“Surely There Is A Reward For The Righteous”

by Chris Simmons

Jesus’ apostles had made a great commitment in following Him. After being told of how challenging it is to enter the kingdom of heaven (Mark 10:23-27), Peter began to wonder if he had made the right decision. He wondered about the extent of his commitment when he said to Jesus in verse 28, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus responded in verses 29-31 by affirming that there would not only be a reward for their dedicated faith in “the present age,” through the fellowship with those of like precious faith, but more importantly in “the age to come, eternal life.” Jesus assured them that their significant investment with Him was safe and would be rewarded.

Assuming we are willing to make such a commitment to God, we all want to know, is it worth it? We must have faith in what Jesus said to Peter and to us. The Hebrew writer stated in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Paul expressed such faith in II Timothy 1:12 where he said, “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

David was also a man who observed the prevalence (Psalms 58:1-9) and prosperity (Psalms 73:1-16) of the wicked. He sought the judgment of those who oppressed him and contemplated the purpose for remaining righteous and true to his God. What enabled David to cope with this was his ability to “perceive their end” (Psalms 73:17) and remember that all men – both righteous and wicked – will be judged by God. He wrote in Psalms 58:11, “And men will say, ‘surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth!’” David concluded that there is a purpose for maintaining faithful obedience to God even when the costs of doing so seem so high.

Like David, as we deal with the wicked who may not seem to get their due, we need to remember David’s two conclusions in Psalms 58:

First, that there will be accountability for man before God in judgment. We are reminded to soberly contemplate Paul’s words in II Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Though judgment for sin may not be immediate, let us not be deceived into thinking it will not come (cf. Ecclesiastes 8:11).

Second, that there is a promised reward to those who serve Him faithfully. There is a purpose in serving God. The question we have to ask ourselves is, how focused am I on that “reward” and how real is it to me? Note the words from the prophet Azariah to King Asa, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” Note that this was spoken when the prophet had told King Asa that “there was no peace” in Judah and that “God had troubled them with every kind of distress” for their sins. Yet, in a word of encouragement, the prophet personally tells the King, “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work” (II Chronicles 15:1-7). In the midst of such trials and tribulations, we need to also be reminded that there is “reward for your work” in the Lord.

Note the follow passages which focus our attention on the judgment of God and the reward for the work, labor, and sacrifice of God’s faithful.

Psalms 19:9-11, “The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

Luke 6:21-23, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.”

Revelation 22:12-14, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

We need the discernment and the wisdom to be able to differentiate between the “deceptive wages” of the wicked and the “true reward” of the righteous (Proverbs 11:18).

The point is to focus on, and have faith in, the reward from God and to never feel like there is no purpose to our trials and sacrifices for the cause of Jesus Christ. Note Isaiah 49:3-4, “And He said to Me, ‘You are My Servant, Israel, in Whom I will show My glory.’ But I said, ‘I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to Me is with the Lord, and My reward with My God.’”

The Lord has a message for all the faithfully obedient in Isaiah 3:10, “Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, for they will eat the fruit of their actions.” “Surely there is a reward for the righteous!”