VALUE OF THE PROMISED REWARD.
By F. M. Burg
THAT beyond this life there remains to be given to the overcomer what may in a sense be termed his reward, is both in harmony with reason and the Bible. It is a fact so generally conceded that no argument in proof of it need be advanced. Suffice it to say that it is something which appeals to the best judgment and reason of man, whether he be a professed believer in the Bible or not. The value of what the Bible holds out before us as our portion after this life is by many, yes, most people, far underrated. It cannot be justly estimated by the unconverted. He is not in a position to appreciate its worth. Pisgah's mountain is the point of view from which alone faith's eye can see the green verdure of the promised land. The unconverted man, not having faith, cannot pass just judgment on the worth of eternal things. Before he can do this, it is necessary for him to acquaint himself with the word of God, by the hearing of which faith comes. Rom. 10: 17. But one thought here is worthy of notice. The Bible is too often read merely as an ordinary book, and not as the inspired revelation of God to man. When it is so read, it cannot serve the purpose of Rom. 10: 17,—to beget faith in the reader. The essential to this end is that the reader knows it to be God speaking to him. It is not designed here to give an argument on the authenticity of the Scriptures. There are very few, if any, who contend that they136cannot believe the Bible an inspired book but that would believe if they would make a full surrender of their wills. And as they would then read with a determination to believe, repelling every approaching doubt, faith would be begotten. Inasmuch as the Bible is a revelation of God's boundless love to man, as manifested in the gift of his Son, to see which love—and it can only be seen by the eye of faith—cannot but beget faith in the one thus seeing it. God has implanted in man a certain degree of susceptibility to the potent influence of appeals for a response to favors shown. And favors shown to men, even in their relations one to another, naturally appeal to that heaven-implanted sense of gratitude, and begets in the heart of the object of the favor a deeper trust and confidence in the one favoring him. Likewise, but in an infinitely greater degree, does the love of God, when seen by faith's eye, awaken faith, confidence, trust to a greater degree in the person beholding it, his faith growing in proportion as he, by beholding, is drawn nearer, and is thus better enabled to appreciate the greatness of God's love—to see it more in its fullness—a work which will not cease in this life, nor yet can we think of its ending in eternity. Paul was in a position where he could appreciate the immeasurability of the love of God to men. Rom. 8:38, 39. It is without limit. And here alone is the means by which we measure the value of the prize "set before us,"—its worth appreciated only in the ratio of our ability in the present stage of our advancement to apprehend the love of God; and as we grow in our conceptions of divine love through constantly beholding it as manifested in the great sacrifice for man's redemption, so will our estimate of the value of what awaits us be increased. Then, as we exclaim with Paul that God's love is without limit (Rom. 8:38, 39), and with the beloved disciple, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us" (1 John 3:1), so will we at the same time exclaim with the apostle, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor. 2:9). Jesus "became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8:9); and that not only in the world to come, but even here. Of no less value to the child of God than that of future reward is it to have divine power applied to recreate him in Christ Jesus, and thus place him "at peace with God," where he can be called the "friend" of God, nay, more, his Son. 2 Cor. 6:17, 18. As in estimating the value of the prize before him, so, with such a privilege, its worth is appreciated just as much as he is able to know the love of God, "which passeth knowledge." So precious will the privilege become to him that he would count even his life "dear unto himself" if he knew that to enjoy the privilege for but a day would make him a martyr. This is what buoyed up the courage of martyrs amid the burning flames. Such an experience would lead to the service of God, even though no future reward were held out before us. Alas, how many are prompted to render what they would call service to God, if not by fear of punishment, at least by hope of reward! Would that the love of God prompted all to repentance. Rom. 2:4. It does to genuine repentance. Then, that we may appreciate the Christian's privilege in this life and the value of the "hope set before us," let us make the love of God, as seen in the Sacrifice of Calvary, the one theme of conversation, meditation, and song. The depths of poverty to which the Saviour came down, and the height of the riches to which he wishes to elevate us by that means, are only known inasmuch as we can comprehend the infinite distance between heaven and earth,—between the east and the west. Surely "greater love hath no man than this," and— Not half of that city's bright glory To mortals has ever been told.