The Conditions for the Crown

Don’t get caught up in the deception that if you accept Christ as your Savior that is all that is required of us as Christians! That is the starting point of this race that we ought to run with patience. The key to Christian growth is the text that constantly reminds us that if we love Him we will keep His commandments. In other words, as we grow in this relationship with Christ, we learn more and more about Him and we also understand what we need to do as we abide in this relationship with Him. To obtain the crown of righteousness is not an automatic action, there are some things that we all need to accomplish in obedience and submission to the will of God for our lives. Let us take some time this morning to examine what the conditions are. It will help us all get a better perspective on how we ought to live out our Christian lives on this earth.

2nd Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Paul gives us an over all context on what is required of us as believers or followers of Christ Jesus. He says that we have a fight on our hands in which we need to overcome the enemy of our souls. This fight is a continuous battle that is raging in our minds. Are we constantly taking our thoughts captive? Are we interacting with those around us in a godly way, revealing that we are Ambassadors for Christ? Are we enduring the abuse, ridicule, persecution and assault against us because we stand for Christ? Are we faithful to God in fellowship and obedience in all that He instructs us to do? We lose this battle when instead of placing Christ at the top of our agenda, we see others things as equally or more important, and many times we tend to do other things instead of what Christ requires of us! Don’t get caught in the deception that God understands – He does not and we ought to know better!

Apart from being in this continuous fight we are also in this race which we are instructed to run with patience. In this race it is not the one who finishes first that wins, but those who finish well that win. We are all winners when we live according to God’s instructions for our lives. His will prevails above our wills and everything else takes the back seat. This approach to God causes us to be those who love Him and are willing to show this love by our works, walk and our talk. When everything we do brings glory and praise to God, then we begin to live blessed lives. The may be difficult with many challenges, hurdles, problems and trials built into it, but because Christ is with us, we are more than conquerors. When our relationship with Christ is right, the challenge is so much easier to deal with because He brings me through. I don’t do this by my ability or strength or intelligence, I do this by His Spirit.

The greatest thing is that while I fight this fight and run this race according to God’s Word, the amazing thing is that I am also keeping the faith. All of these work together towards one common goal – where I spend eternity! According to the Apostle Paul, when we live in this way longing for Christ to come again to take us to Himself, we also will receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord Jesus Christ – the Righteous Judge who will preside on that day of Judgment. What we need to remember is that we all have freedom of choice. We can serve God the way we want to, but that way may not satisfy the conditions for the crown of righteousness. In fact, we who tend to behave in that manner may hear the words, “I know you not workers of iniquity, depart from Me into outer darkness!” Don’t allow the enemy of our souls to deceive you into serving God in a way that does not please Him. Seek God’s face, serve Him with all that is within you, know that nothing and no-one matters like He does!

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