The Bible teaches that there will be rewards for believers in heaven. These rewards are given by God as a way to honor and bless those who have served Him faithfully during their lives on earth. The purpose of heavenly rewards is not to earn salvation, but rather to encourage and motivate believers to live in a way that honors God.
The Bible uses several different terms to describe heavenly rewards including crowns, treasures, inheritances, and prizes. These various words convey the idea that God desires to richly reward those who have sacrificed and suffered for Him. While salvation itself is a free gift given by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), rewards are something additional that believers can earn through obedient and righteous living.
Some key biblical passages that discuss heavenly rewards include:
- 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 – Rewards are compared to building materials that will endure testing by fire. Quality work done for God will survive to receive a reward.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 – All believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive repayment for deeds done in the body, whether good or bad.
- Matthew 6:19-21 – Followers of Christ are urged to store up eternal treasures in heaven rather than earthly treasures.
- Matthew 16:27 – On the day of His coming, Jesus will repay each person according to what he or she has done.
- Revelation 22:12 – Jesus promises to bring rewards with Him when He returns and will give to each person according to what he or she has done.
Based on passages like these, Bible scholars infer several purposes behind God’s system of heavenly rewards:
- To underscore the truth that God is fair and just – God does not overlook all that His servants have done for His kingdom. He keeps perfect records and ensures everyone is properly compensated (Hebrews 6:10).
- To comfort and encourage suffering believers – Christians experiencing hardship and persecution for their faith can be assured that God sees their sacrifices and will honor them (Matthew 5:11-12).
- To motivate holy living – Rewards give incentive to believers to faithfully obey Christ even in the face of temptation and adversity (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
- To provide accountability – The expectation of rewards and loss of rewards helps spur believers toward greater faithfulness, seriousness, and responsibility in serving Christ (2 Corinthians 5:9-10).
- To highlight the grace of God – As undeserving sinners, any reward we receive from God is an act of His grace. Yet through Christ, God graciously allows us to share in His eternal blessing (1 Peter 1:3-4).
With these purposes in mind, the Bible describes several types of heavenly rewards that believers can potentially earn based on their faithfulness with the gifts, resources, and opportunities God has entrusted to them:
Crowns
Various passages mention crowns as rewards believers can earn for righteous living. These include:
- The Imperishable Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) – For living a disciplined life of self-denial as we strive toward the high calling of God.
- The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19) – For pouring ourselves into discipling, teaching, and evangelizing others.
- The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) – For longing for Christ’s return and keeping our lives pure until that Day.
- The Crown of Life (James 1:12) – For persevering victoriously through trials and temptation.
- The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:2-4) – For faithfully shepherding and setting an example for those under our care.
These crowns emphasize that believers will be rewarded for living sacrificially, investing in others, loving Christ’s appearing, enduring struggles, and leading well.
Treasures in Heaven
Jesus instructs His followers to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). Our eternal treasures may consist of people we helped lead to salvation, disciples we trained in the faith, generous giving to ministries, and sacrifices made to further God’s kingdom. Storing up treasure shows we value heavenly rewards more than earthly comfort and success.
Responsibilities and Authority
Several of Jesus’ parables imply believers will be granted authority to reign over cities or ministries in the kingdom of God based on how faithfully they served Christ on earth (Luke 19:11-27; Matthew 25:14-30). How we lead and manage what God entrusts to us now may determine the scope of our leadership later.
The Prize
Paul describes living the Christian life like running a race to win an imperishable prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). Finishing the race to receive the full reward requires purpose, discipline, and endurance empowered by the Spirit. Paul himself pressed on toward the goal of the “heavenly call” and prize of knowing Christ completely (Philippians 3:12-14).
Inheritance
Peter calls the rewards of heaven a “rich welcome into the eternal kingdom” (2 Peter 1:11). Inheritances are not earned but granted freely by the will of the one bestowing them. Yet believers can honor God and be rewarded by living lives of godliness and virtue as we look forward to our undeserved inheritance (Colossians 3:23-24).
While different rewards are mentioned in Scripture, all believers will experience the joy of being with Christ forever. However, our experience can be further enhanced by living full-heartedly for Him now. With an eternal mindset, we can avoid temptations to sin or live self-centered lives in view of what lies ahead (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
The Bible warns that some believer’s works will be completely burned up on judgment day, yet they will still be saved as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15). Therefore, while rewards are not necessary for salvation, they represent tangible blessings possible for good stewards of God’s gifts. His gracious rewards will far exceed the costs of whatever sacrifices we made (Romans 8:18).
Just as an earthly parent delights to reward faithful children, our Heavenly Father takes joy in honoring and blessing those who serve His kingdom purposes wholeheartedly until He returns. The promise of heavenly rewards provides helpful motivation to spur us onward in pursuing greater faithfulness. Yet we eagerly await their fulfillment, not just the rewards themselves, but the joy of our Master saying “Well done!” (Matthew 25:21).