Colossians 3:24

The only people that Paul mentioned receiving rewards to were the slaves. That should tell you something about the justice of God. To the limit that you get no reward on earth, you will receive a reward in heaven.

We see this in Jesus' words concerning fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (Matthew 6:1-18). 

The one who fasts to be seen by men has received his reward, the one who prays to be seen by men has received his reward, and the one who gives to be seen by men has received his reward; and those are being contrasted with receiving reward from God.

But for the slave, who by definition has no reward, and, as it were, zero hope in this world, Paul holds the promise of the resurrection sharply in front of men.

He holds before the slave the promise of resurrection. In another place, Paul said that if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone (1 Corinthians 15:19). 

But what do we have in some places? We have the hope of this world placed before people.

What kind of reward did Paul say wives have for submitting to their husbands? Not a promise of a perfect marriage, but rather the statement that it is what pleases God, and what pleases God brings reward. The same for the husband. There is no promise of a submissive wife if you love your wife. No promise of a good business deal. And for the children, there is no promise for the children obeying their parents, except that it pleases the lord.

Therefore, obeying those commandments should be driven by pure motivation; that is, just because that is what God wants, rather than what you will get. 

And with the high vision of Christ placed before all from the preceding verses, we don't need any other persuasion.

You will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward

If there is something that the slave is not going to get in this world, it is an inheritance kept in heaven for them (1 Peter 1:4). Basically, the slave has no secure earhtly future, but Paul puts in front of them the hope that is beyond this world, secured in Christ.

This, of course, does not make any sense to the unsaved.

It is both hurtful and dangerous to have messages preached in the name of Christ all about the gains of this world, how to increase worldly goods, twisting scriptures to ferret out obscure verses, and squeeze out supposed earthly blessings.

You can imagine some preachers telling the slaves to “sow” their way to prosperity. Where would they get the money? Steal it?

They, whom the society is already stamping down on, would be further trampled upon by the preacher who is wielding the Scriptures as a weapon against the people. Rather than representing Christ, they represent themselves and their belly. They love this world (1 John 2:15-17), and that forms their viewpoint and their messages.

This is what Paul says in Philippians 3:18-19:

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”

Paul warned against those people. He said wolves will arise among the leaders who will not spare the flock and would distort the truth to draw disciples after them (Acts 20:29-30). And what better way to draw disciples after yourself than a promise of earthly gain if they listen to you? These people tell you they have a unique insight into how to gain this world, which inevitably results in you losing your soul, or at a minimum, leaving it famished, which is not good.

There would be no need for a warning if these people would not succeed in their bid and succeed a lot. And they have succeeded a lot. 

So you have to choose between the truth and those men, which is a call for courage. You have to wake up every day and choose courage, knowing that Jesus said those who are cowardly would not inherit the kingdom of God (Revelation 21:8).

Imagine you are in the church in Colossi when the words of Paul to the household are being read, and you have the slaves, children, master, wives, and husbands in attendance, and Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, is telling the slaves about their coming reward. 

I can imagine other people looking at the slaves, now with maybe envy rather than pity. Remember Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31)?

Paul said that we no longer see anyone according to the flesh but according to the spirit (2 Corinthians 5:16-17). 

The slaves would not see themselves according to the flesh after this message from Paul because they would see things from the point of view of eternity, where it won’t matter what happened in time, but what matters when Jesus returns. 

And there could be a slave who was born as a slave and died as a slave. Paul is saying there is a guarantee of an inheritance from the Lord, because, really, we Christians are God's possession, we are God's, though the slaves are earthly possessions of their masters. 

Christ has purchased us for the Father with his blood, and whatever we are doing, we are serving the Lord, even in what people call the secular, we are doing it unto the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31). 

The issue of inheritance makes more meaning to the slave, seeing how it contrasts with their earthly reality, precisely the social construct around them.

God, as Paul laid out in this verse, as the divine construct is different. That is why it is sad when what comes from the pulpit is just a repackaged worldly idea and worldly standard, like we are merely earthly being like everyone else.

The slaves are supposed to do whatever they do for the Lord (maybe carrying water on the head over a long distance), and the Lord will reward them with an inheritance. 

How that would elevate the self image of the slave without changing the situation is the reality of new life in Christ. Not a change of earthly state, but of inward and eternal state. Do you understand?