EPHESIANS 6:8

“knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether slave or free.”

“You’re going to get what’s coming to ya!” Have you ever heard that? Usually, that is screamed at you by someone who wants to retaliate because they think you’ve done something to hurt them. So, you walk around looking over your shoulder, waiting for the hammer to drop, right? You’re paranoid they are going to get you back.

Well, that is not what Paul is describing in today’s verse. In fact, just the opposite. He says because of your “good thing” you do, you “will receive back from the Lord.” The Greek word for “receive this back” is komizó. It’s only used ten times in the New Testament. It means “I receive back, receive what has belonged to myself but has been lost, or else promised but kept back, or: I get what has come to be my own by earning, recover.” (Strong’s Concordance). I like that a lot better than the example I gave, don’t you?

APPLICATION

Komizo is used in 1 Peter 1:9. “obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Peter uses it again in 1 Peter 5:4. “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” Both of these are worth waiting for, don’t you think? And remember, God always keeps His promises to us.

Of course, you may also be promised to receive the consequences for your actions. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul uses komizo again. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.”

What are you going to receive? If you are a believer in Christ, you can be assured of your salvation. But your rewards will vary according to your faithfulness here on earth. You may say, Well Carl, I just want to get to heaven. It doesn’t matter what I am rewarded for. I understand that, but all those rewards you receive will be laid at the feet of Christ. I want my pile to be so high that I have to get on my glorified tiptoes to see Jesus. How about you?

Father, I want to honor You in all I do, so that I can give back to You all You honor me with in glory.