Another good friend, who is very alert to social justice issues, asks:
In a church that is full of people living well below their means, radically helping the poor and the least of these, concerned and working for true social justice--not moralistic political power--a church that is not worldly the way the American church is...then some discussion of rewards might be useful... What's the difference between the health and wealth gospel of Joel Osteen and teaching about crowns/mansions in heaven? Just the location? Can we appeal to greed so long as it is in heaven? Greed deferred is still greed. How can rewards be motivators in our love and pursuit of God, since then in just some spiritualized way, our pursuit of God is then just a pursuit of ourselves?
My response:
I understand your socio-politico concerns about not over-emphasizing rewards in order to serve as a counter-force to not appeal to our naturally greedy natures. But I say that whatever the Scriptures teach, we need to teach it, openly, completely and in balance, "the whole counsel of God", at some time, and not totally neglect any aspect of God's revealed truth -- for not everyone is any congregation is at the same place of what they need to hear. Otherwise we risk playing "god" with our subjective evaluations of what we think people need based on our biases and out of our temptation to manipulate them.
I think that appeal to future self-interest in heaven is purely an appeal to faith, genuine, God-blessed faith: forgo what you want now, in faith that there really is something better beyond the blue (cf. sung about in black spirituals) -- not just because I "can't have it now" (since I'm poor) but because I choose to forgo present pleasures now because I trust Jesus' promise: sell what you have and give to the poor, THEN YOU WILL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN. What is that, if not an appeal to personal future self-interest? God created us, so He knows how to motivate us. Yet it requires a truckload of faith to DO IT.
That's why we don't do it. We don't have THAT much faith. If we did, then why don't we give 50% or more of our income away for missions and relief of African poverty and live very meagerly now? Because our motivation isn't strong enough! Does that mean we don't love God enough? No. I don’t think the only motivational question is "Do I love God?" but "Do I trust God?" In other words, do I have the faith of Abraham? God didn't commend Abram's love for God, but for his faith that God would keep His promises of BLESSING to him and to his descendants -- i.e. Abe had self-interest and self-promotion involved, but it took a truckload of faith (waiting 25 years, then being willing to kill his son) to appropriate it.
Joel Osteen's appeal to health and wealth NOW is not an appeal to real faith. It's an appeal short-term immediate-results faith that scams people to give now to get more material goods in a short time on earth, and that is SIGHT, not faith. But Hebrews 11 talks of those who looked for God's "city" (future enjoyment) after their torture and death. That is real faith, even with anticipation of something "good for me".
Self interest is not intrinsically evil. We are to love others AS we love ourselves. God expects us to have a healthy, honest self love, as long as we don't only love self. By sacrificially giving to missions, or to ease poverty, we are loving others, and God says when you do that now, He will reward us for us later. 100 fold. The disciples asked, what will we get for leaving all behind to follow Jesus? That's a legitimate question. Jesus didn't scold them for asking it, but assured them that it will be worth their sacrifice. In the end, they will look back and be glad they gave up temporary worldly pleasures -- just like Moses. In Hebrews 11:25-26 - He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
What reward did Moses look forward to receiving? Just seeing God face to face in heaven someday? No. He could have had that even if he had stayed in Egypt, become Pharaoh and kept his faith in God. He still would have been "saved". But he wanted more than 50 years of easy existence on earth and a "I barely made it" pass into heaven. He wanted eternal rewards. Forever! Whether that means sitting closer to God's throne, or ruling more galaxies or cities, or having more crowns, or enjoying a bigger heavenly mansion on earth or in the clouds, or hearing a louder "Well done" from his Creator, Moses knew that there was GREAT VALUE in obeying God, even though it cost him plenty in terms of suffering on earth in order to get it.
So there HAS to be a distinction of rewards form God in the future, with some receiving more than others. I take God's Word at face value, and any "theology" we adopt has to bend to fit the Word, not vice versa.
So, to answer your question, is greed deferred still greed? I say no. Delayed gratification is always viewed as a sign of maturity and responsibility and wisdom, while grabbing for immediate gratification now (through illegal drugs, illicit sex, stealing to get rich quick, killing to get a promotion) is always unloving and evil and selfish. Those who defer income to a retirement account on earth and are careful with consumer debt are wise; those who spend it as fast as they get it on booze and prostitutes (a.k.a. prodigal behavior) and get over their heads in debt are foolish.
Is the "wise" person just as "greedy" as the "foolish" person? He is actually doing a better job of looking out for his (and his family's) best interests. Does that make him "greedy"? Not necessarily. What if the "wise" person has been tithing the whole time, and funding his own medical missions trips to Mozambique, and feeding the homeless in his community, thereby storing up treasures in heaven while at the same time storing up retirement funds for his family? I would commend that behavior, and I think God would, too. But the person who fuels his lusts for pleasure and power and possessions through immediate conspicuous consumption and doesn't share generously (1 Timothy 6) -- now THAT'S the truly greedy, short-sighted, stupid person -- in my book and (according to the Scripture) in God's book as well.
