Unconditional Love, Conditional Rewards!

Have you ever received honor from another? Honor is an important principle in the Bible. Honor attracts rewards. Jesus taught His disciples to honor those who honored them and disconnect from those who did not honor them (Matthew 10:11-13). Those who honor God (value, esteem above all else) discover how to receive healing and tread down their enemies (Malachi 4:2-3).

2 John 8 says, "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose the things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward." God is a rewarder (Hebrews 11:6). Rewards are earned otherwise they would be a gift and not a reward. There is a difference between the love of God (unconditional) and the pleasure of God (conditional). God does not reward according to His love. God rewards according to our productivity that pleases Him.

Notice in the verse above there is a full reward which means there is also a partial reward and a no reward scenario (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). When we honor God it always brings reward. God said He will honor those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30).

Faith honors God. Faith is our response to what God provided through grace. When Jesus remarked about "great faith" He was describing a Roman officer who was honoring Jesus by being confident of who Jesus was and what Jesus could do (Luke 17:5-10). What made the Roman officer's faith so great was he coupled it with the honor he showed Jesus and his understanding of authority.

I show honor to God when I value His opinion and follow His principles. My sins are forgiven and will not be judged but I will be judged/rewarded for the life I produce by following God's principles (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). I can honor the Lord by respecting and acting on His principles and that will bring a full reward.

When my ways please God (my acting on His principles) He MAKES even my enemies to be at peace with me. My enemies include sickness, poverty, loneliness, etc. My enemies having to be at peace with me is what I call a full reward. May you experience a full reward this season as you honor God (Proverbs 3:9-10, Proverbs 22:4, Proverbs 16:7). We love you!