There has been a rather dramatic change in the way the Federal Government does business these days. People are now employed or promoted based on their skills, training and experience. This contrasts with the last few years when people were put in positions based mainly on diversity, equity and inclusion. This DEI approach primarily employed people depending on their race, sex and other such things. But the present approach is merit based. Those implementing this present approach point out that this is simply “common sense.”
Common Sense and Biblical Truth. It is unclear whether those identifying the present approach as “common sense” understand that so many of these ideas are biblical truths that God has put in place. The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about the benefits of hard work and disciplined living. A few examples from Proverbs.
“POOR IS HE WHO WORKS WITH A NEGLIGENT HAND, BUT THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT MAKES RICH. HE WHO GATHERS IN SUMMER IS A SON WHO ACTS WISELY, BUT HE WHO SLEEPS IN HARVEST IS A SON WHO ACTS SHAMEFULLY.” (10:4-5)
“DO YOU SEE A MAN SKILLED IN HIS WORK? HE WILL STAND BEFORE KINGS; HE WILL NOT STAND BEFORE OBSURE MEN.” (22:29)
“HE WHO TILLS HIS LAND WILL HAVE PLENTY OF BREAD, BUT HE WHO PURSUES VAIN THINGS LACKS SENSE.” (12:11)
“THE SLUGGARD DOES NOT PLOW AFTER THE AUTUMN, SO HE BEGS DURING THE HARVEST AND HAS NOTHING.” (20:4)
And, of course, it isn’t just Proverbs that promotes merit-based living. Other Scriptures do as well. But the Scriptures are abundantly clear that having a right relationship with the Lord God is key even in merit-based living, noting that “every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:13). The Lord has always been approving of hard work and has attached some wonderful consequences in this life to those who work hard. Not so to the lazy person.
Merit-Based Living in the Coming Kingdom of Jesus Messiah. The idea of hard work having wonderful consequences is not simply confined to this present life. It will also have a profound impact on our future. It will shape life in the future kingdom of God, both in the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ as well as the eternal kingdom of God which follows Christ’s 1,000-year reign.
Our salvation is not merit-based. The Bible declares that our salvation is a “gift of God”. No works which we do contribute in any way to our receiving of eternal life and the forgiveness of sins (Rom. 3:24; 6:23; Eph. 2:4-9). This was the case because our problem was that we were separated from God because of our sin. And frankly, there was nothing that we could do to get rid of any or all our sins. Not even one of them. But Christ died, and by doing so, paid for every sin that we have, are, and will commit (Heb. 9:25-28; 10:10-14; Col. 2:13-15). Jesus paid the debt completely. No hard work on our part could eliminate the penalty related to even one of our sins. Salvation is the free gift of God for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. Biblical Christianity is unique in that works play no role whatsoever in one receiving God’s great gift of salvation. Good deeds are meaningless in the matter of one’s salvation.
Our role and place in the coming kingdoms is merit-based. The Scriptures are equally clear that our works are a major factor in the coming kingdom. While good works in this life make no difference in receiving the gift of eternal life, they make a huge difference in shaping life for each person in the future kingdom of God. There are many scriptures that teach this. One example is what Jesus taught in Luke 19:11-27. Jesus and His disciples were headed for Jerusalem where the Lord would be crucified. The disciples needed to know what they were to do since the Messianic kingdom was going to be postponed. They were to be diligent about the Master’s business. Jesus explained that He was going to go to the “far country” (heaven) where He was going to get ruling authority from the Father (cf. Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 5:1-14). After receiving this authority, He would come back to the earth and reign. The first order of business, however, would be an evaluation of His servants to see what they had done while He was away in heaven. He had ten servants but just three were specifically mentioned in this teaching. The first servant had been very diligent and had worked hard while the Master was away. The Lord was very pleased with Him and since He now had authority, He gave this diligent servant 10 cities in His kingdom to rule over. The Master then turned His attention to a second servant, who had worked, but not nearly as hard as the first servant. This servant did not receive 10 cities to rule over but was given 5 cities. The next servant had been lazy and did nothing. He apparently thought that it really didn’t make any difference if he labored for the Master or not. After his evaluation, the Master rebuked him sharply and gave him no position in his kingdom. This servant remained a servant, not losing that status, but the differences between him and the first servant are great. There will be distinctions in Jesus’ kingdom.
One cannot read this teaching without coming away with the understanding that positions, privileges, and responsibilities in the coming kingdom are merit-based. And this is exactly why the Apostle Paul led a disciplined, labor-intensive life. He wanted to receive the “prize” from the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Passages, such as 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 emphasize the importance of diligently laboring for the Lord Jesus in this life. Hebrews 3:14 informs believers that if we faithfully serve Him, we will have a special relationship with Jesus in His coming kingdom: we will be sharers of life with Him. We aren’t sure of all the details of this, but it surely will be grand, beyond anything our imaginations can produce.
The Judgment Seat of Christ. Peter states that Christ’s evaluation of all in His creation starts with His own people (1 Pet. 4:17). The first order of business after the Rapture event will be the time of the believer’s evaluation before the Lord at what is referred to as the “judgment seat” (2 Cor. 5:10). A lot of believers are nervous even thinking about this time. Often this is because we are very aware of our sins and failures. However, we must remember that when we confess our sins we are forgiven, and we are cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We are clean before the Lord. The Lord loves to give good gifts to His children (Matt. 7:11) but Christ’s holiness requires Him to be just in His dealings with believers. So, the believer who took seriously laboring for Jesus, and the one who did not, will not be rewarded in the same way. There are going to be differences between believers. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul said that rewards will be given as a “recompense” or payment for work done. It is merit based. If one’s employer handed him a check and said “here is a gift” for you, the employer obviously did not view his work in a positive light. There is a significant difference between a gift and a paycheck. The judgment seat is payday.
The Federal government’s emphasis on merit being the basis for position or for promotion is not a new idea. Nor is it an approach confined to this life. Yes, it will make a difference then in how we labor for the Lord Jesus now. Remember, He does not ask us to be famous, just faithful. Give some thought as to how you might become a little more diligent in your obedience to His commands. Are there some areas that could use refreshing or upgrading? It will be worth it when we see Jesus.