"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy,
and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also." – Matthew 6:20-21
God rewards obedience. It is a simple truth, however, one I sometimes struggle to believe. Now one step further…God commands us to lay up reward in heaven. Here it is:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." – Matthew 6:19-21
Here are a couple of observations about these verses. It is a command, not an option. You are storing up treasure. The question is: Where? There are two places we can store up our treasure: heaven or earth. Earth’s treasures can be removed from us. Heaven’s treasures appear to have a more permanent nature. Where the focus of your treasure is (heaven or earth), your heart is there also. Jesus makes this last point very clear with the following scripture just a few verses later (v24):
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Perhaps this is why Jesus says it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven (Rich Young Ruler - Mt 19:16-29, Mk 10:17-30, Lk 18:18-30). Now the interesting thing is when Jesus says these things. They are from the Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus starts with the Beatitudes (Blessed are the…for…). Notice this is a reward for the state these people are keeping themselves in or finding themselves in. The poor in spirit receive the kingdom of heaven; those who mourn, comfort; the pure in heart see God. Those who are persecuted because of righteousness receive the kingdom of heaven, and not only that, but when they are mistreated because of Jesus, they are to “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” (Mt 5:12)
The Greek word used here for reward is ‘misthos’. Strong’s tells us this word means “pay for service” and is translated as “hire, reward, wages”. Thayer gives us the following meanings: “dues paid for work” and “reward: used of the fruit naturally resulting from toils and endeavours”. God considers your reward a payment for the service you have rendered Him. Struggling with that idea, I was too, but consider the following. Jesus goes on later in the sermon to encourage the people to “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do you will have no reward [misthos] from your Father in heaven.” (Mt 6:1) He goes on to say when you give to the poor to not announce it or you will have received your reward [mythos] in full (v2). However if you give in secret, “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward [apodidomi] you.” Here is a new Greek word for reward. Strong’s tells us this Greek word, “apodidomi” means “to give over or to give back”. Thayer reveals even more depth of meaning “ 1) to deliver, to give away for one’s own profit what is one’s own, to sell 2) to pay off, discharge what is due (a debt, wages, tribute, taxes, produce due) 3) to give back, restore 4) to requite, recompense in a good or a bad sense”.
The Father is rewarding you for your giving. He is delivering payment, discharging your wages, recompensing you as He sees fit. Out of His unfathomable goodness, He is choosing to reward your giving. Now Jesus repeats this type of statement again concerning prayer (vs 5-6) and fasting (vs 16-18). It is exactly on the heels of this that He gives us the scriptures about storing up for yourselves treasure in heaven. Jesus tells us later in His ministry that when He returns, He will “reward each person according to what he has done.” (Mt 16:27) He reminds us when He comes He will separate the sheep from the goats and to the sheep (those who know Him), He will say “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take you inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Mt 25:31-46) and they will ask when did we see you a stranger or sick or in prison and he will answer “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (See also, Mk 9:41, Lk 6:35). Paul even commanded slaves to work with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord as they serve their masters for they will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward (Col 3:22-25).
The Amplified Bible gives us the following rendering of Heb 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that He is the Rewarder [misthapodotes] of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him (out).”1 Here is another Greek word which names God as “the Rewarder.” Strongs tells us this word means a “remunerator or rewarder.” What’s interesting is this work is made up of a form misthos and apodidomi put together. It is the only time this word is found in the Bible used of a person. 2 The form of misthos used to make up this word is misthoo meaning “to let out for wages, to hire.” So the picture is of God, the Rewarder who pays back your wages in return. Now remember we are saved by faith (not works), however “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:8-10)
Footnotes
1 "Hebrews 11:6." The Comparative Study Bible: a Parallel Bible Presenting the New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Amplified Bible, King James Version. Grand Rapids, Mich., U.S.A.: Zondervan, 1984. Print.
2 Wilkinson, Bruce, and David Kopp. A Life God Rewards. Sisters, Or.: Multnomah, 2002. Print. P 42.
References
All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2003
Amplified Bible. "Hebrews 11:6." The Comparative Study Bible: a Parallel Bible Presenting the New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Amplified Bible, King James Version. Grand Rapids, Mich., U.S.A.: Zondervan, 1984. Print.
Strong’s and Thayer’s definitions from Meyers, Rick. E-Sword. Computer software. E-SWORD the Sword of the LORD with an Electronic Edge. Vers. 9.0.3. Web. <http://www.e-sword.net/>.
