Are there really various crowns which can receive from God?

[TaylorDonBarret]

There is this idea, based on scripture, that believers can earn different crowns for good works. Crown of righteousness, crown of life, imperishable crown, crown of rejoicing, crown of glory. The bible says we will receieve these crowns for certain behaviors.

But most of these behaviors are behaviors that are inherent in the true believer, and i am inclined to believe that each of these crowns is actually one in the same thing = salvation. for example, a football coach may say ..

if you work hard, youll get the victory!

or, if you execute well, youll get the win!

or, if you play good defense, youll capture the prize!

or, if you play good offense, youll gain the triumph!

 

[Travis]

Off the top of my head....

One of those crowns is reserved for elders.... I think. Not everyone is qualified to be an elder.

One is reserved for martyrs I believe. Martyr means witness I guess but I think it's implied that those who receive this crown have lost their life for the cause of the king.

Just as some stars in the sky are of differing sizes and glories, so too I think that on the last day many will shine more or less than others.

No one who shines like the stars will be dissappointed on that day.


Run the race that is set before us with all our effort seeking to be as holy and faithful as we possibly can. We won't regret 1 second of it once we see the fruit of it in glory.

Blessings!

Travis

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

the bible says that the 24 elders, whoever they are, will 'throw their crowns' before the feet of Jesus.

i dont know of any crown for martyrs. maybe the crown of life, which is for those who are faithful until death?

I agree that there will probably be various "rewards" in heaven, although ultimately i do not think there will really be any difference between the saints in heaven.. an eternity of perfection would probably even things out in the long run

my point is that i do not think these "crowns" are really separate things, but just metaphors for salvation.

 

[Curtis]

These five crowns can be earned by a Christian in this life, but salvation is not one of them as salvation is a free "gift".

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1) Incorruptible Crown for mastery over the sin nature.

2) Crown of Righteousness for living righteously in this world.

3) Crown of Life for enduring trials while proceeding in God’s plan.

4) Crown of Joy for leading others to Christ and in righteousness.

5) Crown of Glory for fulfilling your calling and finishing the work assigned

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

These five crowns can be earned by a Christian in this life, but salvation is not one of them as salvation is a free "gift".

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1) Incorruptible Crown for mastery over the sin nature.

2) Crown of Righteousness for living righteously in this world.

3) Crown of Life for enduring trials while proceeding in God’s plan.

4) Crown of Joy for leading others to Christ and in righteousness.

5) Crown of Glory for fulfilling your calling and finishing the work assigned

before i respond to the issue about crowns, let me ask you this.... what must we do in order to receive the free gift ?

 

[Curtis]

before i respond to the issue about crowns, let me ask you this.... what must we do in order to receive the free gift ?

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ"

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

so we do have to do something in order to be saved. we agree on that. i say this because even if the only thing we have to do is believe, believing is still an action, and persisting in the faith is indeed an effort filled task that takes much energy, and much perseverance, and endurance. this world will try with all its might to tempt the true believer to fall away, and continuing on in faith is something we must do. this action, continuing in the fatth, is what we do to earn our salvation. although, we can not do it, God must do it through us. likewise, we can not attain mastery over the sin nature, or live righteously, or endure trials, or lead others to Christ, or fulfil our calling unless God does it through us. so, while it might seem like doing these things are works that we must do to earn our salvation, no these things, along with believing, are things we must do .. but things we cannot do. that is why they are called the free gift. because even though we may do them, it is not us doing them, but God doing them through us.

and that brings me to my point concerning these crowns.. the true believer will do, must do, in fact is compelled to do; it is impossible for the true believer not to do those things! and the names of those crowns.. they all sound like the same thing.

i have a feeling that they are all just symbolic. like the football coach who says "work hard, get the victory", "score more points, get the win", "beat the other team, get the triumph", etc etc. work hard, score more points, beat the other team... they all are necessary for winning. and winning, victory, triumph, theyre all the same thing.

 

[Curtis]

so we do have to do something in order to be saved. we agree on that. i say this because even if the only thing we have to do is believe, believing is still an action, and persisting in the faith is indeed an effort filled task that takes much energy, and much perseverance, and endurance. this world will try with all its might to tempt the true believer to fall away, and continuing on in faith is something we must do. this action, continuing in the fatth, is what we do to earn our salvation. although, we can not do it, God must do it through us. likewise, we can not attain mastery over the sin nature, or live righteously, or endure trials, or lead others to Christ, or fulfil our calling unless God does it through us. so, while it might seem like doing these things are works that we must do to earn our salvation, no these things, along with believing, are things we must do .. but things we cannot do. that is why they are called the free gift. because even though we may do them, it is not us doing them, but God doing them through us.

and that brings me to my point concerning these crowns.. the true believer will do, must do, in fact is compelled to do; it is impossible for the true believer not to do those things! and the names of those crowns.. they all sound like the same thing.

i have a feeling that they are all just symbolic. like the football coach who says "work hard, get the victory", "score more points, get the win", "beat the other team, get the triumph", etc etc. work hard, score more points, beat the other team... they all are necessary for winning. and winning, victory, triumph, theyre all the same thing.

You are right, we can not do any of these things to earn anything on our own, but we can prevent them from happening by our refusing to believe and letting Christ in us to work through us. This is why as you described already that we all shall fall upon our faces, throwing our crowns before Jesus Christ who alone is worthy, and who actually did them through us! We are simply being rewarded for what he did.