Eternal salvation is by faith, having nothing to do with our work (Eph. 2:8-9), whereas the kingdom reward is for our work after we are saved. We may not receive the kingdom reward even though we are saved, because we are void of the work which the Lord would approve (1 Cor. 3:15). In Hebrews 10:35 the Hebrew believers in particular are charged not to miss the kingdom reward-the coming Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:9), the enjoyment of Christ and the reign with Christ in the coming age.
Hebrews 11:26, speaking of Moses, says, “Esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked away to the reward.” Because he was willing to suffer the reproach of the Christ, Moses will receive the reward of the kingdom. He was not allowed to enter into the rest of the good land because of his failure at Meribah (Num. 20:12-13; Deut. 4:26-27; 32:50-52), but he will be with Christ in the kingdom (Matt. 16:28-17:3). By referring to this, the writer surely intended to encourage his readers who were suffering persecution for Christ’s sake to follow Moses by esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the things they lost, and looking away to the reward.
In 1 Corinthians 3:8b, Paul tells us, “Each one shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.” Then in verse 14, concerning building upon Christ as the unique foundation, Paul goes on to say, “If anyone’s work which he has built upon it shall remain, he shall receive a reward.” According to the context, the work that remains must be that of gold, silver, and precious stones, the product of faithful ministers of Christ. Such a work will be rewarded by the coming and judging Lord. Reward is based on a believer’s work after being saved. It differs from salvation, which is based on faith in the Lord Jesus and His redemptive work. In 1 Corinthians 9:17 Paul, speaking of preaching the gospel, says, “If I do this voluntarily, I have a reward.” The book of 1 Corinthians was written not to help lost sinners to be saved but to help saved believers to grow (3:6-7), to build with precious materials (3:10,12-14), to care for the Lord’s members (8:9-13), and to run the race (9:24). For this reason, reward is mentioned repeatedly as an incentive to the believers’ progress (3:14; 9:18, 24-25).
In 1 Corinthians 9:24 Paul goes on to say, “Do you not know that those who run in a race-course all run, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may lay hold.” This reveals that the Christian life is a race we must run successfully in order to receive the prize. This prize is a reward as an incentive.
Finally, the overcomers in the church will be the New Jerusalem-the paradise-in the millennium. This is indicated by the Lord’s word in Revelation 3:12 and 2:7. Revelation 3:12 says, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall by no means go out anymore, and I will write upon him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” Here we see that the overcomer will be made a pillar built into the temple of God. Because he is built into God’s building, “He shall by no means go out anymore.” This promise will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom as a prize to the overcomer.
The name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the Lord’s new name written upon the overcomer indicate that the overcomer is possessed by God, by the New Jerusalem, and by the Lord; that God Himself, His city, the New Jerusalem, and the Lord Himself all belong to him; and that he is one with God, with the New Jerusalem and with the Lord. The name of God means God Himself, the name of the New Jerusalem means the city itself and the name of the Lord means the Lord Himself. To write the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the name of the Lord upon the overcomer indicates that what God is, the nature of the New Jerusalem, and the person of the Lord have all been wrought into the overcomer. The mentioning of the New Jerusalem as a prize to the overcomer indicates that this promise will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom. The New Jerusalem in the millennial kingdom will be a prize only to the overcoming saints, whereas the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth will be the common portion of all the redeemed for eternity.
Revelation 2:7 speaks of the paradise of God. The paradise in Luke 23:43 is the pleasant and restful place where Abraham and all the dead saints are (Luke 16:23-26). But the paradise of God in Revelation 2:7 is the New Jerusalem (3:12; 21:2, 10; 22:1-2, 14, 19), of which the church is a foretaste today. The overcomers in the church will actually be the New Jerusalem-the paradise of God-in the millennium, for in the coming age the New Jerusalem will be a composition of all the overcomers to be the paradise of God.
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