It’s no secret that you can’t bribe your way into heaven. No amount of good works will impress God enough to open heaven’s door for their sake. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23) and the person who “keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10). Rather, salvation is “the free gift of God ... in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:23).
So, your good works won’t earn you the reward of heaven. But does that mean that there are no rewards at all? Consider what the Small Catechism says in the “Close of the Commandments”:
What does God say about all these commandments?
He says, “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex. 20:5–6)
What does this mean?
God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore, we should fear His wrath and not do anything against them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore, we should also love and trust in Him and gladly do what He commands. (SC II)
God promises to bless you in keeping His commandments. What might these blessings be? Well, consider what Paul says about keeping the Fourth Commandment: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land’” (Eph. 6:1–3).
And think about what your life would be like if you went around stealing (breaking the Seventh Commandment), telling lies about people (breaking the Eighth Commandment), and generally being cruel to those around you (breaking all the commandments!). That is obviously not a blessed way to live. In fact, you’d be miserable living that way.
And Jesus says more about what is in store for those who make sacrifices for His sake: “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life’” (Matt. 19:28–29).
So don’t grow impatient in doing good. Follow the Lord who has freely given you everlasting life.
– LCMS Stewardship Ministry: lcms.org/stewardship