A rich banker in the West a few weeks before Christmas sent a check
for three hundred and fifty dollars to his brother in the East, a poor
country preacher, telling him to come and bring all of his family and
spend Christmas with him. They had not seen each other since boyhood.
The preacher and family arrived Christmas eve morning. That afternoon
in carriages the two families drove over the banker's beautiful farm
of a thousand acres of rich land. Coming in late in the afternoon,
they came by the pasture and saw the beautiful herd of blooded cattle.
After a sumptuous supper the banker's daughters gave them some
splendid music and the two families went upstairs to sleep. The two
white-haired brothers, the banker and the poor country preacher,
remained downstairs, and for hours talked of boyhood days in the old
country home in the East. At last the conversation, like the fire in
the fireplace, had about died out. Finally the banker turned and said,
"Brother John, may I say something to you and you not get angry?" Said
the preacher, "Why, brother James, you can say anything you wish to me
and I will not get angry." Said the banker, "Brother John, you and I
were poor boys back in the old country home in the East and we agreed
to be partners for life. One day you came to me and told me that you
were called to preach. I told you then that you were a fool. What a
fool you have been! Do you remember that rich farm of a thousand acres
you saw this afternoon? Paid for with honest money, John. This
comfortable home for my old age, paid for with honest money, John. The
fifty thousand dollars I have in the bank in the city where I am
president of the bank, every dollar of it honest money, John. John,
you could have had as much as I have. What a fool you have been! Why,
I had to send you the three hundred and fifty dollars to bring you and
your family that I might see them before I die. And look at your
daughters; they are dressed in such a shabby way that I am ashamed for
my neighbors to see my children's cousins. And look at you with your
old seedy, worn suit and your patched shoes; I am ashamed to take you
to town day after to-morrow and introduce you to my business
associates. What a fool you have been! Now, John, I am not saying this
to wound your feelings; for I love you, John. But I don't want you to
let any of your boys be such fools as you have been. You know you have
been a fool, John." Then there was silence for some time. The tears
were trickling down the cheeks of the old country preacher. At last he
broke the silence, "Brother James, may I say something to you and you
not get angry?" "Why, certainly, John, I did not say what I did to
make you angry, but to keep you from letting any of your boys be such
fools as you have been, for you know you have been a fool, John." "I
know," replied the old preacher, "that it looks like I have been a
fool from this end of the line, brother James. But, brother James, we
are both old men and we must soon go. Don't be angry with me, brother
James, but what have you got up yonder?" Again there was silence,
which was suddenly broken by the banker sobbing, "Oh, John, I am a
pauper at the judgment bar of God." "So is he that layeth up treasures
for himself and is not rich toward God." They are dying all over the
world, men who are redeemed, going to Heaven, but paupers. "If any
man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall
be saved, yet so as through fire,"--1 Cor. 3:15. But far better be a
pauper, and saved without any reward, than be a rich man in Hell (Luke
16:22, 23): for they are dying all over the world who not only lived
for this life, but from pride, or religious prejudice, or love of the
world, or secret sin, would not repent and be redeemed from the curse
of the law (Gal. 3:13) and be saved (Acts 16:31).
With this teaching, that there are rewards in Heaven, there is another
most helpful teaching and blessed fact, that the poorest, most
ignorant and obscure can have just as great rewards as the richest,
most learned, most applauded. "Each man shall receive his own reward
_according to his own labor_,"--1 Cor. 3:8, not according to what he
accomplishes. "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to
give each one _according as his work shall be_,"--Rev. 22:12; not
according as his success shall be. "And Jesus sat over against the
treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and
many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow,
and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto
him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That
this poor widow hath cast in more than all they that have cast into
the treasury."--Mark 12:41-43. The wealthy, the mighty, the renowned
who serve faithfully after they were redeemed from the curse of the
law (Gal. 3:13), from all iniquity (Titus 2:14), shall receive their
reward. But the poor, the weak, the obscure who serve faithfully after
they are redeemed shall receive equally as great rewards; and if they
have been more faithful, however small their sphere, they shall
receive even greater rewards. "Two mites that make a farthing," but it
was all she could do; "Verily I say unto you that this poor widow hath
cast in more than all they that have cast into the treasury."--Mark
12:42, 43. In an American city, one morning a man apparently sixty or
seventy years of age, dressed as a plain business man, walked into the
dining-room of one of the leading hotels and sat down to breakfast.
Some men at the adjoining table were talking of a sad case of
suffering, as reported in the morning paper; a poor widow with five
children was very sick, who had, since her husband's death a few years
before, struggled and made a living for herself and children; but now,
having been down sick for some time, everything was gone and they were
suffering. The stranger listened to the sad story; and, having
finished breakfast, he called a newsboy and bought a paper. The
account gave the street address of the poor widow. He went to the
street address, a street of poor cottages, and, knocking at the door,
was led into the sick room by a child. He saw the condition of affairs
and heard the widow's story. Sitting by the bedside, he talked in a
fatherly, cheerful way and tried to encourage the poor widow; and
quietly slipping something under the pillow, as he was talking, he
told the widow to use that as she needed it. Then taking out a little
book from his pocket, he wrote something and tore the paper out of the
little book and slipped the paper under a book and told the widow to
use that when she needed it. Then calling down God's blessings upon
the widow and her fatherless children, he bade them good-bye. As the
door closed, the widow slipped her hand under the pillow and drew out
a roll of money, to her a large sum. Then she reached for the piece of
paper under the book on the table. There was a check for a goodly sum,
signed by one of America's Christian millionaires. The glow in his
soul as he walked away from the widow's cottage was not the only
reward--"thou shalt be _recompensed at the resurrection of the
just_."--Luke 14:14. But the following Sunday a poor widow working in
a sweatshop to make a living for her fatherless children, listened to
an appeal for foreign missions, to get the gospel to those who have
never heard, and she threw in ten cents, all she could give, "two
mites that make a farthing."--"Verily I say unto you, That this poor
widow hath cast in more than all they that have cast into the
treasury."--Mark 12:42, 43. All over the world, by the multiplied
millions, there are graves where lie sleeping the bodies of those who,
down the ages, because they were redeemed, gave their lives in
service. They went down to their graves, their praises unsung by the
world. Many of them went down to their graves, never realizing that
there were rewards for them; simply rejoicing in their salvation
through Him who loved them and gave Himself for them (Gal. 2:20).
"The desert rose, though never seen by man;
Is nurtured with a care divinely good;
The ocean pearl, though 'neath the rolling main,
Is ever brilliant in the eyes of God.
"Think not thy worth and work are all unknown
Because no partial pensman paint thy praise;
Man may not see nor care, but God will own
Thy worth and work; thy thoughts and deeds and ways."
Riding along a lonely country road one Sunday afternoon, many years
ago, returning from a country church, a young preacher was talking to
his companion, a young man eighteen years of age, telling him of God's
love and of _God's plan with men_. The conversation had ended, and for
some minutes they had been riding along in silence, when suddenly the
young man spurred his horse up to the young preacher's horse, and
seizing the reins, stopped both horses. Dropping the reins, he threw
both arms around the preacher's neck, and as he began sobbing said,
"Oh, R----, how good God is!" How little men consider God's goodness.
How good God is to have ever brought us into being! How good God is,
though we have all sinned against Him (Rom. 3:23), "that he might be
just and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26),
to have provided complete redemption for us from all iniquity (Titus
2:14)! How good God is to have "in love predestinated us for adoption
as sons through Jesus Christ to himself"!--Eph. 1:5. How good God is
to chastise us in love (Heb. 12:5, 6) instead of punishing us in Hell
for our sins after we become His children (Ps. 89:27-34)! How good God
is to place us where we will serve Him from love, and not from fear of
punishment (2 Cor. 5:14, 15)! How good God is, in addition to our
salvation, to provide rewards in Heaven for the services we render
here (Matt. 6:20)! How good God is to provide that the poor, the
ignorant, the obscure, can have just as great rewards as the more
fortunate ones (Mark 1:41, 42)! How good God is to say, "if any man's
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be
saved, yet so as through fire"!--1 Cor. 3:15.
_FOR FURTHER STUDY_:--The objection that the teaching of rewards in
Heaven makes Christianity too matter-of-fact is not well taken.
Punishments or rewards last through all eternity; with the unredeemed,
in added degrees to the punishment in Hell; with the redeemed, in
added rewards in Heaven. And they need to realize that with both
classes this applies to the smallest deeds: "But I say unto you, That
every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account
thereof in the day of judgment."--Matt. 12:36. "And whosoever shall
give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only
in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise
lose his reward."--Matt. 10:42.
Neither is the objection well taken that to teach men to aim to have
rewards in Heaven is appealing to an unworthy motive. Jesus taught it
(Matt. 6:20), Paul taught it (1 Cor. 3:11-15), Moses endorsed it (Heb.
11:26), and the objector himself prays for God's blessings here in
this life.
Nor is the objection well founded, that for people to aim to have
rewards will destroy the motive of love. Rather, it adds to the motive
of love. A father gives his son, yet not of age, a fine farm. That
arouses the boy's love. The father tells the boy that, though not of
age, he may have the full reward of his labor on the farm, beginning
at once. This does not destroy the motive of love. So, the Saviour,
having died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3), and given us eternal life
(John 10:28, 29), arouses our love; to give us the privilege of having
rewards in addition to salvation (Matt. 6:20), does not destroy our
love, but increases it.
There is one limitation God's word makes to our deeds being rewarded:
"Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen of
them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in Heaven. When
therefore thou doest alms, sound not 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 received their reward.
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 who seeth
in secret shall recompense thee."--Matt. 6:1-4. If a redeemed man does
his righteous deeds in order to get glory as reward here, he gets it,
but none in Heaven,--the wrong motive prevents his receiving rewards
in Heaven. _God rewards according to the motive._
There seems to be one other limitation to receiving rewards in Heaven
for the deeds of this life: "Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, 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."--Matt.
5:19. The teaching seems to be that for one to deliberately break even
the least commandment, while he will be saved ("The least _in the
kingdom of Heaven_") yet he will have no reward ("_The least_ in the
kingdom of Heaven").
There is one passage of Scripture that some have thought contradicts
the teaching of different rewards in Heaven: "The kingdom of Heaven is
like unto a man, an householder, who went out early in the morning to
hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the
laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he
went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the
market place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard and
whatsoever is right I will give you, and they went their way. Again he
went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing
idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They
say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye
also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye
receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto
his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning
from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about
the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first
came, they supposed that they should have received more, and they
likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it,
they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last
have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who
have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them
and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with me for
a penny? Take that thine is and go thy way; _I will give unto this
last even as unto thee_."--Matt. 20:1-14. From this the conclusion is
drawn that there are no different rewards in Heaven; that all are
rewarded alike. But not only does God's word elsewhere teach different
rewards in Heaven, but the Saviour made His teaching on this point
very plain. In the parable of the pounds, the servant who with one
pound gained ten pounds is rewarded with authority over ten cities.
But the one who with one pound gained only five pounds is rewarded
with only five cities (Luke 19:16-19). This shows clearly a difference
in rewards. If, now, this passage in Matthew teaches no difference in
rewards, then we have a positive contradiction. But consider the two
parables: the parable of the pounds is where men have the same
opportunity, each one a pound; then they are rewarded according to
what they accomplish. The parable of the vineyard is where the
laborers work different lengths of time; in the morning, boys and
girls, six, eight, ten, twelve years of age, becoming Christians and
going into the vineyard; the third hour, young people, fifteen,
eighteen, twenty years of age, becoming Christians and going into the
vineyard; the sixth hour, young men and young women, twenty-five,
thirty, thirty-five years of age, becoming Christians and going into
the vineyard; the ninth hour, men and women past middle life, forty,
forty-five, fifty years of age, becoming Christians and going into
the vineyard; the eleventh hour, old men and women, sixty, seventy,
eighty years of age, becoming Christians and going into the vineyard.
But does the Saviour mean all old men and women who become Christians
in old age and begin working in the vineyard? No, for He limits it to
those in old age who can say, "_No man hath hired us_." Then the
Saviour means by the eleventh hour laborers in the parable those who
in old age had never before had the opportunity of going into the
vineyard; who had never before heard or understood the way to be
saved, and enter God's service. With these, the Saviour reserves the
sovereign right to give them just as great rewards as though they had
entered the vineyard "early in the morning"; not that those who "have
borne the burden and heat of the day" shall receive less, but that
those who did not have the opportunity of entering the vineyard
sooner, shall not lose because of it. Some one may think that there
are no old men and women who do not know the way to be saved and enter
the vineyard. Even in professedly Christian lands there are many old
men and women who, because of wrong religious teaching, have never
seen the real way to be saved; and in China and Africa there are vast
numbers who can say, "No man hath hired us." To take a case: a mere
child becomes a Christian and serves in the vineyard for seventy
years; an old Chinaman eighty years of age hears the gospel for the
first time, and becomes a Christian and works in the vineyard only one
year and dies. He will receive as great a reward as the one who served
God seventy years. Apply this principle to the redeemed who died in
early life: if those who entered at the eleventh hour, "because no man
hath hired us" receive for one hour as much as those who have labored
throughout the day, then those who entered the third hour and the Lord
of the vineyard himself took them out the fourth hour, will receive as
great rewards as though they had been left to bear the burden and heat
of the day. Blessed consolation to those who have lost loved ones who
were taken early in life.
Three of the Saviour's parables are closely connected in their
teaching concerning rewards: The parable of the pounds, where each
servant has a pound and one gains ten pounds and another five; one
receives authority over ten cities, the other receives authority over
five cities, just half the reward of the other, because he was just
half as faithful (Luke 19:16-19). This parable represents that class
of men who have equal opportunity in life (each one a pound) and
teaches that their reward will be in proportion to what they
accomplish. The second is the parable of the vineyard, representing
the length of time of service when the laborers were not to blame for
not entering the vineyard earlier; showing that they shall not lose
because they could not get into the vineyard to work earlier. The
third is the parable of the talents, where the one with five talents
gained five other talents and the one with two talents gained two
other talents, and they both received the same commendation, the same
reward, "I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matt. 25:20-23);
teaching that the one with small opportunity (two talents) if he uses
it faithfully, will receive as great reward as the one with great
opportunity (five talents) who uses it faithfully.
A widely misunderstood passage of Scripture bearing on the subject of
rewards is 1 Cor. 9:24-27: "Know ye not that they that run in a race
run all, but only one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain.
And every contestant in the games is temperate in all things. They,
indeed, do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that
beateth the air; but I buffet my body and bring it into subjection;
lest that by any means, after having preached to others, I myself
should be disapproved."--The 1911 Bible. The Authorized Version reads
"a castaway"; the Revised Version reads "rejected." Many have thought
that Paul was striving that he might not be a castaway (or rejected)
from salvation. But notice the passage; he was striving not to be a
castaway (or rejected) from something that is secured as a result of
one's own efforts, "so run that ye may obtain." Salvation is not
secured as a result of one's efforts; "to him that _worketh not_ but
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness."--Rom. 4:5. Rewards are secured as a result of one's
own efforts; "each man shall receive his own reward according to his
own labor."--1 Cor. 3:8. Again, what Paul was striving not to be a
castaway (or rejected) from, is something that one receives after the
race is finished; but salvation comes at the beginning of the race
course, "He that believeth on the Son _hath_ everlasting life,"--John
3:36; "by grace _have ye been_ saved."--Eph. 2:8. Rewards do come
after the race is finished;--"thou shalt be recompensed _at the
resurrection of the just_."--Luke 14:14. Again, in saying "I buffet my
body," he has no reference to buffeting his body to keep it from sin,
but from _comforts and privileges that are not sinful_. In the entire
chapter he has referred only to his not eating and drinking; not
leading about a wife as well as other apostles and the brethren of the
Lord and Cephas; not being supported by those to whom he preached (1
Cor. 9:4-14); and in each case he says that he has a right to these
things. Was Paul buffeting his body against having a wife lest he
should be a castaway (or rejected) from salvation? Then only the Roman
Catholic priests, among the preachers, will be saved. Was Paul
buffeting his body against being supported by those to whom he
preached, and working with his own hands for his living, lest he
should be a castaway (or rejected) from salvation? Then the Roman
Catholic priests and almost all of the Protestant and Baptists
preachers will be lost. Will a man be a castaway (or rejected) from
salvation for enjoying comforts and privileges that are not sinful and
to which he has a right? But let Paul state for himself what he means:
"For if I do this thing willingly _I have a reward_."--1 Cor. 9:17. He
then urges the Corinthian Christians to run in the race that they may
receive the prize. "I buffet my body and bring it into subjection
(from enjoying these sinless comforts and privileges); lest that by
any means, after having preached (R. V. margin "have been a herald")
to others (preaching or heralding to run in the race and so run as to
obtain the prize, the reward) I myself should be disapproved" (a
castaway, rejected,--from the prize, the reward). "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 through fire."--1 Cor. 3:14, 15.
But does Paul teach that there are rewards for bodily sufferings and
self-denials? Let him explain: "Though I am free from all men, yet
have I made myself servant unto all, _that I might gain the more_."--1
Cor. 9:19. That, by giving up these comforts and privileges he might
win more people to be saved (1 Cor. 9:20-22).
There is the prize, there are rewards, for those who bring their
bodies under from comforts and privileges that they may thereby win
others to be saved. With the coppers in the foreign mission envelope
from an orphan newsboy was found a note written in a child's awkward
handwriting, "Starved a meal to give a meal." He would not have been a
castaway from salvation had he bought and eaten his lunch that day;
but there will be, at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14), the
prize for having brought his body into subjection that he might gain
the more.
During a collection for foreign missions, a poor, ragged, one-legged
negro hobbled down the aisle and laid three packages of money on the
table: "Dat's fur my wife; dat's fur my boy; dat's fur me." When the
collector saw the amount, he protested, saying that it was too much
for a poor crippled man to give. As a matter of fact, it meant weeks
of sacrificing, sometimes with no meat on the table. As the tears
trickled down the black cheeks, the negro said, "Oh, Boss, de Lord's
cause must go on, and I may soon be dead"; and turning he hobbled back
to his seat. He was only a poor, ignorant, one-legged negro, but he
ran in the race, and at the resurrection of the just he will receive
the prize.
A Christian Chinaman sold himself to some mine owners that he might go
down in the mines and while working lead his fellow-Chinamen to be
saved. He had no support from those to whom he preached, but worked
with his own hands. He ran in the race, and will receive the prize.
If the young Catholic priest was redeemed who turned from the comforts
and privileges of a wife and home and gave himself for the lepers,
there will be the prize at the resurrection of the just.
The world says that a man is a fool to make such sacrifices; Jesus
said: "Thou fool ... so is he that layeth up treasures for himself and
is not rich toward God."--Luke 12:20, 21. "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 through fire."--1 Cor. 3:14, 15.