, and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be. So Jesus promises that when he comes, he's going to give to every man according as his work shall be. So again, salvation is not by works, but rewards in the kingdom of heaven are by works. When we work for God, he's going to pay us for what we have done. Now it says in Matthew chapter 16 as well, Matthew chapter 16 and verse 27, Jesus says, for the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. The Bible teaches again he's going to reward us according to our works. We're not saved by works, but our rewards in the kingdom of heaven, those are given according to works. It's pretty simple. You work, you get paid, just like on earth. When you go to your job, you work, you get paid. That's not the money you receive, that's not a gift. Salvation's a gift, but when you want rewards in the kingdom of heaven, you have to work for that. You have to serve God. Okay? Now it teaches that these works are given at what is called the judgment seat of Christ in the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 5-10, it talks about this judgment seat. It says in 2 Corinthians 5-10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Okay? God has purified unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. He wants us to do the good works. He wants us to serve him, and whether we do good or bad, God is going to judge us at this judgment seat of Christ, which is going to be fulfilled, as I will talk about later, when Jesus comes to set up his millennial kingdom, and that's when we will receive the rewards. Okay? As I already talked about in Matthew 16-27, when he talks about coming in the glory of his Father with his angels. Okay? God will reward us according to our works, and he will give us to those things according to that which we have done in our bodies. Okay? So God is a fair God, of course. He's going to pay us, he's going to compensate us for serving him, for actually doing what he says. Okay? So there is an eternal purpose to obeying God. Okay? But it's not going to heaven because no amount of good works or good deeds or keeping the commandments or anything like that can save you from hell. Okay? God has eternal value to serve God. Okay? Because you will receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven. The next point I want to talk about is that every saved person is in the kingdom of God, but not every saved person reigns in the kingdom of God. Or another way to put that is that not everybody in the kingdom of God is equal. And this is something that some people have an idea of, a false view of heaven where people think that everybody in heaven is equal. Okay? So if you believe on Jesus Christ, you're going to heaven no matter what because the Bible says that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Okay? But the people who do go to heaven, every believer, every saved person is not the same. It depends on how much you serve God. Okay? That God will reward us according to our works again. Now it says in John chapter 3, Jesus promises that all you have to do to go to the kingdom of heaven is, or the kingdom of God is just to be born again. John chapter 3 verse 3 says, Jesus answered and said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time to his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, he must be born again. Okay? So in order to enter into the kingdom of God, Jesus makes it very clear you have to be born again. And we're born again through faith according to John 1, 12 to 13. Okay? Now since this isn't a salvation video, I'm not going to be, you know, focusing on that too much. So I'll just read one more scripture about the fact that every saved person is in the kingdom of God. We at least enter into the kingdom of God. As it says in Colossians chapter 1 verse 13, Colossians 1 verse 13, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. So the Bible teaches if you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, if you have had your sins forgiven, that we have been translated from the kingdom of darkness or the power of darkness into the kingdom of his dear son. Okay? So the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Okay? However, not everybody in the kingdom is equal. Okay? Not everybody in the kingdom will reign with the same authority. Okay? Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 19, he talks about the greatest and the least in the kingdom of heaven. And the condition for being the greatest or the least in the kingdom of heaven. Says in Matthew chapter 5 verse 19, whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, so shall he be called, or he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Okay? So the key here is that both of them are in the kingdom of heaven. Because again, salvation has nothing to do with keeping the commandments of God. Okay? Regardless of if you, how many commandments you break or whatever, these people are still in the kingdom of heaven. They're just the least in the kingdom of heaven. Okay? So those who break and teach men to not keep these things, they're the least in the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus says if you do and keep them and teach them to others, then you are great in the kingdom of heaven. So again, there's different levels. Not everybody is exactly the same. Not everybody is equal. Okay? Because you have to actually serve God and do the works in order to have that authority in the kingdom. Now it teaches this also in the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2 and verse 26. Now before I read this verse, I want to point out that all throughout Revelation 2 and Revelation 3, there's a phrase that keeps appearing where he says, he that overcometh, to him will he do this or that. Okay? The only way to overcome according to the Bible is to believe that Jesus is the Christ. As it says in 1 John chapter 5, him that overcometh, or who is he that overcometh, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Christ. Okay? And it says that the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. Okay? So if you believe in Jesus Christ, if you're saved, you've overcome the world. And so it says in Revelation 2 and 3 that those who have overcome the world, they will not be heard of the second death. They will be given access to the tree of life. They will not have their name blotted out of the book of life, et cetera, because these people are eternally saved. Okay? But there's only one time where he adds another thing onto saying he that overcometh. Okay? And that's in Revelation chapter 2 verse 26. He says, he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I have received in my father. So there's another condition to ruling and reigning and having power over the nations. Okay? All you have to do to not be heard of the second death, to be saved from hell forever, is just believe. But in order to have power over the nations and to have the authority alongside Jesus Christ to rule with a rod of iron, in order to do that, you need to keep his works unto the end. Okay? So that's a reward in the kingdom of heaven. Again, not everybody's equal, because not everybody's going to keep the works unto the end. Not everybody is going to be faithful. Not everybody is going to serve God faithfully. But those who do, Jesus promises that they will have power over the nations. So again, not everybody is equal in the kingdom of heaven, it's pretty clear. Go with me to 2 Timothy chapter 2 if you're following along. This also makes this pretty clear as well. 2 Timothy chapter 2, 2 Timothy chapter 2, the Bible says in verse 12, I'll start at verse 11. It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. Okay? So the Bible tells us very clearly that if we suffer, that is when we will reign with him. Okay? Now, the thing is that the Bible says that we go through suffering and tribulation by serving God. As it says in 2 Timothy 3, 12, that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus' cells suffer persecution. Okay? So we are persecuted by this world, we are hated by this world, if we live godly, if we serve God. And the Bible says if we go through that suffering, then we will reign with him. Okay? That ties in with Revelation 2 where it says you have to keep the works until the end. That's hard work. That's hard. Okay? That's going to cause a lot of suffering. It's not easy to serve God until the end, to be faithful. Yet we will receive an eternal reward in the kingdom of heaven. So it's a great thing to do. I'm not trying to discourage you from doing that. You know, we should want to serve God because all the works that we can do in this life and all the things we do in this life, they're vanity. They have no eternal value. Everything's going to be burned up in this world one day. But if we serve God, okay, the things that we will get and the authority we receive, that's forever. That's eternal. Okay? That's in the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom that passes not away. Now, Luke chapter 19 is another scripture that talks about rewards. This is a parable. The parable of the pounds. So again, if you're following along, go to Luke chapter 19. The Bible says in verse 13, actually I'll start at verse 12. That's when it starts. He said, therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return, and he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and sent them to them, Occupy till I come. Okay? Occupy is not as we would think like, you know, stay there until I come. Occupy just simply means to work till I come. That's where the word occupation comes from. That's what he means when he says, Occupy till I come. He's saying, you know, I've given you this money, now work until I come back. Okay? Verse 14. But his citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man. Thou takest up thou, latest not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow. Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury. And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give to him that hath ten pounds. And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds. For I say unto you, that unto every one which hath shall be given, and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me. So in this parable, Jesus is talking about the nobleman, which represents himself, who gives these pounds to his servants, and he goes away for a certain amount of time, and he comes back when he receives the kingdom. And I'll talk about that later, that the judgment seat of Christ takes place when the millennial kingdom is established. And he judges these servants according to the work that they have done. So certain other servants, they've gained, if they've had those ten pounds, they've gained ten more pounds. So Jesus, or the nobleman in this parable, which represents Jesus, says, Be thou over ten cities. Now the one who only gained five pounds, he says, be thou over five cities. So that shows, again, that there's different levels. Not everybody's equal in the kingdom of heaven. This one person received ten cities, but another person received five cities. Why? Because the one who received ten cities, they did more work. They gained more. They did more for God. They did more for Christ. Now the other one, he still did good things. He still did a lot. He still received those five cities for his work. And then there's another servant who doesn't do anything, who doesn't gain to what the nobleman has given him. So he takes what he has and he gives it to somebody else. As it says in verse 26, that unto everyone which hath shall be given, and from him the half not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. So it's taken away, it's given to another servant. And what we'll see in a moment here, or a little bit later, in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, it talks about how some of our works will be burned up and it says, he himself shall be saved, yet so is by fire. Or it says he shall suffer loss, yet he shall be saved, yet so is by fire. So we're still saved, okay, because we can never lose our salvation, but he will suffer loss. Okay? Somebody who does not serve God, who does nothing of eternal value, who doesn't do the good works that God has commanded, they're still saved because salvation has nothing to do with works, but they have loss. Okay, they have not received the rewards that God has promised to them because they have not worked. They have not earned the rewards, okay? So everything they have has either been burned up or given to somebody else, okay? James chapter 2, verse 5. James chapter 2, verse 5. Another scripture about this subject, James chapter 2, verse 5, and there's a lot of scriptures on this, a lot of scriptures about rewards and the kingdom and crowns and things like that. I'm going to go through as many as I can in this video today to make the subject clear because as I mentioned earlier, there's a lot of confusion about the subject of rewards. A lot of people have the wrong idea about what rewards are based on or how we are rewarded or why we are rewarded, et cetera. So the Bible says in James chapter 2, verse 5, harken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Now, I believe that when it says heirs of the kingdom, it's not talking about those who just entered to the kingdom of the kingdom which would be everybody that's saved because all you have to do to enter into the kingdom is to just be saved as I've already shown with several scriptures, but he's talking about inheriting the rule over the kingdom as it says in Revelation 2 and 2 Timothy 2. In order to reign with God, in order to have that power over the nations, you need to keep the works till the end. You need to suffer for Christ, okay? So that's why he says that the kingdom has been promised to them that love him, okay? Now the Bible tells us very clearly in 1 John chapter 5, verse 3, this is the love of God that we keep as commandments, okay? So this is talking about those who serve God, those who keep God's commandments. Jesus said also, if you love me, keep my commandments, okay? So the ones who serve God, the ones who do the commandments, they're the ones that are great in the kingdom of heaven according to Matthew 5.19 because they have the power of the nations because God has rewarded them according to the good works that they have done, okay? Now as you've probably noticed for me constantly talking about the word works and good works, things like that, deeds, keeping the commandments, obeying, serving God, the thing is that a lot of people misunderstand what rewards are based on. They think that, a lot of Christians think that rewards are based on the fruits of our labors and not the labors ourself. But as I've shown you with several scriptures and I'm going to show with several other scriptures in a moment, the Bible never says that we are rewarded according to our fruits. Now there's a difference between fruits and works. Fruits are the result of your works, okay? Like when you go out and you preach the gospel, when somebody gets saved, that's fruit, okay? But the work itself is going out and preaching the gospel, okay? Now a lot of people think, well, if you save more people, if you get more people saved, if you turn more people to Christ, then that's what we're going to be rewarded based on. A lot of people think those who win the most people to Christ, those are going to be the ones who have the most rewards in heaven. That's not necessarily so and there's several reasons why. I'm going to explain in this video in detail about why that is. But Revelation 22 verse 12, which I read earlier, makes it very clear. Jesus Christ says, Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. So again, it's not the fruits of our labors, it's not the fruit of our works, but it is the work themselves that Jesus rewards us by, okay? That is the basis for the rewards, the works that we do. Again, Matthew chapter 16 verse 27, which I also read earlier, Jesus says, For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. So the rewards are based on works and not fruit, okay? Now this is made very clear in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 is a very important chapter about rewards and about works, etc. So 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 5, the Bible says, Who then is Paul and who is Apollos, the ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor, okay? So the thing is, like I mentioned earlier, a lot of Christians, they think, well, if I get more people saved, if I am a more successful soul winner, if I lead more people to salvation than this other guy, I'm going to get more rewards than him. That's a foolish attitude because the Bible says he that planteth and he that watereth are one, okay? See, the job of somebody who just plants the seed is just as important as somebody who actually gets them saved. Because whenever you go out and you preach the Gospel, first of all, you're doing what God has commanded you to do. God has commanded you to preach the Gospel to every creature, okay? Notice how in the Great Commission he doesn't say, go ye and get everybody saved. Because most people are not going to get saved, okay? The command that God has given us is to preach the Gospel, okay? We cannot force people to get saved, it's their decision whether they want to believe on Jesus Christ or not. You cannot force people to believe in Jesus Christ, you cannot force people to get saved. All you can do is teach them how to be saved and it's left up to them whether they want to trust Christ or not, okay? So the thing is that you getting more people saved is just, in many instances, just a, just chance. It has nothing to do with, you know, you are doing more good works and you're a better Christian or something like that. That's not necessarily the case. Now obviously sometimes it can be the case because sometimes somebody could just be bad at preaching. Somebody could just not really do a good job at soul winning, okay? But the thing is, he that watereth and he that planteth, planteth are one. So if somebody just goes out and they preach the Gospel to a lot of people but they don't get as many people saved, they're still doing a lot of good works. They're still preaching the Gospel, they're still doing what God commanded them to do. So the Bible says that every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. So if somebody still works hard and they do a lot of labor, regardless of what their fruit is, if they are doing what God commanded them and they are doing it faithfully, they will still receive a reward according to their works, okay? It's not about how many people they get saved, it's about how many people they preach to, how much of God's commandments are they doing, how much work are they putting in, how much effort are they putting in, okay? It says in verse 9, for we are laborers together with God. You're God's husbandry, you're God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereupon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. Verse 11, for other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. So again, even these last few verses put the emphasis on the work that is being done. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. So basically, if your works that you do have eternal value, versus the gold, the silver, the precious stones, versus the wood, hay, and stubble, the wood, hay, and stubble, obviously these things are figurative, it's just trying to give an illustration. The wood, hay, and stubble, these things are going to be burned up by the fire. Those are the things that you do that are vanity, that are not serving God, that don't have eternal value. Spending your time just watching TV, and just doing whatever, your hobbies. Things that have no eternal value whatsoever. If you focus on those things, you're not going to get a reward, but if you do those things which have eternal value, the gold, the silver, the precious stones, those things are not going to be burned up. It says if the work abides, he shall receive a reward. So if you do those good works, if you serve God, if you preach the gospel to a lot of people, if you win a lot of people to Christ, if you get a lot of people baptized, if you obey God's commandments, if you stay faithful until the end, you will receive a reward. But it says if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. So there's a lot of people who are going to suffer loss, they're not going to receive the reward in the kingdom of heaven. There are certain people who will have rewards, there are certain people who won't. There are certain people who are the greatest in the kingdom, and who are the least in the kingdom. Matthew chapter 5, remember, yet it says, but he himself shall be saved, yet so is by fire. So again, it doesn't mean they lose their salvation, it doesn't mean they're not in the kingdom, because everybody who believes in Jesus Christ is part of the kingdom of God. They just won't reign, they just won't have that power and the authority, they won't have the rewards. Okay? Now, I brought out my whiteboard which I haven't used in a while, I don't know why, but I used this originally for a lot of the videos in the series because just to make like charts and illustrations, things like that to make it easier, and hopefully I can make an illustration that'll make this concept pretty simple and make it easy to understand. So basically what's being taught in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 is that the work that we do is what causes us to receive a reward. If we do works that abide on the day of judgment, then we will receive a reward, okay? The thing is that there, when somebody gets saved, not always do they get saved immediately. Sometimes you need to plant a seed before it's watered, before they need to hear the gospel multiple times before somebody actually ends up getting saved, okay? So there's somebody who plants the seeds, so I'm going to draw some guy planting seeds, okay? Just a really simple illustration right there, okay? Those are the seeds. The seed would be the word of God, of course, if you know the parable of the sower, okay? Then there's also the one who watereth, okay? So this guy over here, step two, he's watering it. He's adding to it. He's causing it to grow, okay? And the result of that, the result of the preaching of God's word of both the planting and the watering eventually leads to salvation, okay? A tree of life. The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life. The key is that's the fruit, okay? That's the end result, okay? So here's the end result, a tree representing somebody who gets saved, okay? So the thing is that the Bible tells us right here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 that these two are one and they shall receive according to their own labor, okay? It says, neither is he that planteth anything, neither is he that watered. So these are not one over the other because it says it's God that gives the increase, okay? God, obviously, you know, we do the work, we do what God says, but it's God who is working through us. It says that in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, he's committed unto us the ministry of reconciliation but it says it's as if God did beseech you by us, okay? Because when we're preaching the word of God and we're filled with the Spirit, okay, the Spirit's working in the heart of the sinner to approve them and lead them to Christ and we're preaching the word of God, okay? It's nothing good about ourselves. That's why Jesus said, without me you can do nothing, okay? We can't get people saved without God. So it's not anything in their own power, okay? So if they just do what God says, this guy's still doing what God commanded. He's still doing the work, he's still serving God and so is this guy. So they're one. They're going to both receive rewards. Even though this might be the guy that actually gets somebody saved, you know, he might have just planted the seed. He might have just preached the gospel, just left a few verses or whatever, but he might not have actually gotten anybody saved. This guy might have gotten somebody saved but you know what, they're both still serving God. They're both still doing the works that God had commanded to do. So hopefully that makes sense. I think that illustration is pretty clear. It explains it very clearly here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Now, another thing to consider concerning fruits and bearing fruits unto God, particularly in getting people saved, is that some people forget that the Great Commission is not just getting people saved, which it's not at all, technically, because the Great Commission is going to preach the gospel to every creature. Again, you can't force people to be saved. The Constitution is dependent on whether somebody trusts Christ. So all we can do is just preach the gospel to the lost sinner. We can't force them to believe. It's their decision to believe. So it says in Matthew chapter 28 verse 19, Jesus says, Go ye therefore and teach all nations. So that's preaching the gospel. As he says also in Mark 16, 15, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. As he says in the book of John chapter 20, As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. So as God hath sent him to bear witness of the truth, to seek and to save that which is lost, so he sends out his disciples to do the same thing, to go and to seek and to save that which is lost, to go and preach the gospel, to witness the truth. So that's what he tells us to do, to go and teach all nations. But then he also says, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Ghost. And then he says, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. So some people who have this attitude of, well, I'm getting more rewards in the kingdom of heaven because I get more people saved, which there are a lot of Christians out there that have that attitude, unfortunately, they're forgetting that the Great Commission is not just about preaching the gospel and getting people saved. There's also getting people baptized. Once they get saved, the next step after they're saved is to get baptized. Then once they're baptized and they're part of the church, now you're supposed to teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And that's why Jesus said in Matthew 5.19 that if you both do the least of the commandments and teach men to do so, then you shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. So it's not just teaching people the gospel, it's also teaching them all things whatsoever God has commanded us. So you're supposed to not just get saved and then go and win people to Christ and just, that's it. There's other things we have to teach people. There's other things we have to guide people to do. There's other good works we have to do besides that. So some people have this very narrow-minded view of rewards in the kingdom of heaven where they just think, well, if I get more people saved, I'm going to have the most rewards in the kingdom of heaven. That's not true. The Bible never says anything like that. It's not about our fruits, it's about our work. And the only work in the Bible is not just getting people saved, okay? It's not just preaching the gospel. That is a very important thing that's emphasized in the New Testament, but it's not the only thing that is commanded of us in the New Testament. Jesus said to do all these things which I have commanded you, and he says to teach all things which he has commanded us, even the least of the commandments, he says. If you do and teach even the least of the commandments, then you will be great in the kingdom of heaven. It's not just the most important thing, it's not just the main thing, the first works, the preaching the gospel, it's everything that's important and is a factor of whether you receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven, okay? However, I want to point out also that rewards are not based on sin. What I mean by that is the sins that you commit do not affect whether you receive rewards or not, okay? Now, the thing that I mean by that is that the sins that we commit are forgiven and they're forgotten by God and they're eternally separated from us, okay? As it teaches in Psalm 103, Psalm 103, I'm turning too slow, Psalms is way further, Psalm 103 and verse, was that 12? Psalm 103 verse 12 of the Bible says, as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us, okay? So when we get saved, our sins are all forgiven and our transgressions are removed far from us as far as the east is from the west, okay? Far away, okay? Very far away and the Bible says also in Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 10, this also destroys another false doctrine that people have about the judgment seat of Christ in particular where they think that everything that we do and say will be brought up to us at the judgment seat of Christ and they base this off of several verses in the book of Matthew and elsewhere which have nothing to do with the judgment seat of Christ but rather the judgment of the lost, the judgment of the heathen, but have nothing to do with the giving of rewards at the judgment seat, okay? It says in Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 16, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. So the thing is when God forgives us for our sins, he not just forgives us, he forgets them, okay? He says I will remember their sins no more. So some people are confused by the wording that's given in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 because they look at the word bad because it says that everyone may receive the things that are done in his body according as that he had done whether it be good or bad and they assume that the word bad means evil. So they think that well if you commit, you know, an excess of sins in this life then God is going to give you some kind of temporal punishment or something like that at the judgment seat of Christ, okay? That's the way that some Christians think it's going to work but that's not what it's talking about. See, we're only rewarded according to the good works that we do, okay? Where Jesus has said do this and we do it, okay? Not well, you know, Jesus says or the Bible says don't do this and we do it and he's going to chastise us according to our sins in the afterlife, okay? We're punished in this life for our sins, okay? But once we get to heaven, okay, we're going to have an incorruptible body that's not guilty for any of our sins. God has forgiven us, he has forgotten our sins. In the kingdom of heaven, our sins will not be mentioned to us, okay? That's very clear in the scriptures. So what does it mean when it says bad? Well, the Bible doesn't use the word bad in the way that we would think like doing bad things, okay? And I'll prove that to you with several scriptures, okay? Leviticus chapter 27, if you just do a word search for the word bad in the Bible, often times it has nothing to do with doing bad things as we would say or doing evil things, doing sin. It has nothing to do with sin. It just refers to something that's not good in a sense, if that makes sense. Not in the sense that it's the opposite of good but it's just neutral I guess you could say. Leviticus 27 verse 10 says, he shall not alter it nor change it a good for a bad, for a bad for a good. Sorry, I probably had to look at the context for this. I'll start down at verse 7. And if it be from 60 years old and above, and if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be 15 shekels, and for the female 10 shekels, and if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself for the priest, and the priest shall value him according to his ability that thou shall the priest value him. And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the Lord, all that any man giveth of such unto the Lord shall be holy. He shall not alter it nor change it a good for a bad or a bad for a good. And if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy. And if it be any unclean beast of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord, then he shall present the beast before the priest. So in this sense, bad just means something that is not valuable because it's talking about the priest valuing these beasts. So that's all it means when it says good or bad. That's exactly what it means in 2 Corinthians 5, 10 because we know with comparing with another scripture, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, that it talks about the wood, the hay and the stubble, and the gold, the precious stones, and the silver. The wood, the hay, and stubble, those are the things that are not of much value, while the gold, the silver, and the precious stones, those are of much value. So that would be the good or the bad. The wood, the hay, and the stubble, those are the bad things. That's not sin. That just means it's not valuable. That just means it's not of much worth. The Numbers chapter 13 verse 19 also talks about this as well. And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad, and what cities they be, that they dwell in, whether in tents or in strongholds. Now it's not saying they're going to look for these cities whether they're morally good or evil. That's not what it's saying when it says good or bad. It just means bad in the sense of it's not really a good place to live. It's not saying it's an evil thing. It's not saying it's a sinful thing to live there. It's like if I were to eat some food and I would say this is good food, or I say this is bad food. I don't like it. That just means it's worthless. It's spoiled or whatever. It's gone bad. That's what it means when the Bible says bad in 2 Corinthians 5, 10, it's without value. It's not something that's good, but not in a moral sense, if that makes sense. So he's not going to reward us according to our sins. He's not going to give us because if we sin really bad or we mess up really bad, we're not really good Christians, we commit some terrible sin, we do the works of the flesh, he's going to punish us in the next life. That's not what it's saying at all because that doesn't line up with the other scriptures that have to do with rewards. It's just saying if you don't serve God, then you're not going to receive as much in the kingdom of heaven. You're not going to receive as many rewards, if that makes sense. So the next thing I want to talk about is when that judgment seat of Christ is. So we know if you faithfully serve God, if you obey him, if you do those good works, then God will reward us and we know that the Bible teaches that this is at the judgment seat of Christ. Or as some theologians would call it, the Bema seat of Christ. I don't call it that because I use the King James Bible and the Bible doesn't say Bema seat, that's just another language. But the Bible tells us that I'd rather speak five words in words that can be understood than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue. That's just a paraphrase from 1 Corinthians 14. Basically there's no point in speaking this language that nobody knows. Most people don't know what the word Bema means. It just means judgment in Greek, but the thing is most people don't know that and the only reason why people say that is because they're trying to make themselves sound smart. But the Bible says judgment seat, so just say judgment seat. You don't need to go back to some other language and give it some fancy name, just call it the judgment seat because that's what the scriptures say. So when does this take place? Revelation chapter 11, the Bible says in verse 15, And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art and was and art to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath has come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints and to them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth. So the Bible makes it very clear that when the seventh trumpet sounds and God's kingdom is established, because he says, Now are the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. At that time, he says, Now is come the time to reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints. So the rewards are given when Jesus sets up his kingdom, at the end of the seven years that we know as Daniel's 70th week. So in Revelation 11, which is in the timeline equivalent to Revelation 19, when Jesus comes back on the white horse, he destroys the armies at Armageddon. That's when God does the judgment seat. That's when Christ gives rewards to his servants, and there's several other scriptures that prove that as well. I read one earlier in Luke chapter 19, where Jesus alludes to this in that parable, where he says of that nobleman which comes back to his servants, it says in verse 15, And it came to pass that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded his servants to be called unto him. So he comes back, and he calls his servants to him when he received the kingdom, which is in Revelation 11 at the seventh trumpet. Then there's also Matthew 16 verse 27, which also talks about rewarding according to our works, where Jesus says, Matthew 16 verse 27, For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Then he says in the next verse, Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here which shall not taste of death, until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. So when he says, The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, this isn't talking about when Jesus comes to the rapture, but when the Son of man comes in his kingdom, he says in verse 28. Okay, so when God comes back, when Jesus comes back to establish his kingdom, that is when he will reward every man according to his works. Again, that lines up with the other scriptures I've read as well, Revelation 11 and Luke chapter 19. So some people, especially pre-Tribbers, think that as soon as the rapture takes place, then will be the judgment seat of Christ. But the Bible doesn't teach that, and nowhere does it say that. Now the last thing I want to talk about in this video is just ways to receive rewards and works we can do to receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven. I also want to talk about how it's important to have the right attitude, and also to, you know, those who suffer for Christ and those who go through persecution will also receive rewards according to that in the kingdom of heaven as well, according to the scriptures. So first of all, fulfilling the Great Commission is one of the ways to receive rewards. It says in Daniel chapter 12, Daniel chapter 12 and verse 3, I'll actually back up to verse 2 to show you that this is talking about after the resurrection of the dead, so this is talking about far in the future. Daniel chapter 12 verse 2, it says, And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine at the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. So I believe that when it says turn many to righteousness, it's talking about both getting people saved and the fact that we become righteous through justification, justification through faith in Jesus Christ, but I also believe that it's also talking about turning people to righteousness in the way that we live on this earth. Because remember, Jesus didn't just say to preach the gospel, but he also said to teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. So when we fulfill the Great Commission, the Bible says we will shine as the stars for ever and ever in the kingdom, okay? That's a really powerful verse there, and it also says in Matthew chapter 5, Matthew chapter 5, Jesus says, verse 11, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now again, I believe that that's not talking about actually entering into the kingdom of heaven, but having that power in the kingdom of heaven. Like those verses I read earlier, 2 Timothy 2, 12, and Revelation 2, et cetera, that teach us that we have power over the nations and we reign with Christ if we suffer with him and if we keep his works to the end, okay? So if we face persecution for righteousness sake, if we're doing the right thing and we face persecution, he says that theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and it says in verse 11, Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is the reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. So the Bible teaches, you know, when you go through persecution and when you were hated of this world and you were persecuted and people say evil against you falsely, they rail against you, okay, for the sake of Jesus Christ and for the sake of righteousness, then great is your reward in heaven, okay? So why is that? Well the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3, 12, Yea, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. So the only people who are going to fulfill this are those who are living godly anyway, those who are serving God with their lives, those who are actually doing the good works, those who are actually serving God and obeying him, okay, those are the people who will face persecution from the world for Jesus Christ's sake and they will have great rewards in the kingdom of heaven. Now another thing is that when we do these works, we need to do it with the right attitude as well, okay? Now if you're in, if you were following along with me and you're in Matthew, keep your place in Matthew because I'm going to go back to chapter 6, but I want to turn real quick to Colossians 3 and read out of Colossians 3, but I'll be back in Matthew in a second. Colossians 3 and verse 23, the Bible says, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ. So the Bible tells us that this reward of the inheritance is given for those who serve the Lord Christ, but it says that we are given this, we are given this reward if we do these things heartily as unto the Lord and not to men. See some people just serve God to get the praise out of man, okay, they're just doing it for their glory, to exalt themselves, for their praise, they're not doing it because they love God and they want to do it for God's sake, they're doing it for their own sake or for other people's sake, okay, not for God, okay, those people the Bible teaches will not receive the reward, okay, because they're doing it for the wrong reason, they're doing it with the wrong attitude. So going back to Matthew chapter 6, the Bible says in verse 1, Take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Okay, so if you do these good things, alms would be given to the poor, he says if you do those things to be seen of men, then you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. So that is a good work, to give to the poor, to help poor people out, that's a good work, but if you do that with the wrong attitude in your heart, you're doing that to be seen of men, to receive praise of other people, then you're not going to receive a reward for that good work. It says in verse 2, Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have the reward, okay, their reward is not something that's eternal, it's just praise of men, it's just something that is meaningless, it's vanity, right? It says in verse 3, But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have the reward, but thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. So again, there are people who might do a lot of good things for God, who might go out and preach the gospel, get a lot of people saved, but they're doing it just to boast about it, just to brag about it, just to say, hey everybody, look at me, look at all these good things I'm doing. Now those people, they could be, you know, there are obviously a lot of Judases who are doing that because they're just trying to exalt themselves, they don't care about God at all, but then there are some people who are doing that just because they love this world more than God, who are genuine Christians, okay, that's possible for a genuine Christian to do that. Okay, but those people, you know, they're not going to receive the reward in the kingdom of heaven. They have the reward in this life. You know, they might have gotten a lot of people saved, but there's other factors, okay, there's other factors than just, did you do this X, Y, and Z, okay, you have to do it for the right reason, and if you face persecution for it, if you face punishment for it or reviling for it from the world, okay, you receive more rewards. That's what the Bible teaches very clearly. So it's more than just, did you get a lot of people saved, it's did you do even the least that God commanded you to do? Did you get people saved? Did you get people baptized? Did you teach people to do all things whatsoever God has commanded us? Did you do it for the right reason? Did you face persecution for it? Okay, so there's a lot of factors to rewards in heaven. It's not just, I got a lot of people saved. It's not just a numerical thing like that. It's a lot more complex than that. A lot of people try to simplify it more than the Bible teaches. Now go with me to James chapter 1 verse 12 if you're following along. James chapter 1 verse 12, I'm almost done here. The Bible talks about crowns which really receive four serving God. James chapter 1 verse 12. This is a very interesting subject to talk about, crowns which, of course, crowns represent authority, power. So we will have that authority in the kingdom of heaven if we, again, serve God and do those good works. It says in James chapter 1 verse 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. Okay, so when you go through trials and you go through temptations and you overcome those things and you endure those things, then the Bible says that we will receive a crown of life. And it says that the Lord has promised that to them who love him. Now again, 1 John 5.3 defines those who love God as those who keep his commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous. Revelation 2.10 also talks about enduring temptation and receiving a crown of life through enduring temptation. It says, Revelation chapter 2 verse 10, fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life. So there's a lot of trials that we go through in our life. And some Christians might just give into those trials and they might end up giving up. Those who give up, they won't receive this crown of life. But those who are faithful unto death, the Bible says they will receive the crown of life because they have endured that temptation, they have endured that trial. And that has to do with those other verses I was showing earlier about how if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him. And what's the other verse where he says Revelation 2, later in Revelation 2 in verse 26 where he says he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end. So you have to endure to the end in order to receive that particular reward. 2 Timothy chapter 4, the Bible says in verse 7, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth 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. So those who, again, are enduring to the end, who fight the good fight like Paul did and who look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ, who are not backslidden and aren't prepared for when Jesus comes, those who actually look to and love the appearing of Jesus Christ, he says that they will also receive this crown of righteousness. 1 Peter chapter 5 is the last scripture I want to go to. There's other scriptures about rewards and things like that, but like I said, I tried to turn to as many as I could in this video. But it says in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 2, feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being in samples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, he shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. So those who are in the position of being a pastor, if you feed the flock of God among you, the Bible says that if you're not a lord over God's flock, but you're being in samples to the flock, you're being good examples, you're not doing it for the wrong reasons, again, not for filthy lucre's sake, but to actually serve them and to feed the flock of God and to help them grow. If you're actually doing what God has commanded you as a pastor or as somebody in a position of leadership, then the Bible says that God will give us a crown of glory. So there's different crowns we can earn, there's different rewards we can earn, different types of rewards for different things we do, but the point of the matter is, in order to receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven, you actually have to get to work. A lot of Christians are really lazy, a lot of Christians don't do anything for God or do very little for God, and a lot of Christians do a lot for God, but they do them for the wrong reasons. Okay? A lot of Christians just, you know, they're saved and that's it, so they know they're going to heaven, but they don't want to receive rewards in the kingdom of heaven. And I don't understand why, because it's really not that hard to just go out and to preach the gospel and to get people saved, to get baptized, to get other people baptized, to teach people to obey the word of God, to, you know, help the poor, help these things, you know, obey God's word, read God's word, pray, etc. You know, obviously it takes time, it takes effort, and there's going to be a lot of trials and temptations in our life, but we have to endure in those things, and if we do all those things that God has commanded us and we do them faithfully, we will receive many rewards in the kingdom of heaven, but you have to do them faithfully and you have to do even the least which God has commanded us, okay? If you just think, well, I'm just going to get rewards because I get a lot of people saved and that's it, then, I mean, I warned you from the Bible, it's not, that's not how it works, okay? When you get to the judgment seat of Christ, you're not going to get as much as you think you are, especially if you're prideful about it and you think, well, it's just because, you know, I've done so many good things, you know, I've gotten all these people saved, he that planteth and he that watereth, you know, neither are they anything. It's God that giveth the increase, they are one, okay? So, you have to do just more than that and you have to do it with the right attitude, etc. Okay, I hope I've made this all clear today, thank you everybody for watching, God bless you and goodbye.