“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)
Growing Dominion, Part 44
Heavenly things drive earthly things. What we assume about ultimate reality is going to dictate how we behave in day-to-day matters. If we assume that the whole idea of “rewards” is somehow less than spiritual, then we have to get rid of quite a bit of teaching in the Bible on the subject. From Christ’s parable of the talents, to St. Paul’s comments on God apportioning blessing for things done in the body, whether good or bad. If that is denied (for the sake of a false spirituality), then the denial will filter down to how you treat employees, children, etc.
Because of the false altruism that is assumed by so many, even non-believers point out that Christians want to go to heaven because of “selfishness.” You live a certain way, and then you get “paid.” This is a radical misconstruing of grace, but one aspect of it is undeniable. That is the fact that heaven is a pleasant place to be, and the opposite destination is not, and that these twin facts are set before us in the Bible in such a way as to influence our behavior. A crude “works righteousness” is influenced by this the wrong way, but there is a way of understanding it that lines up with all the Bible teaches.