Ⅰ
"Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to each one as his work is"—Rev. 22:12:
A
The Lord repeats His warning, "I come quickly" (3:11; 22:7), so that we will consider His reward, to be rendered at His coming back.
B
At the Lord's coming, this reward will be rendered to each one of the believers, after their rapture, at the judgment seat of Christ—2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 4:5; Rom. 14:10; Matt. 16:27.
C
The Greek word translated "reward" in Revelation 22:12 means "wages."
D
When the Lord Jesus comes again to possess the kingdom, He will reward or punish all those who belong to Him:
１
Some will receive His punishment because the Lord's word "My reward is with Me" implies that there is not only reward but also punishment.
２
In keeping with this, in Revelation 22:7 the Lord declared, "I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll."
３
He who keeps the words of the prophecy of Revelation is blessed because he will be rewarded.
４
The reward we receive on that day has much to do with our attitude today:
ａ
First Corinthians 3:8 says that we will be rewarded according to our labor.
ｂ
In Matthew 16:27 the Lord Jesus said that at His coming back He will reward us according to our doings.
E
Eternal salvation has nothing to do with our works, but the kingdom reward will be altogether according to our works that we have done by the Lord's life after being saved.
F
Every saved one will be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad; those who practice good will receive a reward, and those who practice evil will receive punishment—2 Cor. 5:10.
G
We will stand before the judgment seat and give the Lord an account concerning all our past living, walk, and conduct; it is because of this that even the apostle Paul says that he dared not examine himself, but He who examined him was the Lord—1 Cor. 4:3-4.
H
The way we serve and work for the Lord after we are saved is a great matter.
I
Paul says, "If anyone's work which he has built upon the foundation remains, he will receive a reward"—3:14.
J
When the Lord comes back, there will be a judgment; in that judgment He will determine whether we will receive a reward or punishment.
K
The reward will be decided by the judgment seat of Christ: "We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad"—2 Cor. 5:10.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 22:12 Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to each one as his work is.Matt. 16:27 For the Son of Man is to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will repay each man according to his doings.
The Greek word translated “reward” in Revelation 22:12 means “wages.” At the Lord’s coming, this reward will be rendered to each one of the believers after their rapture at the judgment seat of Christ.
When He comes again to possess the kingdom, the Lord will reward or punish all those who belong to Him. Some will receive His punishment because the Lord’s word “My reward is with Me” implies that there is not only reward but also punishment. In keeping with this, in Revelation 22:7 the Lord declared, “I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll.” He who keeps the words of the prophecy of Revelation is blessed because he will be rewarded. The reward we receive on that day has much to do with our attitude today. First Corinthians 3:8 says that we will be rewarded according to our labor. In Matthew 16:27 the Lord Jesus said that at His coming back He will reward us according to our doings. Eternal salvation has nothing to do with our works, but the kingdom reward will be altogether according to our works that we have done by the Lord’s life after being saved. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4451-4452)
Today’s Reading
Every saved one will be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad; those who practice good will receive a reward, and those who practice evil will receive punishment (2 Cor. 5:10)…It is because of this that even the apostle Paul says that he dared not examine himself, but He who examined him was the Lord (1 Cor. 4:3-4; cf. v. 5).As we live on earth, it is not sufficient for us to merely have a conscience without offense; the Lord must still judge the way we serve Him. According to Matthew 25, we may not have received two talents or five, but we have all received at least one talent, at least one spiritual gift, from the Lord. We cannot say that we are not saved, that we do not have the Lord’s life, or that we do not have the Holy Spirit…As a result of our having received these things, we have at least one talent, and we must use this talent properly and gain a profit for the Lord (vv. 14-30).
The Bible shows that after the one who received five talents gained another five talents, the master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful slave…Enter into the joy of your master” (v. 23). The one who received two talents likewise gained another two talents. They both served the master faithfully and used their gifts to the fullest extent. In the same way, when we use the life, the Holy Spirit, and the talent we have received from the Lord, there will be a full result.
We should never think that once we are saved, we will have no problems… Actually, the way we serve and work for the Lord after we are saved is a great matter. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul says, “Let each man take heed how he builds” (v. 10b). This means that we must all take heed concerning our work. We may build with gold, silver, and precious stones or with wood, grass, and stubble. One day the nature of our work in our service to the Lord will be tested by fire…Only the work that is of gold, silver, and precious stones will remain. Hence, Paul says, “If anyone’s work which he has built upon the foundation remains, he will receive a reward” (v. 14). Apart from salvation, there is also the matter of reward…The matter of salvation has already been resolved, but the matter of reward is an issue that has not yet been resolved. It depends on how we serve the Lord after we are saved. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4452-4453)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1955, vol. 3, “Reward and Punishment,” chs. 4—6