Don’t Lose Your Reward | Daily Devotion
“Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.” 2 John 8 NLT
As the apostle John continues his warning, he includes a possible outcome of the false teachers’, the deceivers, agenda – Christians, losing what they have worked so hard for.
This Christian life here on earth is an investment. Every step we take, every decision we make has a direct impact on our experience in eternity.
We choose whether we believe in Jesus Christ and choose whether we will abide by His ways – and that determines our eternal destination, heaven or hell.
As we live this life as Christians, our decisions impact our reality in heaven, the details of our experience in heaven.
Now, when the apostle John gives this warning to Christian believers, in regard to false teachers and to not entertain the false teachers with their typical hospitality – he is telling Christians, this is serious. God is stating that if you entertain false teachers and encourage the promotion of their false teaching, thus the spread of their false teaching, you can lose your rewards in heaven. That very act can cause God to remove what you have worked hard to receive. It is not something to take lightly. God’s rebuke for encouraging false teaching is severe.
The rewards that we experience in heaven, vary, but they reflect our life here on earth and the decisions we made.
For instance, I personally love Revelation 19:8 that says, “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Therefore, our righteous acts here on earth directly impact our clothing in heaven. These righteous acts reveal our genuine heart and are filled with good deeds and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Our righteous acts uphold the word of God, and line up with God’s will for our lives and the lives of those around us.
Our decisions also impact the crowns we will receive in heaven, the rewards for our life lived on earth, crowns that we will gladly cast at Jesus Christ’s feet. These crowns represent our faith in action on earth – they are specific rewards detailing specific decisions we face on earth. If we choose to obey God, we receive the reward – the crown.
And they include the crown of life – James 1:12, which is given to people who resist temptation and endure trials heroically, keeping the faith, refusing to turn away from Jesus Christ toward Satan.
The crown of glory – 1 Peter 5:4, goes to all who have shepherded people here on earth, imitating Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd of the sheep.
The imperishable crown – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, goes to those who discipline themselves like athletes so that they can do exactly what God has called them to, without being disqualified in what they are preaching. The witness of every Christian is to draw people to trust them and ultimately trust Jesus Christ who rules their heart.
The crown of righteousness is given to those who look forward to Jesus Christ’s return –2 Timothy 4:8, thus they seek to live a pure and blameless life, living at peace with God – 2 Peter 3:14.
And the crown of rejoicing – 1 Thessalonians 2:19, is given to all Christians who abound in the work of the Lord, right where He has called them. They are the ones who live the Christian life, seeking God, fulfilling the work He has called them to, as they are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus to do the good works God planned long ago – Ephesians 2:10. Thus, they minister and reach out to others with the love of Jesus Christ right where God has placed them in their season in life – and in heaven, they will see the treasure found in the many surrounding them whom they loved purely on earth.
Therefore, as you go about your Christian life, take heed to the seriousness of the apostle John’s warning as he speaks for the Lord – love your neighbor as yourself genuinely without hypocrisy, but refuse to entertain false teachers so that you do not participate in the spread of their false agenda, their false gospel.
Will you pray with me?
Abba, thank You for this warning. You never hold an expectation of us without verbally stating clearly what it is and we are so ever grateful. Open our eyes to how we can live out Your words of truth today, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
