but glory, honor, and peace to everyone working what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Truth to Learn
If we are working for God now, He will reward us later.
Behind the Words
The word translated “working” is the Greek verb ergodzomai, based on the noun ergon, meaning “work.” Ergodzomai means “to work or labor at something.” It implies putting effort into doing something. It is expressed here as a participle (working) which implies ongoing action.
The word translated “good” is to agathon, which literally means, “the good.”
Meaning Explained
Paul has just declared that the unrighteous will receive tribulation and anguish at the Judgment. In contrast, like in verses 7 and 8, he now declares what the righteous will receive.
Paul says, “to everyone working the good,” The implication is that this is someone who is continually laboring to do good. Doing what is right is not something that comes naturally to any of us because of the sin nature that we all inherited from Adam. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are even capable of doing anything truly good. And, as we all know, it takes work to continue to do good, especially when it seems that we only get taken advantage of when we do.
There is a beautiful promise to all Christians, however, in this verse. Paul tells us that those of us who continue to labor at doing good, in spite of what the world does to us, will receive glory, honor and peace from the great Judge when we stand face to face with Him.
We are not to go through this life seeking to gain glory for ourselves, and we are not to be seeking our own honor. But, if we are seeking to bring honor and glory to God through our good works, God will one day give us both honor and glory. And, on top of it all, He will give us peace. The unrighteous will not have peace. They will have tribulation and anguish, and they will be separated from the presence of God for all of eternity.
This is one of those verses that I think we all should have committed to memory for those times when we get tired of trying to do what God wants us to do; when we feel like it’s just no use; when life seems to be going downhill with no end in sight. Remember, this promise is not to just anyone! It only applies to those who have been declared righteous by God. That is, it only applies to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And, according to Paul in the book of Ephesians, the whole reason for us being saved is so we can do good works for God:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Application
We are not saved by our good works; we are saved only by the grace of God. But we are saved and commanded to do good works while we are here on this earth. And when we continuously labor to do those good works, He will reward us for it with glory, honor, and peace!
Do you want glory, honor, and peace? Then, get to work!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved