Different levels of rewards in heaven (2023)

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order of content

A summary verse
That the believers will be shut up on the Day of Judgment
That special good works will be specially rewarded in heaven
There will be different levels of reward in Heaven
The verdict will be proportionate
The Westminster Confession
Article

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A summary verse

1 Kor. 3:11-15

“For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. So if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, straw, the work of each one is revealed; for the day will show it, because it shall be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of everyone's work. If a man's work remains that he built upon, he will receive a reward. If one's work is burned, he will suffer harm; but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.”

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That the believers will be shut up on the Day of Judgment

Ekl. 12:14 p.m

"For God will bring every work into judgment with every hidden thing, be it good or bad."

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Matthew 12:35-37

“A good man brings good out of the good treasure of the heart, and a bad man brings evil out of the bad treasure. But I tell you, every useless word that people speak they will give an account of on the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

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Matthew 16:27

“For the Son of man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father; and then he will reward everyone according to their works.”

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Rom. 2:16

"On the day that God will judge the mysteries of men through Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

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Rom. 14:10,12

"But why are you judging your brother? or why do you despise your brother? for we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ... So each of us shall give an account of himself before God.”

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2 Kor. 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; so that everyone can receive in their bodies the things they have done, be it good or bad.

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Revelation 20:12–13

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, that is the book of life; and the dead were judged according to what is written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and hell gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged every one according to his works.”

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That special good works will be specially rewarded in heaven

1 Sam. 24:16,18,19

Saul said...to David…as much as if theHerrgave me into your hands, you didn't kill me. Because when a man finds his enemy, will he let him go well? why theHerrreward you for what you have done for me today.

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PS. 19:8,11

The statutes ofHerrto be right, the heart rejoices...Besides, your servant is warned by them, and there is great reward in keeping them.

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Prov. 24:12

"When you say, 'See, we didn't know that,' isn't he thinking about who's weighing hearts? And doesn't he know who guards your soul? And will He not reward man according to his work?”

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And. 31:16

That's how he speaksHerr; Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; because your work will be rewarded, he saysHerr; and they will come back out of the enemy's land.

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And. 12:3

“And the wise shall shine like the splendor of the firmament; and who will convert many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever."

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Matthew 5:11-12

"Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

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Matthew 5:44-46

"Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who abuse you maliciously and persecute you...For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? don't the tax collectors do that too?"

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Matthew 6:3-6

"But when you do charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing:that your alms be in secret; and your father, who sees himself in secret, will reward you openly... But you, when you pray, go into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who is in secret; and your father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly."

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Matthew 6:17-18

^„But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face;That you do not appear to people to fast, but to your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret, will openly repay you.”

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Matthew 6:20

"But lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy them, and where thieves do not break in nor steal"

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Matthew 10:41-42

“Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drink just in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.”

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Lukas 6:22-23

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they separate you from their company and revile you and cast your name as evil for the sake of the Son of man.Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, great is your reward in heaven.”

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Lukas 6:35

“But love your enemies and do good and lend without hoping again for nothing; and your reward will be great.”

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1 Kor. 3:8-9

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will have his own reward according to his own work.For we are God's co-workers.”

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1 Johannes 3:8

"See that we do not lose what we have made, but that we receive the full reward."

David Brown (†1897) comments:

“A full reward—by grace, not guilt: glory accomplished. When "you have done" is read, the reward is that of their "works (of faith) and their labors of love."There are levels of heavenly rewards that are proportional to the ability to receive heavenly blessings. Every vessel of glory that hangs on Jesus will be full. But the larger the vessel, the greater will be its capacity for heavenly bliss(Is.22:24, "And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the descendants and descendants, every vessel of a small quantity, from the vessels of the cups to all the vessels of the jars."). He who made ten with a pound received authority over ten cities; whoever earned five pounds received five cities: each in proportion to his ability to rule and his loyalty (Lk. 19:15-19;1 Kor.15:41, “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory."). “There is no such thing as a half reward. It is either wholly lost or wholly received: full communion with God” (Bengel). No ministry of minister or people shall fail in its reward.”

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Revelation 22:12

“And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me to give to each man how his work should be."

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There will be different levels of reward in Heaven

Matthew 5:19

“Whoever breaks one of these least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

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Matthew 18:4

"So whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

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Lukas 19:12-26

„A certain nobleman went to a distant land to gain a kingdom and return. And he called his ten servants, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Busy yourselves until I come... And it came to pass that when he came back, after receiving the kingdom, he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money so he would know how much each had gained from the trade. Then the first came and said, Lord, your pound has increased ten pounds. And he said to him: Good, you good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small one, you have power over ten cities. And the second came and said, Lord, your pound has increased by five pounds. And he also said to him: Be thou also over five cities. And another came and said: Lord, behold, here is your pound, which I have kept in a napkin... And he says to him... Then why did you not put my money in the bank, which I could have asked for when I arrived ? My own with usury? And he said to those who stood by, Take the pound from him, and give to him who has ten pounds... For I say unto you, to every man that has, shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Matthew Poole (†1679) commented:

“The differing account brought in by the servants indicates that men do not make equal use of the gifts with which the Lord blesses them; some use them well, some badly; some bring honor and glory to God through their use, and some in a certain degree and some in another. Some bring him no honor or glory at all. The Master's reply to them through their accounts lets us know that every man is to be rewarded according to his work. There will be degrees of glory (although we cannot open them well) and of penalties.”

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1 Kor. 15:39-42

“Not all flesh is equal, but there is one kind of human flesh, another kind of flesh of animals, another kind of fish, and another kind of birds.There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for a star differs from another star in glory. So does the resurrection of the dead. It's sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruptibility:"

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Judgment will be proportional to how we judge others in this life and how much responsibility and power we have

Matthew 7:1-2

“Judge not, lest you be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with what measure you take, it will be measured back to you.”

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James 3:1

"My brethren, do not be many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation."

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The Westminster Confession

CH 16, Of good works

6. Nevertheless, the persons ofbelieversaccepted through Christ,their good worksalso be accepted in Him;[u] not as if in this life they were utterly blameless and unblameable in the eyes of God;[w] but thatIs, contemplating her in his son,rejoices in accepting and rewarding what is sincere, even when it comes with many weaknesses and imperfections.[x]

[u] Eph. 1:6. 1 pet. 2:5. Abstract. 28:38. Gen. 4:4 with Heb. 11:4.
[w] work. 9:20. hp 143:2.
[x] Hebr. 13:20,21. 2 Cor. 8:12. To have. 6:10. Frosted. 25:21,23.

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God has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ,[a] to whom all power and judgment is given by the Father.[b] Not only will the apostate angels be judged on that day,[c ] but alsoAll people who have lived on earth will appear before the judgment of Christ to give an account of their thoughts, words and deeds and to receive what they have done in the body, whether good or bad.[d]

[a] Acts 17:31.
[b] Johannes 5:22,27.
[c] 1 Cor. 6:3. Jew ver. 6. 2 pet. 2:4.
[d] 2 Cor. 5:10. Excl. 12:14 p.m. Room. 2:16 a.m. Room. 14:10,12. Matt. 12:36,37.

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Article

Venema, Cornelius - "Degrees of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven?" is the second half of chapter 14 in hisThe promise of the future,Obtainp. 405-419

Venema is a professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary and devotes a chapter of his book to the question of different levels of rewards and punishments in the afterlife. His discussion examines all relevant biblical data, cites respected theologians on the subject, and provides the most comprehensive analysis of the problem readily available.

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