What rewards will the saints receive?
Scripture teaches that the saints will receive a wide range of rewards from Christ at His coming, including new glorified bodies, eternal life, crowns, special names, rulership with Christ, and everlasting joy in God's presence.
When the saints are gathered to the Lord, they will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where their works, not their salvation, are tested as by fire. Those whose labor in ministry, soul winning, and nurturing others has borne fruit will receive a reward, while those whose work is burned up will still be saved, though with loss, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 3. Revelation 15 pictures the redeemed standing on a sea of glass mingled with fire, having gotten the victory over the beast, holding harps of God as their labor is made manifest.
Among the rewards given are new spiritual, incorruptible bodies in place of the natural body, as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15 and 2 Corinthians 5, bodies that will be like Christ's own glorious body. The saints also receive eternal life, so that death, sorrow, crying, and pain have no more power over them, and their names are preserved forever in the book of life. They will see God's face, gain fuller spiritual knowledge, and know even as they are known.
Crowns are given for different kinds of faithfulness: the crown of life for enduring trial, the crown of glory for shepherding God's people, the crown of righteousness for finishing the race, and an incorruptible crown for those who strive lawfully. Overcomers also receive a new name written on a white stone known only to themselves, are made pillars in God's temple, are granted to sit with Christ on His throne, and are given the morning star. The sons of God will shine as the stars and as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, sharing in Christ's own brightness.
Rulership is another major reward: the saints will judge the world and even angels, and will reign with Christ a thousand years, ruling the nations with a rod of iron and governing according to their faithfulness, much as the servants in the parable of the pounds were given authority over cities in proportion to their gain. They are called heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, inheriting all things, and the meek are promised to inherit the earth.
Finally, the saints are promised everlasting joy and peace, an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs present affliction, and being forever with the Lord, dwelling in His house and led beside living fountains of waters where God wipes away every tear.
The scriptures
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
From the books
This answer is drawn from these passages in the Mary Banks Faith Library.