> General Discussions
The first shall be last?
WillieH:
WillieH: Hi Gena... peace... ;D
--- Quote from: gmik on October 16, 2006, 12:09:57 AM ---Hi Willie, glad to see you over here!!
gena
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the nice welcome!
Peace... :)
In JESUS ...willieH :D
Joey Porter:
If I may offer, I think a lot of it does have to do with our own spirit and humility, as had been pointed out in a few earlier posts. Here is a very interesting but short parable:
Luke 17
7"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "
Many may disagree with me, but I don't think we should be trying to earn rewards as we live our lives. For example, when Jesus talked about giving and fasting without letting anyone know, He said we would have a reward. But I think there is more to that. I don't think we are supposed to feel as though we "deserve" any reward, even if we do all sorts of great works, even in secret. We are to be brought to such a state of humility that our "reward" is the joy and satisfaction of knowing we're living the right way and doing the right deeds. Our reward should be the joy of helping people in need, without expecting anything further.
I remember there was a time when I would keep sort of a running tab in my head - I'd send a money order to some ministry or do some other type of good deed, (without telling anyone, mind you) and I'd think to myself "well there's a another reward I'm storing up for myself." But I don't believe that's the way we're to be, as the above parable illustrates. I think to be "last" means to be so humble that we live as Christ-like as possible without feeling like we're deserving of anything other than the satisfaction of living that way.
longhorn:
I think we can do a Never Ending number of good things without letting our rt hand know what our left is doing. If you keep score, Oh well. But I for one will not just sit by the side of the road and beg for crumbs. There are many goods things done everyday by people that go unoticed, and thats just the way they want it.
Longhorn
Deborah-Leigh:
Hi Longhorn
I have been searching my concordance for a scripture reference where I read something to the effect that.... those who do good and their good works are in secret will be revealed and rewarded and those who do bad and are not seen to do bad (in other words they get away with it and are not recognised ) will be exposed in the last days.....something like that anyway!.... ;D
I'd enjoy it if anyone can come up with the relevant scriptures. I know there are forum members here who could help! Hope to see that scripture I have been trying to re-locate present itself again!
Arcturus :)
Chris R:
--- Quote from: Arcturus on October 21, 2006, 06:15:46 AM ---Hi Longhorn
I have been searching my concordance for a scripture reference where I read something to the effect that.... those who do good and their good works are in secret will be revealed and rewarded and those who do bad and are not seen to do bad (in other words they get away with it and are not recognised ) will be exposed in the last days.....something like that anyway!.... ;D
I'd enjoy it if anyone can come up with the relevant scriptures. I know there are forum members here who could help! Hope to see that scripture I have been trying to re-locate present itself again!
Arcturus :)
--- End quote ---
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." [Matt 6:1-4]
Hope this is of some help
Chris R
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