In the sermon on the mount, the Lord mentioned the matter of the reward many times because this portion concerns the kingdom. Matthew 5:46 says, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?" Matthew 6:1-2 says, "But take care not to do your righteousness before men in order to be gazed at by them; otherwise, you have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. Therefore when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward in full." Verse 5 says, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites....They have their reward in full." Verse 16 says, "And when you fast, do not be like the sullen-faced hypocrites....They have their reward in full." Verse 4 says, "So that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." Verse 6 says, "But you, when you pray, enter into your private room, and shut your door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." The last part of verse 18 says, "And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." Every reader of the Bible agrees that the main subject of the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5—7 is the kingdom of the heavens. But here, the matter of reward is also repeatedly mentioned because the kingdom of the heavens is the reward.

Matthew 16:27-28 says, "For the Son of Man is to come in the glory of His Father and with His angels, and then He will repay each man according to his doings." God will reward or punish a saved person according to his doings. "Truly I say to you, There are some of those standing here who shall by no means taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." There are three facts here. First, man will be rewarded according to his works. The matter of reward is entirely based on works. Second, at what time will the reward be given out? It will be given out when Christ comes in the glory of His Father with His angels. When Christ comes in the glory of His Father with His angels, that will be the time for Him to establish His kingdom on the earth. Hence, it is only when the kingdom begins that the reward will begin. Third, here is a type which speaks of a fact. The transfiguration of the Lord on the mountain typifies His manifestation in glory in the coming kingdom. By that time some believers will be rewarded.

The verses in Matthew 6 which we just read regarding the reward for giving, the reward for prayer, and the reward for fasting all involve reward. Some think that the reward for prayer is God's answering of our prayer. But this is not all that is meant. The Lord Jesus said that we have to pray to our Father who is in secret, and our Father who sees in secret will repay us. It may be possible to interpret this as the Father answering our prayer. However, both in the first part when the Lord mentions alms-giving, and in the second part when He mentions fasting, He said, "And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." This repaying must refer to something in the future. Furthermore, the Lord said that we have to pray to the Father who sees in secret. It does not say that the Father hears in secret, but that He sees in secret. When God gives out the reward in the future, He gives according to what He sees. God sees with His eyes. Hence, the reward is in the future.