Answer: The apostle Paul writes in Rom. 2:7 (NASB) that the church: “by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.” The reward promised to the church is spiritual, to receive the divine nature or life within itself just as Jesus received it. (John 5:26) The church is also promised to be like our risen Lord. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:2 NASB)
John writes in Rev. 20:6 (NASB) that the church will be “will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” As part of our Lord’s Melchizadek priesthood, they will assist Jesus in bringing the human family up the “Highway of Holiness” and back to mental, moral and physical perfection. (Isa. 35:8; Heb. 7:11) As kings they will assist our Lord in ruling over the earth during his earthly kingdom. Jesus mentioned this in Matt. 19:28 (NASB): “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The apostle Paul added in 1 Cor. 6:2,3 (NASB): “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? I… (3) Do you not know that we will judge angels?” They will judge men and angels as to their worthiness for everlasting life.
John the revelator describes different aspects of the church’s reward in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.” (Rev. 2:7 NASB) The church receives eternal life. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (11) … He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” (Rev. 2:10,11 NASB) The church receives the crown of life, the divine nature, the same nature that God and Jesus have. As a result, they become immortal – they cannot die.
“He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; (27) AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father.” (Rev 2:26-27 NASB) As kings with our Lord, the church will have civil power over the nations. “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Rev. 3:5 NASB) The church will receive their own righteousness [white garments].
“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” (Rev 3:12 NASB) The church will receive God’s name and Jesus’ name marking as members of God’s family and belonging to Jesus as his bride respectively. The church will receive the name of the New Jerusalem showing they constitute the government that will rule over Christ’s kingdom. (Rev. 21:2)
“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev. 3:21 NASB) The church will sit down together with our Lord in his throne sharing in his rulership over the earth and all mankind.
For more information, please see the related booklets and videos shown below.
Booklet The Church |
Video Bringing Life and Immortality to Light |
Video Buried With Him in Baptism |
Booklet Born of the Spirit |
Video Elect According to the Foreknowledge of God |
Video Can a Man Be Justified with God? |
Booklet The Grace of Jehovah |
Video The Sarah Feature of the Abrahamic Covenant |
Video Doctrine of Character Development |
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