WHAT’S IN IT FOR GOD? Part 1

Someone once asked me: Is it is biblical to not store up treasures on earth, but to store them up in Heaven? Doesn’t this mean to invest in things that have eternal impact such as spreading the gospel, love, sacrifice, forgiveness, etc.?

Yes storing treasures in Heaven or investing in the buried treasure is investing in God’s agenda. Primarily, that agenda is fulfilled through His church (1Tim 3:15). And is carried out through the ministries of the church which include sharing the gospel, love, sacrifice, forgiveness, etc…

If the church is not fulfilling these ministries, God will hold us accountable (which is why churches are called to task in Rev. 1-3). The church is given the responsibility & accountability to carry out God’s agenda for the world. *Side note: the church is the ONLY institution empowered to do so. (The gates of hell shall not prevail against us – Matt 6:18).

In Matthew 13 it seems clear that Jesus is speaking about financially investing in Heaven (ie. monetary giving) because he returns to the topic again in Matthew 19 where it is specifically identified as money.

Now that does not mean that money is the only thing we are to give. We are also to do good works (which, by the way, will also be rewarded in Heaven). But in these particular passages He’s talking primarily about how we financially give/invest in kingdom enterprises.

Yet, our motivation must not be self-serving to the detriment of others. If it is in anyway selfish, it cannot glorify the Lord. It is not, however, inherently selfish to long for a reward. God has wired us to long for rewards and it is He who places them before us. Nowhere in Scripture will you find God against rewards or upset with his children for longing for them.

If it were true that rewards or longing for them were wrong, then it would make no sense for God to say that they are waiting for us as a motivation (for example in Matt 6:4 when Jesus says that the Father will reward secret giving… “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”). This is Jesus’ language, not selfish, sin language. God offers rewards & He expects us to be excited about them. He offers rewards as incentives & sees nothing selfish in the pursuit of them.

Check out my next post What's in it for God, Part 2