The Reward Of Grace - Christ's Object Lessons, Chapter 28

Welcome to The Reward Of Grace chapter of Christ’s Object Lessons eBook

In Short:

• How does God deal with His servants?

• His reward is given not according to our merit but according to His own purpose - in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christ presented the right principles of God's free grace to the young ruler who came running to Him.

He said: Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Matthew 19:16.

Christ answered: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Matthew 19:17.

He presents obedience to God's law as the condition of eternal life. The character of God is expressed in His law. 

Thus in order for you to be in harmony with God, the principles of His law must be the motive of your action.

The requirement under the covenant of grace is just the same as the requirement made in Eden - harmony with God's law, which is holy, just, and good.

The young man answered without hesitation:

All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet? Matthew 19:20.

Yet he had a secret fear that all was not right between his soul and God. He asked the question: What lack I yet?

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Matthew 19:21, 22.

The young ruler's idol

The world was his god. He professed to have kept the commandments, but he didn't have true love for God or humans. 

In his love of self and worldly gain he was out of harmony with the principles of heaven.

Moreover, he was not ready to accept the Savior's principle of self-sacrifice. In this Christ did not ask a greater sacrifice than He Himself had made.

He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9.

He chose his riches before Jesus and with a sorrowful heart he turned away from Him.

Christ's disciples had been taught to look upon the rich as the favorites of heaven. They realized that they themselves were included in the solemn warning.

The wealth of people gives them no title to the inheritance of the saints. 

It is only through the unmerited grace of Christ that any individual can find entrance into the city of God.

There's no merited reward in proportion to labor

Though they had been attracted by the love of Jesus, the disciples were not free from thinking that God's favor must be earned.

Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? Matthew 19:27.

They cherished a spirit of self-exaltation and self-complacency. Furthermore they made comparisons among themselves. 

For that reason Christ taught them the principles of the gospel.

In a parable He illustrated the manner in which God deals with His servants, and the spirit in which He desires them to labor for Him.

God's vineyard laborers

Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 

And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. Matthew 20:8-10.

Those later hired believed the master's promise: Whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 

They were rewarded, not according to the amount of their labor, but according to the generosity of his purpose.

So God desires us to trust in Him who justifieth the ungodly. 

His reward is given not according to our merit but according to His own purpose, which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 3:11.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Titus 3:5.

And for those who trust in Him He will do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20.

The Lord desires us to:

• rest in Him without a question as to our measure of reward

• appreciate His promised blessings

• not eager for rewards nor feel that for every duty we must receive compensation.

Love to God and to our fellow men should be our motive.

The reward is all of grace

The reward is not of works, lest any man should boast; but it is all of grace.

Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 4:3-5.

The first and the last will be sharers in the great, eternal reward. In all our service a full surrender of self is demanded. Thus when:

• selfishness is dead

• strife for supremacy is banished

• gratitude and love fill the heart

it is only then that Christ is abiding in the soul, and we are recognized as laborers together with God.

This is the spirit of all true service for God when:

• working with unselfish heart

• being partakers of Christ's sufferings

• sharing His sympathies

• co-operating with Him in His labor

they bring honor and praise to His exalted name.

Blessed will be the reward of grace to those who have wrought for God in the simplicity of faith and love.

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