Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
This verse encourages us to act prudently and to work willingly and enthusiastically, doing everything with our whole heart and in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord, as though we were working for the Lord Himself, rather than for people. Our actions should reflect purity of attitudes and not be carried out grudgingly or simply due to necessity or need. There should be no inner murmurings or resentments, but rather our work should flow from an inner being that delights to be of service, and seeks to undertake all that we do enthusiastically and with blessed goodwill, as though we were doing it all for the Lord Himself. And although love for our Lord and Savior should be the only reason we need to work wholeheartedly, God in His grace gives us yet another blessing: “You will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” We have such a loving, merciful, and generous Lord. What a blessing it is to do everything in our lives wholeheartedly for Him. We must not confuse the rewards we receive for holy living with the free gift of salvation which we received freely by grace through faith in Christ. As born-again believers, our sin was judged at the Cross and we are no longer under God’s condemnation, but as born-again children of God, we are to live as God instructs us and to love as Christ loved us…in purity of heart, humble obedience, and for His greater glory. When we fulfill our roles and responsibilities in our own family and within our wider community as instructed in His Word, we will certainly receive the reward of our inheritance. However, if we choose to ignore the Lord’s instructions and walk in fleshly ways, He will judge us righteously and without favoritism. The wrong that we have done will receive the consequences of our wrongdoing. From this moment forward, whatever we do, whether in word or deed, let us undertake to do it with a pure of heart and seek to do it as unto the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father, through Him.
Spiritual Steve 