I’m retracting something I wrote about eternal rewards

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:16-20)

Jesus mentions eternal rewards more than ten times in the Sermon on the Mount, making it one of the most common themes in his manifesto of the Kingdom of God. A few of those mentions are in today’s passage which point us to two important truths.

#1: Jesus commands you and I to chase after eternal rewards. 

And here is where I need to issue a retraction. In a TWBW devotional three years ago, I said, “God encourages us” to chase after eternal rewards. That wasn’t strong though. Jesus commands us to pursue eternal rewards in this passage and many others.

Now, I know the idea of eternal rewards makes many Christians queasy. For a long time I felt the same way. But pastor Dr. Randy Alcorn is right: “If we maintain that it’s wrong to be motivated by rewards, we bring a serious accusation against Christ!”

#2: Jesus is so good that he’s offering to trade your temporal rewards for eternal ones. 

The primary tone of his command is not “don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth,” because I told you to but because I want better for you. C.S. Lewis nails this idea in The Weight of Glory:

“If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

With today’s passage in mind, let me encourage you (and me) to identify one trade to make this week.

If you’re planning to post a #humblebrag on LinkedIn to get the temporary reward of likes and the applause of man, trade it for an eternal reward by using that time to write a thoughtful LinkedIn recommendation for someone else.

If you’re planning to speak first in a meeting to showcase your brilliance, trade it for an eternal reward by staying quiet and asking thoughtful questions that help others shine.

If you’re planning to spend your bonus on something you don’t need, trade it for an eternal reward by anonymously meeting someone else’s need.

You get the idea. “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” today. You’ll be glorifying God as you do!