QC and sharing (20/7/20)

We discussed the statement, "True Christian giving is not motivated by reward". The unspoken questions then would be, "What then is it motivated by?" and "How do we define reward?"

We would commonly say that, because God has given us His Son and saved us, giving should be motivated by gratitude, or love, and that these are sufficient motivations to give. This is true: we who have received so much out of God's grace must learn to give generously to the undeserving as well. In this view, we have already received all we need to be motivated to give, and I think this is right - all of God's riches of grace (Eph 1:7, 2:7) and glory (Ro 9:23, Eph 1:18, 3:16, Phil 4:19, Col 1:27) are ours to enjoy. So we are to give out of our wealth in Christ - that is why we are able to be generous in our giving. But
'gratitude does not replace reward as a motivation. Gratitude reminds us of God’s past faithfulness so we trust his promise of future reward' (Piper)

A 'reward' is "a thing given in recognition of service, effort, or achievement". Scripture is replete with approving references to reward, rather than prohibitions to thinking about getting rewarded:

• The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, (Ru 2:12)
  
• “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.(2 Sa 22:21, 25)
• then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness. (2 Chr 6:23)
• Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  (Ps 19:11)
• Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. (Ps 127:3)
• Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. (Pr 13:13)
• Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.(Is 40:10)
• Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.(Mt 5:12)
• But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.(Mt 6:4)
• The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Mt 10:41-42)
• But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Lk 6:35)
• If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. (1 Co 3:14)
• For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.(Hb 10:35-36)
• He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. (Hb 11:26)
• looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross (Heb 12:1-2)
• Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward (2 Jn 8)

These verses make it clear that rewards are indeed in store for the faithful disciple. Some may say that, even though rewards are promised, we should not think of them when we give or strive to please God. If this is so, then it would not be reasonable for God to mention them in the first place. If this were the case God would have made it harder for us to have pure motivations! That rewards are consistently mentioned indicates that they are a legitimate motivation for us. God has ordained that rewards be an encouragement for us to do good. Our willpower alone in our own strength does not suffice. It is the kind of reward we seek that can be right or wrong. So Mt 6:19-20 (“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal") tells us that our treasures are not to be earthly and material, but heavenly and spiritual. Earthly treasures are temporary and can be taken away from us, but not so heavenly treasure. This verse also tells us that we can choose to prioritize one type of reward over another and to order our lives accordingly. Jesus tells us "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (v.21 = 'the location of your inner being will be determined by what you value, so choose heavenly rather than earthly treasures" to make sure that your heart is in the right place as My disciple.')

This is a safeguard against the false claims of prosperity gospel teachers, but a true motivation for us - we are to see the generosity of our Heavenly Father, who gave us so much and who promises us so much more. When God judges the world, He will certainly punish the wicked and reward the righteous. 2 Co 5:10 says, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Rev 2:23 says, “I will give to each of you according to your works.” To give rewards, then, is a manifestation of God's righteousness, and the fact that they are offered to us to encourage us to godliness is a manifestation of God's grace (i.e. He doesn't have to do this)

What then is our reward? 
1. It is God Himself - to see Him and to become like Him. Our heavenly rewards are never separate from God - the Giver is the Gift.

• "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Mt 5:8). 
• "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." (1 Jn 3:2)
• “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High" (Lk 6:35) also speaks of a likeness to God and adds the idea of relationship of privilege with Him.

2. It is to receive God's commendation share in His joy.  Our reward will be an increased capacity to enjoy God in all that He is and all He will give us physically in the new heavens and new earth. We will be honoured by Him.

• "The master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Mt 25:21-23)
• If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? (Lk 16:11-12)
• We will receive a crown of life (Js 1:12) and righteousness (Phil 4:8)

So we can say in the light of Scripture:
""True Christian giving is not motivated by earthly reward" and
"True Christian giving is motivated by heavenly reward"