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Rewards and Punishments, November 30
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world.
Matthew 25:34
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The Saviour presents before us the scene of the last judgment when
the reward is given to those upon His right hand, and the sentence of
condemnation to those upon His left hand. The righteous are represented
as wondering what they have done for which they are to be so liberally
rewarded. They had had the abiding presence of Christ in their hearts; they
had been imbued with His Spirit, and without conscious effort on their part;
they had been serving Christ in the person of His saints, and had thereby
gained the sure reward. But they had not had in view the reward they were
to receive, and the expectation of it had been no part of the motive that had
actuated their service. What they did was done from love to Christ and to
their fellow-men, and Christ identifies Himself with suffering humanity,
and accounts that all deeds done in sympathy and compassion and love to
men, are done to Him....
In a subordinate sense we should all have respect unto the recompense
of the reward. But while we appreciate the promise of blessing, we should
have perfect confidence in Jesus Christ, believing that He will do right, and
give us reward according as our works have been. The gift of God is eternal
life, but Jesus would have us not so anxious concerning rewards, as that we
may do the will of God because it is right to do it, irrespective of all gain....
Those who will receive the most abundant reward will be those who
have mingled with their activity and zeal, gracious, tender pity for the poor,
the orphan, the oppressed, and the afflicted.... There are about us those
who have a meek and lowly spirit, the spirit of Christ, who do many little
things to help those around them, and who think nothing of it; they will be
astonished at last to find that Christ has noticed the kind word spoken to
the disheartened, and taken account of the smallest gift given for the relief
of the poor, that cost the giver some self-denial. The Lord measures the
spirit, and rewards accordingly, and the pure, humble, childlike spirit of
love makes the offering precious in His sight.
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