There are many passages in the Bible that speak of heavenly rewards. But most of these passages can reasonably be interpreted as the reward being eternal life in Heaven. But there are some passages that suggest that some may receive higher levels of heavenly rewards than others. Some other passages mention specific rewards that can be bestowed upon entering Heaven. The key passages that may suggest different levels of heavenly rewards include the following:
- “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:9-10);
- “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.” (2 Jn 8); and
- “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves” (Rv. 22:12).
A literal interpretation of these passages reveals that (1) the final judgement by Christ will result in heavenly compensation based on what a believer has done on earth; (2) that undesirable actions by believers on earth may lead to heavenly rewards that are less than full; and (2) Christ will bestow heavenly rewards because a believer’s good works on earth results in rewards being deserved.
Many passages in the NT also speak to specific heavenly rewards. Perhaps the best known are the five crowns: the crown of life (Jas. 1:12; Rv 2:10), the crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4), the crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), the crown of pride (1 Thes 2:19), and the imperishable crown (1 Cor 9:25). There is also mention of a prophet’s reward (Mt 10:41), higher levels of responsibility (Lk 19:11-27), praise from God (1 Cor. 4:5), and reigning with Christ (2 Tim. 2:12; Mt 19:28-30; Lk 22:28-30).
All of the passages mentioning specific heavenly rewards can be interpreted as equal rewards given to all who enter Heaven (although they can be interpreted in other ways as well). Perhaps the one exception is the seeming assignment of different levels of responsibility alluded to in Lk 19:11-27. This passage is the parable of the ten minas, which ends with, “[E]veryone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them in my presence” (Lk 19:26-27). However, there are widely varying interpretations of this passage, and it is not at all clear that it is referring to heavenly rewards. Before the parable begins, it is explained that Jesus is responding to the people’s understanding that the Kingdom of God was to immediately appear. Therefore, a common interpretation is that the master who goes away refers to Christ before the second coming. Simon Gathercole writes, “The parable of the minas is usually thought to reflect on and address the delay of the parousia.”[i] But other interpretations point out that the master encourages money lending, and therefore refers to corrupt Roman practices rather than Christ. Gertrud Tönsing writes, “[S]ome interpreters point out that the master would not have been seen as a favorable character by Jewish listeners, as he encourages money lending–which is regarded as a corrupt practice according to Jewish Law.”[ii]
And so, there is no certainty as to there being degrees of reward in the Kingdom of Heaven, although it is clear that the good works of a believer matter do God. Martin Luther originally rejected the idea of heavenly rewards as this would imply that sinners can merit something from God. He later softened on this view and understood heavenly rewards to be unmerited but bestowed as an act of grace. Johann Heinz writes, “Throughout his career … Luther held the biblical thought of reward. In the consecutive way of salvation, he defined reward as a consequence, granted as a gift and not as a personally achieved goal … Reward is purely a reward of grace.”[iii]
There is a philosophical ethics issue that must also be considered with respect to heavenly rewards. If a person performs a good work due to the possibility of heavenly rewards, it become at least partially a selfish act. And a selfish act presumably will not result in heavenly rewards. Therefore Christians that believe in heavenly rewards must strive to disregard them completely making them theologically insignificant at best and morally complicating at worst.
One must be guided by Scripture in this area, but careful exegeses of key passages led Craig Blomberg to the following conclusion:
“I do not believe there is a single NT text that, when correctly interpreted, supports the notion that believers will be distinguished one from another for all eternity on the basis of their works as Christians. What is more, I am convinced that when this unfounded doctrine of degrees of reward in heaven is acted upon consistently–though, fortunately, it often is not–it can have highly damaging consequences for the motivation and psychology of living the Christian life.”
There is a middle position with regards to degree of reward in Heaven that warrants consideration. As a Christian performs good works for the right reasons, they become increasing closer to God. This is part of the process of sanctification, which can be thought of as one’s epistemic distance from God becoming less distant. All believers might enjoy the same objective blessings in Heaven, but those who are more epistemologically close to God might experience these blessings in a different way. “In other words, heaven is really the same for everyone, but not everyone experiences it equally well.”[iv]
I end this section with the teachings of various theological systems in this area. Roman Catholicism believes that the final judgement will render to all according to their works. “When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace.”[v] Lutheranism believes in rewards as act of grace as described above. Reformed theology is similar. “[A]ll persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.”[vi] Only Arminianism/Methodism is silent on this topic. The closest that the Book of Discipline comes to address this topic is the following, “Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.”[vii]
[Next Topic: Christian Ethics]
[i] Simon Gathercole, “Does the Parable of the Minas Address the Delay of the Parousia? Luke 19,11–27 in its Lukan, Rhetorical and Roman Settings,” Zeitschrift für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der Älteren Kirche, 2024: 20.
[ii] Gertrud Tönsing, “For Whoever has will be Given More’ Matthew 25:29 / Luke 19:26 and the Hidden Transcript,” Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, March 2020: 60.
[iii] Craig Blomberg, “Degrees of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, June 1992: 160.
[iv] Ibid., 162.
[v] Catechism of the Catholic Church: Summary, Libraria Editrice Vaticana, 1992: ¶682.
[vi] Westminster Larger Confession of Faith, Ch. 33, ¶1.
[vii] The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2016: 66.
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