That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly, MAT 6:4.

The same principle is shown in MAT 6:16-18, "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."

Whether we are fasting, praying a petition before the Lord, doing something to help our fellow man, or making a donation, we are looking at the principle of Godliness which the Lord Jesus is teaching. These acts are to be done in secret. It is a heart matter between us and the Lord. That He may reward us.

Godliness is the motive of the heart to honour God by our self-sacrificial love to God and our neighbour. It is the motive of the soul, heart, and mind to honor God by our righteousness.

These verses speak of a reward from the Lord. God placed before Adam and Eve the reward of eternal life for obedience, and the reward of death for disobedience. The true character of God is revealed by the reward He will give us. It is an eternal reward. We have to understand the reward and understand that God does reward.

The word reward in our text, "That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly," is taken from the Greek word apodidomi. In this case, the word reward conveys a totally different meaning from wages. It means a bonus because something was very pleasing, yet without any power to merit.

If someone gets a reward for something that he did not deserve, it is a bonus. That is what is meant by this word. The Father "which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." The Lord Jesus uses the word reward repeatedly through Matthew 6 as He teaches us the principles of Godliness.

Jesus taught that on the last day every man shall receive a reward. Those who served the prince of this world shall receive their just wages, but those who have served the Lord shall receive far more than what they have deserved. They will receive the rewards spoken of in Matthew 6:4; that is the bonus which is far more than what we deserve. They deserve nothing but destruction, but they shall receive a reward. Why? The Father was pleased when He looked upon them.