The Reward

The Reward

“Let no one defraud you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase which is from God.” Col. 2:18-19.

There are many people who do not hold fast to the Head, but they do hold fast to some other member of the body whom they esteem. They accept this person’s decisions and recommendations concerning their circumstances. This person becomes a mediator for them whom they admire and idolize—someone without whom they do not dare to undertake anything. Thus they lose their reward.

If a person has to make a decision and is uncertain in a matter, a battle ensues. Instead of fighting it out and assuming responsibility for his choice there are many people who choose the easier way and ask someone else. Then they rest in the advice they have received. Such people actually do not live their own lives, but others live it for them. If things go badly for them, they blame the others; if it goes well, they profit little by it, since they are just as dependent on others when they have to make the next choice.

God has put in the church apostles, teachers, and shepherds to help, guide, and lead the saints to a perfect work of ministry. They have been put in the church as servants so that all can grow up into Him who is the head—Christ. Eph. 4:11-16.

The intention is that everyone should grow up to the Head and be guided by Him, yet not all servants are faithful. Instead of helping the individual to grow up to the Head, they bind him to their own person. They like to have a flock around them who look up to them and ask them about all kinds of things. They consider it an offense if they are not asked. Instead of helping them to hear the Spirit’s voice for themselves—to gain the reward—they rob them of it. Such people like to gather other people like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings. They urge others to ask them about matters and to write them about all kinds of things; in other words, they take responsibility for the others’ lives. If these people should grow up and take up the battle themselves instead of hiding under the other one’s wings, they would consider that as having lost the confidence of the others, and that the others had become proud. Because people like to have a reputation for being humble, they are willing to be robbed of the reward—they are willing to be oppressed.

A person has to be faithful to the truth if he wants to grow up to the Head. Pride and conceit can have an appearance of independence. Timidity and compliance can seem to be humility; yet everyone knows in his own heart what the truth is. If we are faithful to the truth, we will grow up. Then we are humble and receive grace in life to understand what is right. Then we will receive an ear to hear the voice of the Spirit so we can stand, perfect and fully assured in all God’s will. Col. 4:12.