Rev. (Dr.) Prof. P. C. Nnaocha.
Which Is The Best Of Rewards?
( “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. (John 8:32))
*********************************
Everybody expects a reward. Reward is normally given to those who have toiled and excelled. For the wicked there is a reward:
“When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth”. (Proverbs 11:7)
This is certainly a reward.
Abraham asked God :
Will God destroy the righteous with the wicked?
“And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? (Genesis 18 : 22-23)
Why did God want to destroy Sodom? That was because He wanted to reward them for the evil they were doing.
OUR LABOUR AND OUR REWARD.
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil”. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
No one will labour for nothing. There must be reward either way.
NOW THE SERMON OF THE MOMENT
There are different types of labour.
Some labour in the garden, that is plant seeds of different crops.
- Some Labour in industries, offices or schools, that is offer services for pay.
- Some definitely do nothing, but go around, while others are toilng to disturb the peace. Such people labour to sow the seeds of evil.
He that is disturbing the peace of the land is also labouring, but there is a reward for his actions.
All these aspects of labour are either done in righteousness or unrighteousness.
AS WE LIVE, WE WORK TO PRODUCE GOODS, TO SUSTAIN OURSELVES , BUT ALL THESE ACTIONS OF MEN COULD DONE THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS OR SIN.
There are therefore rewards for all acts of men in the process of life. Sin is an act, which goes on in the life of people, where ever man works and makes material gain.
The life we live on earth could be right or wrong, before the Lord and God only reserves final right to reward people both here on earth and in eternity.
People gain honour on earth for work done in industry, the schools or offices and also receive material pay. But no one pays anyone good measure for works of righteousness in the process, and no one also gives anyone appropriate rewards for wicked actions done in the process of earthly labour, except the Almighty God.
There are therefore two different rewards for men.
- THE REWARD FOR THE RIGHTEOUS .
- THE REWARD FOR THE WICKED.
Both rewards are eternal and are given by God only. Anyone can go about doing whatever he or she loves to do, but note that God will deal decisively with all the actions of men on earth.
Note what the word of God says, about the rewards of these two categories of workers ( the righteous and the unrighteous) :
(1 ) The Wicked:
“When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth”. ( Proverbs 11 : 7).
THE CHARACTER OF THE WICKED:
“They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation”. (Deuteronomy 32:5).
And In the New Testament God’s word says:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God”. (Galatians 5 : 19-21)
Anyone doing the above is described by God as wicked and gets the reward of the wicked. They will not inherit eternal life. This means such people are bound for hell.
THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED.
Are you wicked, yet prospering, then see how God rates you.
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb”. (Psalm 37 :1-2)
GOD FORBIDS FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WICKED.
Are you a wicked man, note that your friends are outlawed by God and not even men alone. Are you a friend to the wicked, note how God sees you:
” I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. (1 Corinthians 5: 9-10).
NOTE :
You should not associate to do what the wicked people do, but certainly you cannot stop working together with them, in the same industry or school or go to buy in the same shop, where they buy provisions. We are still in the same physical world. Thou shall not join with the wicked to do evil in the process of association on earth.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE WICKED?
God says that evil shall slay the wicked. We often expect God’s hand to deal with the wicked. God is not evil rather He tells us that evil shall slay the wicked.
Read This :
“Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
There was a time in my country when a set of gangsters terrorised one commercial city. A set of evil people came against them from another state and fought against them ad quenched them. You can see how evil, slays evil. For a long time now, those two evil groups appear extinct in our land.
The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate”. (Psalm 34:21-22)
ABOUT THE RIGTEOUS AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ; GOD’S WORD EXHORTS US:
Beginning with a nation righteousness has a blessing:
“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:34).
BUT NOTE THIS:
Righteousness is not transferable, not even from the apostle to his son.
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him”. (Ezekiel 18:20)
GOD WILL SET US IN THE WAY OF HIS STEPS:
“Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps”. (Psalm 85 : 13).
In every encounter let us wear the breastplate of righteousness.
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness”; ( Ephesians 6:14)
God establishes the way of the righteous
“For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psalm 1:6).
The prayer of the righteous is sacred.
“The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous”. (Proverbs 15:29).
BELIEVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE LIKE JESUS.
The work we do on earth determines the sins we commit, and sin is defined as wickedness in the dictionary of God. No one can deliver os from sin, only the blood of Jesus saves. If we indeed have believed, we sin not.
NOTE THESE VERSES:
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:7-10)
While we live, let us make the best of choices, going through the above verses, because all humanity are headed to a direction, where there will be no return.
At the end of the journey of life , all humanity will have a roll call, each one at his own time (at death or rapture). And results are not reversible, no carry over or resit papers, the judgement is final. No amount of miracles received here in the flesh, no mighty pronouncements, made by men of God, will change God’s judgenent at that level for the sinner. Any remedy must be now or never.
Note: The end of the righteous man is eternal life which God will give to them that love Him.
Read these:
(1) “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire”.( Matt. 18:8)
(2) “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire”. (Matthew 18:9)
(3) “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:15-16)
Make a wise choice to follow Jesus today. Amen.
WE MUST BE ON OUR KNEES NOW !
Prayer : Lord, all humanity are at this valley of decision. Please Papa God, give all those who are willing the power to escape. Papa God you can still help our unbelief, You only can help our little efforts. Thank you for this mighty grace for our little efforts towards eternal life in heaven, in Jesus Name Amen.
Miracle Valley Sermons.
January 2018.
Rev. (Dr.) Prof. P. C. Nnaocha.