We have discovered in our study that Jesus Christ is to be our life! Jesus is our righteousness, redemption, holiness and wisdom. We have the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) living in our bodies. We are a temple of the Godhead—the Holy of Holies! God wants to use us as we have been designed—to allow Him to work His good works through us to bear His fruit and build up His body. He is looking for vessels cleansed with His Son’s blood, prepared for every good work.
We learned that our natural man, the self-life (flesh), attempts to work for God. As Watchman Nee explained in his book, The Normal Christian Life, “We can do a lot for God but it may count for nothing!” God is calling us as Christians to practice walking by faith—to deny and put off the self-life and put on Jesus Christ. We are to rest in Him to produce His fruit of the Spirit, which is a life of supernatural love. How do we work the works of God? Simply by recognizing that they are God’s works and that only God can accomplish His works in us.
By yielding in faith to God’s custom-made plan for us, He gives us rewards now and eternally. There is a danger in the doctrine of rewards, as it can be twisted to produce a life of self-effort, striving after the flesh. The idea has to be firmly fixed in our minds that a life of childlike dependence, resting in Jesus as our life, must be foundational. We are rewarded for allowing God to use us to carry out His works, which are a product of the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Bible verses to think about:
A. Read 2 Corinthians 5:10. God’s word states that believers will be judged by Jesus at the judgment seat for the things done in this life, whether they are good or bad (worthless). Now reread John 6:63, and Mark 14:38. (Reminder: the word “weak” means “impotent”, i.e. totally without strength. See John 5:30.) These verses are implying that whatever is produced from the flesh is worthless and that whatever is produced by the Holy Spirit is rewarded.
B. Reread John 6:28-29. The works of God are produced as we trust Jesus to live through us—to lead and direct us into His good works. As we have learned, our entire Christian life is to be lived by faith. Hebrews 11:6 declares that, without faith, it is impossible to please God! Read 1 Corinthians 15:58. This verse tells us to be always abounding in the work of the Lord. Some believe that a life of faith will lead to a passive lifestyle. Since each of us is unique, God will prod the passive ones to action and may restrain the energetic folks! A life of faith will result in abounding in the “work of the Lord” as we make ourselves available and cooperate with God’s special plan for us—to participate in His work. Remember: He is the head of the body and calls the shots—not us!
C. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, 1 Corinthians 3:5-15, and 2 John 8. The fruitful works that are being rewarded are accomplished by Jesus working through us. The works of the flesh will be destroyed. (See 2 Peter 3:10-14.) We are rewarded for allowing and cooperating, by faith, with Jesus to work out his prearranged plan for our lives. Read Revelation 4:1-11. Note that, in Revelation 4:10, the elders cast their golden crowns before the throne—realizing that even the rewards that they received were given as a free gift by God!
D. There are earthly benefits for practicing resting in Jesus’s life. These verses list a few: Hebrews 4:10 and Matthew 11:28-30. We experience a more consistent rest by recognition that we are okay because of God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness. (See Psalm 25:12-14). God will lead and direct us. (See Psalm 1:2-3.) God will bless us in what we do. (See Psalm 37:3-5.) Jesus will give us the very desires of our hearts. (See Psalm 91:14-16.) He will protect us and deliver us from evil.
E. Heavenly rewards include: (Revelation 1:6) reigning with Christ as kings, (1 Corinthians 6:2-3) judging the world and angels, and (2 Timothy 4:7-8 , 1 Peter 5:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27) eternal crowns. John 15:15 implies that only by practicing abiding in Jesus can we produce a fruitful life which is worthy to be rewarded. Only by practicing resting in Jesus as our life can we produce good works that are pleasing to our Heavenly Father. It is God working through us that produces good works that will be rewarded eternally.