Read Hebrews 11:6. What should this verse mean to us? How should we respond to what it says? See also Revelation 22:12, Isaiah 40:10, and Isaiah 62:11. What do all these texts teach us?

The reward from God to His faithful children is unique and, like many spiritual things, may be beyond our finite understanding. “Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 675.

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Jesus concluded the Beatitudes, which opens the Sermon on the Mount, with these words: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12, , NKJV). After listing the people of faith in Hebrews 11:1-40, the author begins the next chapter explaining why Jesus was willing to die on the cross.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2, , NKJV).

Being rewarded for faithfulness, however, is not the same as salvation by works. Who among us, or among any of the characters in the Bible, had works good enough to give them any merit before God? None, of course. That’s the whole point of the cross. If we could have saved ourselves by works, Jesus never would have gone to the cross. Instead, it must be by grace. “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work” (Romans 11:6, NKJV). Rewards, instead, are the mere outworking of what God has done for us and in us.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 62:11, Romans 6:23, John 14:1-3, Revelation 21:1-27, Matthew 25:20-23, Romans 8:16-18.

Memory Text: “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’ ” (Matthew 25:21, NKJV).

Though we can never earn salvation, the Bible uses the hope of reward as a motivation for faithful living as undeserving recipients of God’s grace, for in the end whatever we receive is, always and only, from God’s grace.

As David wrote: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:7-11, NKJV).

In various places the Bible talks about our rewards, what we are promised through Christ after the Second Coming and this terrible detour with sin is once and for all over and done.

What are we promised, and what assurance do we have of getting what we have been promised?

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 25.

Sunday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/sabbath-rewards-of-faithfulness/