The Daily Word of Righteousness

Judgment and Rewards, #9

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; (II Peter 2:12)

Among the hundredfold are Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul.

Among the lost are beings of such wickedness we scarcely can believe any of them actually are human. They are "natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed." They are "wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude 13).

Perhaps there are relatively few individuals who are hundredfold conquerors (although all persons are welcome to the ranks of the overcomers), and relatively few individuals who are lost—doomed for eternity.

It may be true that most people will be assigned a destiny somewhere between these two extremes.

Traditional Gospel preaching holds out the choice of supreme rulership or eternal torment; the hundredfold or the lost; Abraham or Nero.

Seen in this light, all of the saved receive approximately the same reward. Paul's "halo" may shine a trifle more brightly than those of the careless "Christians" who live worldly lives. But there is nothing to be concerned about because Paul and the worldly believers are judged and recompensed only on the basis of their doctrinal position.

Do you believe this to be true—that we all will receive approximately the same reward regardless of our consecration to Christ?

Does the Scripture teach that all will receive approximately the same reward in the Kingdom of God?

How much of a difference was there between the salvation of Abraham and the salvation of Lot? Was there any significant difference in their inheritance?— their fruitfulness?

The Scriptures speak of those who will shine as the stars forever.

There are hundredfold, sixtyfold, thirtyfold.

There are some who have no reward but are saved as by fire. What does it mean to be saved "as by fire" (I Corinthians 3:15)? Is that the same thing as being delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (I Corinthians 5:5)?

There are those who will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" There are others of the Lord's servants who will hear, "Depart from me, you wicked, lazy slave! You wasted my goods!"

There are those who are greatest in the Kingdom of God. There are some who are least in the Kingdom of God.

Some persons will be beaten with many lashes; others will be beaten with few lashes.

The Father has designated at least two persons to stand on either side of Christ in His Kingdom.

The work of assisting the immature "sisters of the Bride" is described in the last chapter of the Song of Solomon.

There are the Lord's "firstfruits," of the fourteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

There were David's "mighty men," and then the remainder of Israel.

Paul, toward the close of his life, was pressing toward a "mark."

Then we have the Book of Revelation's marvelous rewards of life and authority that are the consequences of the life of victory in Christ (Chapters Two and Three).

To be continued.