From the book ‘Whole Bible Christianity’
On the flip side of the punish coin is reward. Or lack of it. Some just don’t see the profit in following God’s laws. In fact, it looks like many who follow seem to have more problems than those who don’t. There doesn’t appear to be any big payoff for obedience.
13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ” (Malachi 3:13-15 ESV)
Malachi was written a long time ago, but the problem is still with us. Many think that “keeping his charge” (following His commands) is not profitable. But pay is not the issue. Of course we will have problems in this world. It isn’t our world. It’s filled with perverse people who hate God and do everything in their power to subvert and besmirch every aspect of His kingdom. They murdered the Son of God, so how much more will they revile, slander, attack, and murder us?
There are blessings that accrue to believers, some of which we get now, like peace, and some we will get later, like a new body. The pay is good, and there is lots of it, but it’s not measured in gold. It’s not even measured in time. It’s measured in love, which has no limit when you are joined together with the source of love.