Who Will Receive The Crown Of Righteousness?

I charge thee therefore before God,

and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall

judge the quick and the dead at His

appearing and His kingdom; preach

the word; be instant in season, out of

season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all 

longsuffering and doctrine. For the time

will come when they will not endure

sound doctrine; but after their own

lusts shall they heap to themselves 

teachers, having itching ears; and

they shall turn away their ears from

the truth, and shall be turned unto

fables.

2Timothy 4:1-4

     Paul charges Timothy to be diligent and to take care in his ministerial work. That same charge goes out to all Authentic Christians, those who have not turned to fables and false doctrines. Timothy and we are reminded that Jesus who went into heaven before many onlookers will come again when the whole world we see His return. That return is when He will judge the dead, the living at that time, the return when His kingdom will be set up for all of His bride, those given to Him by the Father. While I was in a University (the name I will leave out for the University does not teach this but did allow it) that if we just meditate that we could bring to earth the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We were to empty our minds, as do those who teach various forms of meditation as though by this they can change the world, their own lives, but this is not what can be done. The kingdom of Jesus comes when Jesus comes for His bride, not before, not after. This "New Age" approach to Christianity may make a person feel godly, doing godly things, but in actuality it is nothing more than a fable. But itching ears receive it as truth. These false and heretical preachers and teachers use this "itching ears" phenomenon to draw to themselves people and with people comes money, fame, and celebrity. A soft easy on the pallet message, going down the esophagus easily, digested easily as though it was nourishing, when in fact this is poison with a sweet aroma, and taste, these fables and false doctrine. Much preaching is all about Jesus being soft, and more as a teddy bear than as God, a God who will not allow sin to continue and has taught that we, all who are Authentic Christians must do, and that is to preach the word, in truth, and at all times, to reprove, that may mean to call a person before the Church and telling of their sins hoping that they will repent, but why would they if they do not feel the sting of their sin. Authentic Christians are to exhort with all longsuffering, that means that even if you are persecuted because of your message you do it. All is to be done with sound truthful doctrine. Not just pushing your form of doctrine upon people but teaching from the Bible sound doctrine, a doctrine that has Scriptural warrant, not just proof verses. By this you will give proof of your calling by God, to be one of His ministers. God is using His children to bring to the world the Gospel, that which the world needs to hear and to believe, to convert to and also become a minister of God. Paul made mention that the time would come when men, and women, would not endure sound doctrine. We must then examine all things to ensure that what is being taught, preached, is sound doctrine. Paul admonishes: "But watch thou in all things, endue afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of they ministry" (2Timothy 4:P5). 

     Paul being in prison knowing that in prison shortly he would be killed, but with this knowledge came a knowledge that was greater and more important, and that knowledge was that He would receive a crown of righteousness, that he had done all he could to bring the truth of the Gospel wherever he went. He taught others to do the same and he is teaching you and me to do the same as well. Paul then adds: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; 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 also that love His appearing" (2Timothy 5:6-8). 

     Are you fighting the good fight? Are you prepared to meet the Lord, will He give to you a crown of righteousness that He has promised, do you believe that? When, not as some preachers preach that the end times are here, well, they are right but wrong, that is, the end times were already set in motion by the death and resurrection of Jesus and Paul recognizes this by saying the "on that day" would he receive the crown or righteousness, not upon his death,  but when Jesus returns, on what day? The last day! We await for this knowing no matter how far away in time that is, we are now living out of time, for we are living eternally, as promised and we will receive the crown of righteousness when the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, has come. Who will have all this? Those that love His appearing. 

Commit they way unto the LORD;

     and He shall give thee the 

desires of thine heart. 

     Commit thy way unto the LORD;

trust in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.

                 Psalm 37:4-5

Become committed to Jesus Christ

Richard L. Crumb