When he wrote to the church at Smyrna, he said that those who are found faithful “shall not be hurt with[of] the second death” [Revelation 2:11].

When he wrote to the church at Pergamos, he said, “To him that overcometh will I [Jesus] give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it” [Revelation 2:17].

When he wrote to the church at Thyatira, he said, “To him that overcometh and remaineth faithful unto the end, the same shall be given power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I [Jesus] received of My Father. 28 And I [Jesus] will give him the morning star” [Revelation 2:26-28].

When he wrote to the church at Sardis—to me, this is one of the most beautiful rewards offered anywhere in the entire Bible. When he wrote to the church at Sardis, he said, “He that overcometh (and remaineth faithful), the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I [Jesus] will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I [Jesus] will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels” [Revelation 3:5]. You think of Jesus Christ taking you by the hand and leading you to that glorious land, to the throne of God, and then calling all the angels of heaven and hear your name confessed before God and before those angels. What a reward! But it says that it is offered to those who are found faithful.

When he wrote to the church at Philadelphia, he said, “Him that overcometh will I [Jesus] make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the Name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My New Name” [Revelation 3:12].

When he wrote to the church at Laodicea, he said, “To him that overcometh [and remaineth faithful] will I [Jesus] grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne” [Revelation 3:21].

All these rewards are offered to encourage us to live the faithful Christian life. But the question is: How will these rewards be given? And, to whom will these rewards be given?

If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn and read a verse with me. In 2 Peter, the 1^st chapter, and verse 4, Peter said, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

I want you to notice the word “nature” in this verse… “Whereby are given unto us great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine NATURE….” The “divine nature” here does not mean that we become deity, that is, that we become omnipotent or omniscient or omnipresent. But these are moral attributes, such as goodness, kindness, morality, honesty, sincerity. And Peter said we become “partakers of the divine nature” of Christ that we may be able to escape “the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

There isn’t any person that’s strong enough, smart enough or wise enough to overcome the trials, the tribulations and the temptations of this life without becoming a partaker of the divine nature of Jesus Christ. And Peter said we partake of this divine nature so that we’re able to ESCAPE the corruption that’s in the world.

“Nature” is a powerful thing. For instance, when one becomes a partaker of the nature of Christ, he acts like Christ, thinks like Christ, talks like Christ and lives like Christ. When one becomes a partaker of the nature of Satan, he acts like Satan, talks like Satan, thinks like Satan and lives like Satan because he has become a partaker of the nature of Satan.

“Nature” is a powerful thing! Nature controls just about everything, even the lower animal kingdom of the world. It controls behavior; it controls appetite. For instance: Vultures feed on things that are decayed; the hummingbird eats nectar from the flowers. Now a question: Why does the hummingbird eat nectar from the flowers? That’s the nature of a hummingbird to do that. Why does the vulture feed on things that are decayed? That’s the nature of the vulture to do that. Each one is being controlled by nature.

Nature controls behavior. For instance: Birds fly high in the sky. Fish swim. Question: Why do fish swim? That’s the nature of a fish to be in the water. It’s the nature of the bird to fly. Each one is being controlled by nature.

Nature controls association. For instance: Sheep go in flocks. Ants go in colonies. Well, why do sheep go in flocks? Because that’s the nature of sheep to do that. Why do ants go in colonies? That’s the nature of ants to do that. Why do fish swim in schools? That’s the nature of fish to do that. Each one is being governed and controlled by nature!

And nature controls you, and it controls me! If we, as I have stated, have become partakers of the nature of Christ, then we act like Christ. If we become the partakers of the nature of Satan, then we act like Satan. Everyone is controlled by nature.

But the question is: For those who are found faithful, HOW will these rewards be given? Well, number one, they’ll be given to those who can identify with the works of Jesus. In John, the 9^th chapter, and verse 4, Jesus Christ said, “…the night cometh, when no man can work.” Everyone needs to realize that there’s coming a time, for instance, when you cannot attend a service like this. There’s coming a time when you cannot invite people to a Gospel meeting. There’s coming a time when you cannot visit the sick. There’s coming a time when you cannot do these good deeds. Jesus Christ realized that. So He said, “I must work…while it is day…”—that is, “while I have the opportunity.” Why? Because the time is coming when I’ll not have the opportunities to do these things that I have in my lifetime. And that’s true with all of us.

In John, the 4^th chapter, and verse 34, Jesus Christ said, “My meat is to do the Will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.” And even at the tender age of twelve, when Jesus Christ was in Jerusalem with his parents—after they had fulfilled their duties there, they were returning home and traveled for a day’s journey. And when the evening shadows begin to lengthen, Mary observed that her son was not in their presence. And she did as most religious people do when they start looking for Jesus. She no doubt went first to her immediate family. He wasn’t there. And then she went to here relatives. He wasn’t there. Then she went to her friends and neighbors. He wasn’t there. And then she went back to Jerusalem and found Him where she had left Him. And if you remember, she said, “…why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing” [Luke 2:48]. And Jesus, at the tender age of twelve, said, “…know ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” [Luke 2:49].