Those of us who teach that believers will be rewarded for their good works in the kingdom are often attacked. We are told that living for rewards is selfish. Sometimes we are told that such desires reveal a state of spiritual immaturity. We should do good works because we love God. The Calvinist would say that good works are automatic in the life of the believer. Why would God reward what all believers do? All believers will be equally rewarded.
The majority of Bible teachers teach that we should reject the idea of rewards. It leads to competition and pride. As we grow in sanctification, we will come to realize that the doctrine of rewards is psychologically unhealthy.
I recently read an articlei by Ellie Stevens-Strathman, a board-certified psychiatrist. The article is scheduled to appear in the next edition of the Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society. I am not a psychiatrist, and I am sure others could explain what Ellie says better than I can. But I would like to summarize a couple of important points from the article.
Ellie points out that living for rewards is psychologically healthy. Our brains are made that way. When a person seeks instant gratification, they are operating in what Ellie and other psychiatrists refer to as the “hot framework.” Looking for delayed gratification places one in a “cool framework.” This promotes “optimal brain-function and self-regulation.”
Living for eternal rewards in Christ’s coming kingdom would certainly qualify as delayed gratification. A believer living that way is willing to put off immediate satisfaction for something better later on. The one who does not live for rewards is driven by the emotional desire to experience pleasure in the moment.
Ellie gives a modern example of being driven by emotion in the “hot framework.” We see it when a person is anxious about the number of likes they receive on their Instagram page. He gets an emotional high when that number goes up. Even a believer who does not believe in rewards can see that people who worry about the number of such “likes” are mentally unhealthy!
Of course, the most important thing is not what medical science says about the psychological benefits of living for eternal rewards. The most important thing is what the Bible says. The Bible does indeed teach the doctrine of rewards. There are many Bible passages that teach on this subject. In Matt 6:2, the Lord addresses the foolishness of those who live for immediate gratification and operate in the “hot framework.” He encourages His disciples to live for the delayed gratification that comes from laying up rewards in the coming kingdom. He tells them to put their hearts (and I would say minds!) there (Matt 6:19-21).
The Lord’s words should be enough to motivate us to live for eternal rewards. The fact that it promotes “optimal brain function” and is psychologically healthy is an added bonus. I would invite all of you to read Ellie’s article when the next journal comes out.
i She also gave a talk on this subject at the 2025 National Conference: https://youtube.com/live/VMbKgRNGCLk?feature=share
