Q: Will There Be Degrees of Reward in Heaven and Can Believers Choose the Ones They Want?
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A: A reward is something you are given, and you generally don’t choose your reward. Rewards are given according to service. You don’t choose the rewards; they’re given to you. But let me give the Scripture that teaches there will be a difference in the rewards. The parable of the pounds in Luke 19 I think refers to believers today: “And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:11-13). We find that when he returned he gave different rewards. “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities” (vv. 16-19). The third fellow had buried his, so he didn’t get a reward at all. I think this gives us a picture of how we’ll receive our rewards. So we do have in Scripture that there are degrees of rewards, and you don’t choose a reward. You can choose down here to be faithful to Him and you can choose down here to serve Him, but you can’t choose your reward. He’ll be the one to give that.