Free Grace Theology Sample

Rewards and Free Grace

Free Grace Theology Offers Greater Motivation

Gratitude is motive enough for many to live a godly life. But for some, God offers more. He encourages us to join the ranks of those who want to be in His army and make a difference in this world. 

He does not draft us; He invites us (Romans. 12:1). It is a volunteer army (Psalm 110:3). He warns us of the rigors and sacrifices of army life (Luke 7:8) and heading down the road of discipleship without counting the costs, which could be our very lives (Luke 14:26–33). Apart from all this, He also entices us.

I would go so far as to say that anticipation of future rewards is half of the motivation God uses to encourage us to join His army and to persevere when the going gets tough. It’s all over the New Testament.

Free Grace theology makes a clear distinction between the “gift” and the “prize.” The gift is the free gift of life with God forever. No works: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God” (Ephesians 2:8–9). 

But the prize is whatever God graciously decides to give those who sacrificially serve Him: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the PRIZE? Run in such a way that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24). 

The gift excludes our works; the prize includes our works.

Free Grace Theology Does Not Attach Our Good Works to Getting into Heaven

Rewards are not about me and my glory; they are about Christ and His glory. Scripture gives us different metaphors to help us understand rewards: gold, silver, precious stones, crowns, wreaths, etc. 

But what do we do with the crowns we receive? We cast them at the feet of Christ (Revelation 4:10), declaring that He alone is worthy to wear them, for, without Him, we could do nothing of eternal value (John 15:5).

Our rewards are a measure of how much glory we bring to our Savior forever. The more we become like Christ on earth, the more of His character qualities we reflect, all unto His glory. What is the glory of God? It is the open manifestation of His attributes. The more we become like Him, the more of His nature we manifest—the more of His glory we reflect.