The Crown of Life

[LowlyOne]

The Crown of Life
Authored by Dan Corner
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There are three crowns specifically mentioned in the New Testament. They are the crown of righteousness, the crown of glory and the crown of life.


The crown of life is the most significant one to study in conjunction with our raging controversy regarding the believer's security because of its usage in Rev. 2:10, one of the only two times it is mentioned in the Bible. Rev. 2:10,11 say, "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you THE CROWN OF LIFE. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."


The eternal security position regarding the crown of life is concisely presented by H. A. (Henry Allen) Ironside in the booklet, "Eternal Security," published by Loizeaux Brothers:

"A crown of life is not salvation; it is reward. There are five crowns ... the crown of life for those who suffer for Christ; .... I might lose all of those crowns and yet not lose my salvation. The Word says, 'If any man's work shall be burned .... he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire' (1 Corinthians 3:15). But I do not want to be saved that way. I want to win the crown of life. 'Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life' " (pp. 42-3).
It's a Package Deal!


Close examination of Rev. 2:10,11 reveals the following: (1) Persecution is a "test." (2) To "be faithful, even to the point of death" refers to enduring painful persecution, as a Christian, without disowning Christ. See also Jn. 15:19,20 and 2 Tim. 3:12. (3) While Rev. 2:10 shows what we receive by being FAITHFUL TO THE POINT OF DEATH, verse 11 shows what we miss -- namely being hurt by the "second death." Conversely, if we are NOT faithful to the point of death we will not get the crown of life AND we will also be hurt by the second death! It's a package deal, one or the other!


The next issue that should be settled is, WHAT IS THE "SECOND DEATH"? For the answer we need to go to other times it's used -- such as found in Rev. 20:14 and Rev. 21:8. These two references both clearly identify the "SECOND DEATH" as one and the same as THE LAKE OF FIRE! Now, getting back to Rev. 2:10,11, if we receive the crown of life by being faithful to the very end of our lives we will miss being hurt by the lake of fire, the place where all unsaved people go (Rev. 20:14,15)! There will be NO saved people in this place! In fact, to be saved means, for the most part, to be saved from the lake of fire! In summary, the crown of LIFE will be given to all of the saved. It is NOT a "reward" that only some of the saved will get! The apparel for ALL of the redeemed after this age, therefore, is a clean, white, linen robe (Rev. 6:11; 19:8 ) and the crown of life. While only some of the redeemed will possess the crown of righteousness and the crown of glory, ALL of them will possess the crown of life!


The crown of life is specifically mentioned just one other time in the Bible, that is at James 1:12: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive THE CROWN OF LIFE that God has promised to those that love him."


Observations from James 1:12 are: (1) This life is a "test." If we "persevere," which is equated with passing the test, we will ALL receive the crown of life. (2) Those that receive the crown of life are one and the same as those that love God.


Now let's interject a correlating verse also from the book of James: "... Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (2:5).


Logically, we can now say the following:

All who love God inherit the kingdom of God (James 2:5).
All who love God receive the crown of life (James 1:12).
Therefore, ALL who inherit the kingdom of God receive the crown of life.
Our conclusion, again as already cited, refutes the teaching that the crown of life is a "reward" that only some will receive. The truth is, all who inherit the kingdom of God receive the crown of life. This is important, for one must also be faithful "to the point of death" to get it (Rev. 2:10,11). This is what the eternal security teachers refuse to proclaim, for it denounces their position of ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED by stating such!


This means those that start off faithful, but don't endure, won't receive this crown or inherit the kingdom of God. Furthermore, the same will be hurt by the second death!


By the way, there are other verses which are much clearer than Rev. 2:10 which show that we must endure or remain faithful to the "end" of our lives to enter the kingdom! They are:

"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm TO THE END will be saved" (Matt. 10:22);

"But he who stands firm TO THE END will be saved" (Matt. 24:13).
Perhaps the clearest of all verses regarding the necessity of remaining faithful to the end of our lives for final salvation is a verse that some of the eternal security teachers totally avoid in their books on the believer's security because of its absolute clarity in contradicting their position:


"We have come to share in Christ IF we hold firmly TILL THE END the confidence we had at first" (Heb. 3:14).
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Lets discuss this...
LowlyOne

[LowlyOne]

First, I think Dan may be incorrect on how many crowns are mentioned. He says three, and quotes someone who says five.
So how many are there?

1) The Crown of Life or "Martyr's Crown" (Js. 1:12; Rev. 2:10).
(2) The Crown of Glory or "Pastor's Crown" (1 Pet. 5:2-4).
(3) The Crown of Rejoicing or "Soul Winner's Crown" (1 Thess. 2:19, 20; Phil. 4:1).
(4) The Crown of Righteousness for those who "love His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8 ).
(5) The Incorruptible Crown or "Victor's Crown" (1 Cor. 9:25-27).

I'm not sure what revolves around these, but it seems to be that there are indeed five... I could be wrong though.

LowlyOne

[IRQ Conflict]

Logically, we can now say the following:

All who love God inherit the kingdom of God (James 2:5).
All who love God receive the crown of life (James 1:12).
Therefore, ALL who inherit the kingdom of God receive the crown of life.
Our conclusion, again as already cited, refutes the teaching that the crown of life is a "reward" that only some will receive. The truth is, all who inherit the kingdom of God receive the crown of life. This is important, for one must also be faithful "to the point of death" to get it (Rev. 2:10,11). This is what the eternal security teachers refuse to proclaim, for it denounces their position of ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED by stating such!

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

I'm not sure what revolves around these, but it seems to be that there are indeed five... I could be wrong though.

"Crown" usually referances ones fruits of your spirit. Although I'm not conviced we won't recieve a physical crown from God. It is written that the elders threw thier crowns at Gods feet and fell and worshiped him.

Isa 28:5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

Pro 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Isa 28:1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

Jer 13:18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

The crown of life is the reward of your belief and obediance to God, thus the crown of life is said to be our inheritance garnered by all who believe.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Jam 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

I'm not sure that those 'crowns' are what we think of. One clue (imo) is that there doesn't appear to be any physical attributes to , say 'the crown of life' that one might expect when hearing of this crown. Generally the Bible is quite descriptive of things witnessed by the writer. Where corruptible type crowns given to kings in the Bible where describes as gold and laiden with jewels ect. I would expect at least a reference to it's physical attributes if indeed it was a physical crown.

1Ch 20:2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.

Lev 8:9 And he put the miter upon his head; also upon the miter, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.



Jesus has a crown of gold.

Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

I was wrong once before though

[LowlyOne]

Rev. 4:4 - Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads.

Rev. 4:9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: 11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.

Do you think this is literal, or symbolic?

[IRQ Conflict]

In this case I think I would take it literaly, I have no cause to see it any other way

[Kurieuo]

I'm inclined to believe the crowns simply signify a different aspect to our being or reigning with Christ. To quote rather than reinvent:

Although it is indeed true that certain aspects of the crown are highlighted in different verses, this does not mean that they are different crowns anymore than different aspects of God means He's a different God. As in, The God of Abraham (Gen. 26:24), the God of Israel (Ex. 34:23), the God of David (2Ch 34:3 ), The God of Heaven (Ezr 6:10), The God of Hope (Ro 15:13), the God of Peace, (Ro 16:20), etc. It is simply the illustration of different aspects of God and in no way signifies divergent Gods. Likewise, the crown 'symbolizes' a reign with Christ. A crown [stephanos] in scripture is simply a figure to 'signify' those reigning in a Kingdom. The appendages to the word crown show forth some aspect of 'that reign,' just as the appendages to the word God showed some aspect of Him. There are basically six aspects of this crown or reign in which believers are identified with:


1. The Crown of Incorruption signifying we reign in immortality, that we will receive a non-corruptible bodies and live for ever.
2. The Crown of Righteousness signifying that we reign in righteousness, having no fault before God.
3. The Crown of Life signifies our reign in Christ Jesus, who is the tree of Life by the waters of Life, in which we shall never see death.
4. The Crown of Rejoicing is to signify our reign is in joy and without sorrow or pain.
5. The Crown of Glory is to signify that we reign in Glory with Him.
6. The Crown of Gold is to signify that we reign Holy, set apart, being 'precious' (as Gold) and of great value to God.

These are not different crowns [stephanos], they are all signifying that we are joint heirs with Christ and that we 'reign' with Him and have all these things. These different verses are to highlight some particular aspect of that reigning, not to illustrate divergent rewards.

For more information on these different crowns and where they are in Scripture refer to http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/bible/rewards.html. This page also defends what appears to be a diminishing position (if this board is evidence of such a thing) that the only reward which believers are said to receive is the inheritance of eternal life within God's kingdom.

Kurieuo