There is an economy in God’s Kingdom that sits upon His perfect Order. This economy is of rewards – both positive and negative – that involves every human being ever to exist. The rewards include Damnation for unrepentant sinners, as well as the rewards of Salvation/praise/responsibility/Crowns/His Joy for the redeemed. The Shepherds He appoints over His flock oversee their wellbeing – instructing, correcting, protecting, and guiding them until they meet the Lord for their Judgement. Paul tells of the women who in faith before the Cross strove for ‘a better resurrection (Heb 11:35-38); He also offered his example of striving for the prize, finishing his race well (1 Cor 9:24-27); And Jesus encourages us to strive for His rewards (Matt 10:40-42). 1Peter 5 is written to guide and encourage those Shepherds, reminding them of this economy and encouraging them to labor well towards the Crown their Lord will include as their reward.
1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion, but willingly, according to God; and not for dishonest gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to you, but being examples to the flock.
After addressing the Saints to persevere (1 Pet 4:12-19) Peter turns to instruct and encourage their Shepherds. Peter establishes himself as a direct witness to Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. He also stands alongside them as their peer as they (and we) await the glorious Hope of His appearance. (Titus 2:11-14)
We look at the character of these men as the ones Paul prescribes to Timothy. Peter instructs them to lead in their true nature as servants endowed by the Holy Spirit, avoiding the use of the forces of the flesh for control or self-gain. These are neither weak nor ignorant men, but men who would be courageous in guiding and defending their people in both spirit and flesh. True, our Jesus is often described as meek and mild (Isa 53:7), but He is also the Lion of Judah, the One Who allowed the created to murder the Creator for their own rescue, the only One worthy to open the Scroll (Rev 5:5). It is a mistake to see His countenance as evidence of weakness, but instead we see the Strongest One bravely muting His passion and power in obedience to the Father that the Sacrifice would make way to save us. True Shepherds given responsibility over His Flock, emboldened and endowed with His same Spirit, are not weaklings who’d shun away or brutes who’d use cowardly force to control. These are expected to be ‘men above reproach’ (1 Tim 3:1-7). A portion of His flock has been allotted to each of them; They have been intentionally given to their care by God. They are not to dominate and guide by force, but exercise their authority as given by God, as God would.
They are not to see their responsibility as a burden thrust upon them, but serve God by shepherding willingly. And, they certainly are not to be driven by self-enrichment of any sort but instead be motivated and encouraged for the sake of serving Him. This last point is particularly important. Anyone in authority faces opportunities of some sort of ‘gain’, be it recognition, praise, monetary, control, etc. As the ‘worker is due his wage’, all of our works result in reward, either immediately or later, as a pay for service.
The contemporary use of the words ‘gain, wage or reward’ implies a positive outcome, yet the Biblical use is both positive or negative- IE: “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23a), and,“The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.” (Prov 10:16) Jesus also warned against seeking public acknowledgement (Matt 6:1-6), as this immediate gain is a bad exchange instead having the reward secured in Heaven ‘where neither moth nor rust destroys’. (Matt 6:20)
1 “Beware of doing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Therefore, when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-6)
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
A straight reading of Jesus’ Revelation to John, and supporting statements by Jesus and Paul, indicate the sudden and immediate gathering of the Church (John 14:1-4, 1 Thes 4:13-17), followed by Christ’s Bema Seat Judgement of the resurrected New Covenant Saints (Rom 14:10, 2 Cor 5:10, 1 Cor 3:11-15).
The Rapture
1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thes 4:13-17)
The Bema Seat
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you view your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. (Rom 14:10)
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10)
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor 3:11-15)
Peter encourages the Overseers of the Church, that following the appearance of Christ, He will judge their work and reward them accordingly. Amongst the reward to be given to Saints found worthy are five crowns listed in Scripture, the Shepherd’s being the ‘Elder’s Crown’, the Crown of Glory:
Incorruptible Crown (The Victor’s Crown)
25 Now everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. (1Cor 9:25)
Crown of Rejoicing (Soul Winner’s Crown)
19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus at His coming? (1Thes 2:19)
Crown of Righteousness (Those who love His appearing)
8 In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Tim 4:8)
Crown of Glory (The Elder’s Crown)
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Pet 5:4)
Crown of Life (The Martyr’s Crown)
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (Jas 1:12)
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rev 2:10)
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 CASTING ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM, because He cares for you.
The younger men who do not yet have opportunity to shepherd, but are still growing as disciples, are to submit to the authority of the older ones towards that same goal (v5). Together, the elder and the younger are reminded to humbly submit to the other under Christ, avoiding the common hurdle and sin of pride, that together they would cooperate under His Hand.
8 Be of sober spirit, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished among your brethren who are in the world.
The Enemy’s goal isn’t primarily our suffering, but our deterrence. This may include suffering, but whatever his devices, he wants to destroy our faith and turn our eye away from our Sovereign, loving God. He wants to lull us into not noticing the Almighty, lead us to believe God isn’t concerned of our heart and actions since we’re under Grace. Satan looks to steal the rewards the Lord would give us if we would engage in the opportunities He puts before us (Ecc 9:10a, Col 3:23-25). Paul counters this with his exhortation to join him in a steady and dedicated cadence.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (Ecc 9:10a)
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. (Col 3:23-25)
The thief, the Enemy, turned from smooth talk to Eve towards a campaign of open deception that still prevails upon us. While his methods are often subtle, the Bible explains a furious interference is underway by the Father of Lies. He wants to undermine the confirmation of our faith, deprive us of an essential measure of comfort we’d have in resting in the God Who delivers, destroy our assurance He is still in command.
Our Elders are tasked with helping to us resist in the faith, as they also resist for themselves.
10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, strengthen, confirm, and ground you. 11 To Him be might forever and ever. Amen.
These challenges too shall pass. Our Father, in His Grace, allots and secures every last follower of Christ – He will prevail and we will find our rest in Glory. He will make us perfected (restored), established (strengthened), and settled in our Foundation (confirmed). Deeply grateful, we praise His eternal might that will see us delivered to His goals.
