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After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. 

See, I have gained five more." His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" The man with the two talents also came. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more." His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:19-23-NIV)

Notice that the reward for being diligent with a small responsibility was to receive more responsibility. We would assume the reward for being diligent would be to go to Heaven to live in a mansion. But God is seeking people who can accept responsibility.

Now, why is this? We must remember that many angels of high rank in Heaven followed Satan in rebellion. Even today we are not wrestling with the lower ranks of angels but with rulers and authorities in the heavens.Because of God's displeasure with the angels He has removed them from all places of authority. From now on they are servants. God has created a new race of creatures who are not angels. He has given to them, with Jesus Christ as their Head, authority over all the works of God's hands. The angels are their servants.

Therefore the sons of God are being trained, trained, trained continually, night and day, day and night.If you will read the New Testament with this in mind you will see that the bulk of the passages are not directed toward our going to Heaven to recline on a couch in a mansion. They are directed toward our being conformed to the righteous image of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is so we may be fit to govern the creation.

The purpose of the Church Age has not been primarily to save the nations of the earth. That will come later, according to the Prophets. The purpose of the Church Age is to perfect the Church so it can serve God as a governing priesthood over the works of His hands.Therefore when an individual uses his talents well his reward is more talents so he can govern with Jesus Christ the saved nations of the earth.
When Paul was beating his body into submission it was not so he could go to Heaven and live in a mansion, it was so he could rule with Christ.

Then the man who had received the one talent came. "Master," he said, "I knew you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you." (Matthew 25:24-25-NIV)This is no great sin, is it? He was afraid because he knew the Lord is a hard man.

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