Bethany Baptist Church exists to glorify God by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and preparing His people to worship Him forever.
Store Up Treasure!
Dr. Ritch Boerckel
Often throughout the New Testament, God incentivizes obedience and service with the promise of eternal rewards. In Luke 6:38, Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Our Father rewards His own in such a lavish manner! In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus urges His disciples, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” The apostles repeat Jesus’ emphasis upon eternal reward as an incentive for Christ-like living. Paul teaches us about the Judgment Seat of Christ when each Christian’s work will be tested by fire. He says, “If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:12–15 ESV) Paul encourages young Timothy to urge rich Christians to serve God and share their riches with the poor so that they would store up treasure for themselves. “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:18–19 ESV) Continued on page 2.
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