Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar
in the temple of my God, and he shall go no
more out: and I will write upon him the
name of my God, which is new Jerusalem,
which cometh down out of heaven from my God:
and I will write upon him my new name. He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:11-13
What is this crown that can be taken away if a Christian does not hold fast to that which they have received? Does this mean that a person can lose their salvation. Some say yes, others say no; what are we to believe? All answers to our questions can be answered by Scripture: but we must do the work to find the answer, God will lead you if you take the time to do the study.
Removing the use for our physical crown of the head we then turn to the use for the word "crown." Blessing were placed upon Joseph and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren (Genesis 49:26). Who was separated from his brethren? Joseph! The crown was called holy and placed upon the miter and on the border of the cover of the tent tabernacle. When the miter was placed on high priest the "holy crown" was placed on him as the LORD commanded to Moses (Leviticus 8:9). The crown was called the crown of anointing oil God (Leviticus 21:9). When Job gave an answer to Bildad the Shuhite saying that the words of Biladid were vexing his soul shouting that God hath overthrown him and tha" his cries were not being heard and that God hath stripped from him his gory, and taken the crown from his head (Job 19:9). Isaiah expands for us what the crown is the symbol of the crown: "In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, into the residue of His people" (Isaiah 28:5). The sinners will see your righteousness and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name: "Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God" (Isaiah 62:3: read vs. 2). God's people had become a reproach to God and: (The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned" (Lamentations 5:16). Speaking to the Israelites God that He had given to them: "And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head" (Exekiel 16:12). But as so often happens when a person or a Church, a denomination thinks so highly of being a crown of glory they fall away: "But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouedst out they fornications on every one that passed by; his it was" (Ezekiel 16:15). Paul now gives to us what it means to have a "crown" not just any crown but an incorruptible crown while sinners obtain a corruptible crown: "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" (1Corinthians 9:25). An Authentic Christian is a joy to others and are a crown of joy to them: "Therefore, my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved" (Philippians 4:1). Our crown is to be a crown of rejoicing and our hope as you consider the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ: "For what is our hop, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming" (1Thessalonians 5:19)? Do you know that you have a crown just waiting for you? Paul in writing to Timothy gives us the answer: "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 that also that love His appearing" (2Timothy 4:8). Jesus in Revelation tells us to hold fast and if you do: "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" (James 1:12). Jesus is coming and when He does He will give to you a crown of glory: "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1Peter 5:4). Our study of Revelation in chapter two speaks to us that we will, if "faithful unto death, receive a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).
If you remain faithful nothing, no one, can take away your righteousness in Jesus Christ. By faithfulness you will receive a crown of life, not lose your salvation but will eternally be righteous. Not faith in faith, not faith in anything other than Jesus Christ will you remain righteous. You can wear that crown of righteousness now even in the face of temptation and if you fall, you can receive repentance and if you do not return to that sin. God will judge us so we must overcome and we can, not by just our own power, which we must exercise, but by assistance of the Holy Spirit that indwells. Think on this: Your name will be written and the words are that you are a son of God, adopted, for sure, but nonetheless, a son, a daughter of God, a pillar in the temple of God. You will reside forever in the city of God, the New Jerusalem.
Fear not, you will not lose your salvation, but you could lose your witness for Jesus Christ and you will have to answer for your failure but God is merciful to those who have truly become Authentic Christians knowing as humans in this life we are susceptible to failure but He has come to be in you so you can run from temptations, and you have Him to guide you through trials. You are a child of God: live it!
The LORD shall judge the people:
judge me, O LORD, according
to my righteousness, and according
to mine integrity that is in me.
Psalm 6:8
You can now be a crown of righteousness
Richard L. Crumb
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