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Divine Rewards for Obedience and Spiritual Gifts

The concept of divine rewards for obedience and the nature of spiritual gifts are contested topics among Christian traditions. At the heart of the debate is whether obedience to God's commands results in rewards and how spiritual gifts are distributed and understood.

Divine Rewards for Obedience

One position, represented by Reformed theologians like Charles Hodge, holds that obedience to God's commands is rewarded with life and other blessings. According to Hodge, the promise of life was connected to Adam's obedience in the Garden of Eden, and this principle continues throughout Scripture [9]. This view is supported by passages like Deuteronomy 30:6-10 and Haggai 2:15, which link divine blessing to the obedience of God's people [6].

In contrast, some traditions, such as certain strands of Methodist/Wesleyan thought, emphasize the role of human cooperation with divine grace. Adam Clarke, for instance, notes that obedience is a condition for receiving divine blessings, but also highlights the importance of God's initiative in enabling human obedience [14].

Spiritual Gifts

The understanding of spiritual gifts also varies across Christian traditions. The Catholic Church teaches that spiritual gifts are given for the edification of the Church and are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit's presence. According to Thomas Aquinas, sacramental grace confers virtues and gifts that perfect the soul's powers [8]. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of faith and charity in relation to spiritual gifts [13].

Reformed and Baptist/Reformed traditions, represented by theologians like John Calvin and John Gill, understand spiritual gifts as manifestations of God's grace, distributed according to His will. Calvin emphasizes that spiritual gifts are a demonstration of God's power and are not earned by human merit [11]. Gill notes that spiritual gifts are diverse and are given for the benefit of the Church, with the same Spirit being the author and giver of all gifts [12].

Shared Ground

Despite these differences, all positions agree that divine blessings and spiritual gifts are ultimately gifts from God. Scripture emphasizes that all blessings come from God and are dispensed according to His will [1, 2]. The biblical concept of "reward" is also understood in various ways, with some seeing it as a direct result of obedience, while others view it as a gracious gift from God [3, 5].

Divergence in Traditions

The divergence in understanding divine rewards and spiritual gifts stems from different hermeneutical commitments and prior doctrinal premises. For instance, Reformed traditions tend to emphasize the sovereignty of God in distributing spiritual gifts and blessings, while Catholic traditions highlight the role of sacraments and the Church in mediating divine grace. The historical context and development of doctrine within each tradition also contribute to the differences in understanding these concepts.

The biblical basis for these concepts is found in various passages, including Numbers 31:50, which illustrates the Israelites bringing offerings to Yahweh, and 1 Corinthians 12, which discusses the diversity of spiritual gifts [4, 7]. The early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, also grappled with the relationship between human obedience and divine gifts, emphasizing the importance of a willing heart in receiving God's gifts [10].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gift of the Holy Spirit, The — By the Father -- Ne 9:20; Lu 11:13. By the Son -- Joh 20:22. To Christ without measure -- Joh 3:34. Given According to promise. -- Ac 2:38,39. Upon the exaltation. -- Ps 68:18; Joh 7:39. Through the intercession of Christ. -- Joh 14:16. In answer to prayer. -- Lu 11:13; Eph 1:16,17. For instruction. -- Ne 9:20. For comfort of saints. -- Joh 14:16. To those who repent and believe. -- Ac 2:38. To those who obey God. -- Ac 5:32. To the Gentiles. -- Ac 10:44,45; 11:17; 15:8. Is abundant -- Ps 68:9; Joh 7:38,39. Is permanent -- Isa 59:21; Ha”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gifts of God, The — All blessings are -- Jas 1:17; 2Pe 1:3. Are dispensed according to his will -- Ec 2:26; Da 2:21; Ro 12:6; 1Co 7:7. Are free and abundant -- Nu 14:8; Ro 8:32. Spiritual Christ the chief of. -- Isa 42:6; 55:4; Joh 3:16; 4:10; 6:32,33. Are through Christ. -- Ps 68:18; Eph 4:7,8; Joh 6:27. The Holy Spirit. -- Lu 11:13; Ac 8:20. Grace. -- Ps 84:11; Jas 4:6. Wisdom. -- Pr 2:6; Jas 1:5. Repentance. -- Ac 11:18. Faith. -- Eph 2:8; Php 1:29. Righteousness. -- Ro 5:16,17. Strength and power. -- Ps 68:35. A new heart. -- Eze 11:19. Peace. -- Ps 29:11. Rest. ”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Mehir — a reward”
  4. Numbers “We have brought Yahweh’s offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before Yahweh.” -- Numbers 31:50”
  5. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Gamul — a recompense”
  6. Haggai (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Haggai 2:15: 2:15 Look at what was happening (see study note on 1:5): Divine blessing, whether spiritual or material, is contingent upon the obedience of God’s people (Deut 30:6-10). Haggai called the people to persist in the self-examination that leads to repentance and in the fear of the Lord that his first message initiated (see Hag 1:7, 12).”
  7. 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12 (introduction): THE USE AND THE ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS, ESPECIALLY PROPHESYING AND TONGUES. (1Co. 12:1-31) spiritual gifts--the signs of the Spirit's continued efficacious presence in the Church, which is Christ's body, the complement of His incarnation, as the body is the complement of the head. By the love which pervades the whole, the gifts of the several members, forming reciprocal complements to each other, tend to the one object of perfecting the body of Christ. The ordinary and permanent gifts are comprehended together with the extraordin”
  8. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Sacraments' Principal Effect, Which is Grace, Art. 2: Article: Whether sacramental grace confers anything in addition to the grace of the virtues and gifts? I answer that, As stated in the FS, Question [110], Articles [3],4, grace, considered in itself, perfects the essence of the soul, in so far as it is a certain participated likeness of the Divine Nature. And just as the soul's powers flow from its essence, so from grace there flow certain perfections into the powers of the soul, which are called virtues and gifts, whereby the powe”
  9. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 31: § 2. The Promise . The reward promised to Adam on condition of his obedience, was life. (1.) This is involved in the threatening: “In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” It is plain that this involved the assurance that he should not die, if he did not eat. (2.) This is confirmed by innumerable passages and by the general drift of Scripture, in which it is so plainly and so variously taught, that life was, by the ordinance of God, connected with obedience. “This do and thou shalt live.” “The man that doeth them shall”
  10. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 37.--EARS TO HEAR ARE A WILLINGNESS TO OBEY. (part 1): Although, therefore, we say that obedience is the gift of God, we still exhort men to it. But to those who obediently hear the exhortation of truth is given the gift of God itself--that is, to hear obediently; while to those who do not thus hear it is not given. For it was not some one only, but Christ who said, "No man cometh unto me, except it were given him of my Father;"(3) and, "To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."(4) And concer”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 38: that God bestows his grace upon us, that we may know that we are nothing; that we stand only by the mercy of God, seeing that in ourselves eve are altogether wicked. Let us not contend with God for our right, as if anything attributed to him were 233 lost to our salvation. As our insignificance is his exaltation, so the confession of our insignificance has its remedy provided in his mercy. I do not ask, however, that man should voluntarily yield without being convinced, or that, if he has any powers, he should shut his eyes to them”
  12. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 12:4: Now there are diversities of gifts,.... Of spiritual ones, as in Co1 12:1 which spring from the free grace, and good will and pleasure of God, and are not owing to the merits of men; and therefore such who have the largest share of them should not boast of them as acquired by themselves, or be puffed up on account of them; and those who have the smallest measure should be content and thankful; for though the gifts are different, some have greater, and others lesser, none have all, but all have some, yet not alike: but the same Spirit; is the author and giver ”
  13. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, CHAPTER THREE (part 6): anyone obtain eternal life 'But he who endures to the end.'"] Perseverance in faith 162 Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: "Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith."44 To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith;45 it must be "working through charity," aboundin”
  14. 2 Samuel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 8:6: Brought gifts - Paid tribute.”
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