[UntoHim]

To my friend Zezima, there is not much of a serious controversy regarding reward and punishment for believers among orthodox biblical teachers, scholars and apologists. I believe if one is to take the plain reading of the actual teachings of the original, scripture writing apostles, especially Paul, everything points to the Millennial Kingdom being a time of reward for some, and punishment, or discipline as it were, for others. I think many Christian teachers, and for our purposes here, especially Nee and Lee, were very wrong about the reasons for the rewards, and even more wrong about the reasons for the discipline. Maybe we can sort some of this out on this thread.

To everyone else....If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times...
Seriously, though, I think sometimes we concentrate too much on the number one thousand, and the mystery surrounding the when, where and how of all the punishments and rewards, all at the cost of missing the "forest" of what the Lord is asking of us in the here and now, for the "trees" of all the intrigue and mystery of who gets what punishment and who gets what reward, and the when and the how.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8,9 ESV
For by χάρις (charis; grace good will, loving-kindness, favor of the merciful kindness by which God ) you have been σῴζω (sōzō; saved; keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction)
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Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.
Revelation 22:12 NLT
Bringing my μισθός (misthos; reward; wages earned) with me to repay all people according to their ἔργον (ergon; an act, a deed)
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Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
2nd Timothy 4:8 ESV
The crown of righteousness στέφανος stephanos δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē; (Crown of Righteousness) which the Lord, the righteous judge, will ἀποδίδωμι (apodidōmi; to requite, recompense in a good or a bad sense) to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia; a manifestation, the advent of Christ; past or future appearing, brightness.)
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For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV
So that each one may κομίζω (komizō; to get back, receive back) what is due for what he has (διά dia ὁ ho σῶμα sōma deeds in the body) whether ἀγαθός (agathos; good, excellent, distinguished, upright, honorable) εἴτε eite (or) κακός (kakos; bad, wrong, wicked, injurious, pernicious, destructive)

I think I'll keep my comments brief, and maybe let the verses I have posted here speak for themselves. Brothers and sisters, friends, readers, lurkers, the simple fact is that is we do not live and act as subjects of God's Kingdom today, then it should come as no big surprise that we will not enjoy the privileges and benefits of the Kingdom to come. If we do not submit our lives, our time, our energies, our heart and our minds to the righteous judge today, how could we possibly expect to have the privilege of receiving a crown of righteousness in the age to come? Every day, while we are still in this fleshly, earthly vessel, we are faced we choices - and these choices inevitably lead us to commit deeds that are "agathos" - good, excellent, distinguished, upright and honorable, or if we are not constantly on watch and on guard, they will lead us to commit deeds that are "kakos" - bad, wrong, wicked, injurious, pernicious and destructive. And the important thing to remember is that there will be a day of reckoning. If we live in outer darkness today, then maybe we will have to live in outer darkness for some period of time in the Kingdom to come. The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. Are we willing to endure the discipline and chastising in this age, in order to receive a crown of righteousness in the age to come? If we do not accept, and even love, the Lord appearing to us to discipline and correct us today, how could we expect to be rewarded by him at his "epiphaneia" - his second advent at the dawn of the age to come?
(Many thanks to BlueLetterBible.Org)
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