Topic: Crown of righteousness is reserved for me - Part 1
Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
Introduction
A crown is an ornamental headdress worn by monarch as a symbol of authority. It can be described as a wreath or band worn especially as a symbol of victory or honor. ‘In a nutshell,’ crown is any of the various types of headgear worn by a king/queen to exhibit royal power, and as a symbol of sovereignty.
Inasmuch as crown stands for power, authority, victory, honor and sovereignty, Israel blessed Joseph one of his children whom God used to preserve the Children of Israel and had two tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh) out of the twelve tribes of Israel saying “The blessing of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers” Genesis 49:26. Israel used crown to describe Joseph because he was a victor and a jewel. Other Bible passages described crown because of its importance as follows:
• “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones” Proverbs 12:4. She is a crown because she will make her husband glad, their home will be peaceful and they will progress in life together.
• “The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness” Proverbs 16:31. Such righteous elderly person is a replica of Our Creator who is righteous in all His ways, with hair as white as snow on His head Revelation 1:14,
• “Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father” Proverbs 17:6. If any man has offspring and live to see his descendants, it is a special grace of God.
From the aforementioned passages, we can deduce that crown is an indispensable part of mankind. In fact, it is important, necessary and essential to the existence of humanity.
Though God instructed Moses to make a crown and put it on Aaron the priest Exodus 29:6. In addition, God commanded that a crown of silver and gold should be made and placed on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest Zechariah 6:11. The purpose of the crown was to be a memorial in the temple of the Lord Zechariah 6:14. All the previously mentioned crowns are physical crowns which are limited to this world, but we need spiritual crowns that will make us to blend in heaven since Our God is a Spirit.
Balaam the son of Beor whom Balak brought to curse the people of Israel relented after one angel met him on the way and his donkey spoke with human voice. Then he witnessed the greatness of God in the lives of the people of Israel Numbers 22:22-35. He confessed about the might and supremacy of God by saying “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; there! A people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations. ‘Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!’” Numbers 23:8-10. Balaam in his statement pleaded with the Lord God to let him die like the righteous, and for his life to end like theirs, in order to receive the crown of righteousness which is accrue to the righteous people. Indirectly Balaam asked for the spiritual crown called the crown of righteousness.
The Crown of Righteousness
The crown of righteousness is a spiritual and invisible (to natural eyes) crown which will be given to the people that God considered to be righteous and are in right standing before Him. Though, all the righteousness of human is like a filthy rag before God, but those who keep the statutes of the Lord God will be rewarded with the crown of righteousness. Many people in the world neither appreciate nor care about the crown of righteousness because they have given themselves to lustful lifestyles and pleasures. For this reason, we are calling on the sinners to repent and do things that are acceptable in the presence of God in order to be considered for the crown of righteousness according to the scripture which says “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32.
This message is a call to repentance to the sinners so that they can receive the crown of righteousness; in accordance with the covenant which God swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham that He will rescue us from our enemies; so that we could serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Luke1:73-75. Now that Jesus Christ has delivered you from the darkness, why not serve Him in holiness and righteousness? Why not pursue righteousness as long as you live? Therefore, you must neither associate nor keep company of any brother/sister in the Lord who is a hypocrite. You must beware of the hypocrites among the children of God who are serving in the vineyard of the Lord who can make it difficult for you to receive the crown of righteousness. Jesus Christ identified these people and sounded the alarm by saying “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!... Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” Matthew 23:27-28. Henceforth, beware of people who are living a double life and those who are pretending to be righteous whereas they are hypocrites.
The crown of righteousness is the victory prize that will be awarded to the righteous, and it is inevitable for every Christian to strive to received this crown, else they may not inherit the kingdom of God. Nowadays, joy has left the hearts of many people and their dancing has changed to lamentation. Countless people are sad; instead of dancing, they are mourning. Happiness has gone out of the lives of uncountable people and grief has replaced their dances. Why? Because they have sinned, the crown has fallen from their head and thy are doomed. It has been disastrous for them because their glories have disappeared Lamentation 5:15-16. Beware if you do not want your glory to disappear, do not fall into sin if you do not Lucifer to steal/snatch your crown. Behold Christ is coming quickly1 Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will rob you of your victory prize, or take away your crown Revelation 3:11. Heed this warning in order to receive the crown of righteousness.
The genesis of crown
Wearing crown started with Our Lord God, and it will end with Him. God has a supreme, imperishable, unfadable and eternal crown which He wears on His heavenly throne. This crown is not made by human hand and it is an incomparable crown. This crown is a spiritual and invisible crown which cannot be seen by natural eyes. It can only be seen in spirit by the saints who have the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. God permitted His Son Jesus Christ and the elders who surrounded His heavenly throne to have crowns. Furthermore, God gave the opportunity to mankind, for the people who are righteous to receive crowns.
The crowns of Jesus Christ: Though God and the elders have one crown each, Jesus Christ was permitted to have crowns because He came to this world in human form, therefore, He was entitled to all the crowns which accrue to mankind. The Bible testified that the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus’ head, and clothed Him with a purple robe Mark 15:17, John 19:2-5. This means, Jesus Christ was crowned in this world and in heaven after His ascension. The scripture confirmed that when Jesus Christ the Lamb opened the first seal, He had a bow and sat on a white horse and a crown was given to Him, then He rode out to win many battles and gain victory Revelation 6:2. Christ the conqueror was given a crown of victory to conquer Satan and his agents. The Book of Revelation also corroborated the fact that Jesus Christ the Son of Man sat on the cloud, He had a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand ready for reaping the harvest of the earth Revelation 14:14-15. The Bible stated that Jesus Christ was wearing many crowns on His head with a name written that no one knew except Himself Revelation 19:12-13. The names of some of the crowns may not be written in the Bible and it may be beyond the comprehension of humans.
The heavenly elders have crowns: The twenty-four elders who sat on the thrones which surrounded the heavenly throne of God were dressed in white clothes with crown of gold on their heads Revelation 4:4. Their duty is to fall prostrate before God, lay their crowns before the throne and worship Him Revelation 4:10.
Types of crowns
There are three types of crowns mentioned in the Bible namely: The crown of righteousness, the crown of glory and the crown of life. Though the scripture says “For riches are not forever, nor does crown endure to all generations” Proverbs 27:24. It must be noted that the passage is true for physical crowns but we are discussing the spiritual crown of righteousness. So, we need to realize that every spiritual crown received from the Lord will endure forever. Inasmuch as our Lord God remains forever and His throne is from generation to generation Lamentation 5:19.
The crown of righteousness: The scripture says “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8. Therefore, do not tarry to work toward claiming the crown of righteousness that is reserved for the righteous.
The crown of glory: The Bible says when Jesus Christ the Chief Shepherd appears, those who are worthy will receive incorruptible and unfading crown of glory 1 Peter 5:4. Only those who are worthy to be glorified with their Lord and Savior will receive this glorious crown of never-ending honor. “In that day the Lord of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people” Isaiah 28:5. Then, you will be a crown of glory and honor in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of your God Isaiah 62:3. For you to be among those who will wear the crown of glory on that day, do no love the world, and desert Satan and his works.
The crown of life: It is written that “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” James 1:12. You have to pass your test/trial before you can be given the crown of life. For this reason, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” Revelation 2:10. You must not be afraid of what you are passing through presently and dismiss your dread of what you are about to suffer in order to receive the crown of life. The major requirement to receive the crown of life is for you to remain faithful to God when facing death and be loyal to Him even if it means death.
Interrelationship between the crowns
The crown of righteousness is the first to be earned. Those who will receive this crown are the righteous who were virgins not defiled by sexual immorality. They will worship before the heavenly throne of God and follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Those that were redeemed from humanity as the firstfruits of God and the Lamb. They are not guilty of telling lies, so they are blameless, faultless and righteous before God Revelation 14:1-5. Secondly is the crown of glory. The people who will receive the crown of glory are the saints who will reign for 1000 years with Jesus Christ which is called the first resurrection. Over such people second death neither has power nor sway Revelation 20:4-6. Finally, the crown of life which enables us to live eternally in the kingdom of heaven. Those who will receive the crown of life are the people whose names were written in the Book of life and they will live forever in New Jerusalem the city of our God Revelation 21:22-27.
Topic: Crown of righteousness is reserved for me - Part 2
Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
We shall continue our discussion by mentioning that many people will not receive the crown of righteousness and the conducts which disqualify them.
Many will not receive the crown of righteousness
Countless people will not receive the crown of righteousness including those who confessed that they were Christians because they lack virtues and they are not walking in spirit with God.
Though, God love all His creation and desire that all of them should receive goodness and crown, but unfortunately most people will neither receive crown/crowns nor enter the kingdom of heaven. The Bible corroborated this fact by saying “You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance” Psalm 65:11. If God crowns the year with bounty and richness, don’t you think He will crown humans that are created in His image? If the gracious God redeems your life from destruction, then crown you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, don’t you know that He is willing and ready to give you the crown of righteousness Psalm 103:4. Do you think that He is delighted that numerous people will not receive the crown of righteousness? Don’t you realize that He crowns you with love and compassion in preparation for you to receive the crown of righteousness? Don’t you know that He redeems you, and surround you with grace for a purpose? Are you ignorant that you cannot discern that His kindness and love are a crown on your head?
Nowadays, Lucifer has stripped uncountable people of their glory and he has taken the crowns from their heads Job 19:9. Satan has the opportunity to remove the crowns from their heads and destroy their reputation due to their misconducts. Since it is rampant throughout the world for people to argue with God and tell Him what He should or should not do. Numerous people are querying God on daily basis for acting in one manner or the other. What these people do not realize is that they are bringing curses upon themselves; according to the scripture which says “Woe to him who strives with his Maker? Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands?’” Isaiah 45:9. Henceforth, stop all the queries and complaints against God. Do not argue with God, but plead with Him if you want to receive the crown of righteousness.
Our God is just in all His ways and considering the fact that He has the desire to give everyone the crown of righteousness, but He cannot contradict His word which says “Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord” Isaiah 26:10. Since God is not bias and He also wants sinners to change, therefore, He will not show favor to the wicked people by rewarding them with crown of righteousness, so that the prophecy of Isaiah will be fulfilled. Isaiah cried out concerning Israel saying “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved” Romans 9:27. If the population of the Christians worldwide is uncountable, only a small percentage will be saved from perdition, condemnation and judgment. No matter the number of Christians, only the minority who are faithful believers will receive the crown of righteousness. Jesus confirmed this fact by saying “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” Matthew 7:21. Therefore, it is your loyalty to God that will enable you to receive the crown of righteousness and not your post/position in the church or the number of years that you have been practicing Christianity. We pray that you will be among those who will receive the crown of righteousness.
The conducts which disqualify people from receiving the crown
There are several conducts that can make humans to be ineligible to get the crown, however, only some of these conducts will be discussed due to time constraint.
Those who trust their earthly possessions and abilities: At this moment, many people have turned away from Christianity faith and they believe they do not need God because they can do things without His assistance. They neither have faith in God nor trust Him to care for them. They trust in their abilities instead of putting their trust in God’s ability to deliver them. They neither have confidence in His saving power nor rely on Him to save them. As it is written “Because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation” Psalm 78:22. Those who are doubting the saving power of God and trust not in His help to survive are deceiving themselves because there is nothing that they can successfully achieve; according to the scripture which says “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” John 15:5. Trust in the Lord and receive the crown because without Him you are nothing.
A wise person will trust in the Lord who is able to provide for his/her needs and also give him/her the crown. Such person will neither trust in himself/herself nor trust in his/her earthly possessions. The Bible warned us not to trust in our abilities or wealth by saying “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” Proverbs 11:28. If you do not want to fall spiritually, stop trusting in your wealth. If you trust or depend on your riches you will be a failure. Money cannot buy the crown and your abilities cannot get it for you. The only way to receive the crown and prosper is to trust in God alone. Those who trust in their wealth and brag about their riches, none of them can by and means redeem either himself/herself or his/her siblings by paying a ransom to God. No earthly possession can make you worthy to receive the crown or sufficient to buy back a life Psalm 49:6-7. If your earthly possessions are inadequate to get you the crown and they are insufficient to neither buy back your life nor pay off God, then your riches are worthless and your wealth are useless. Therefore, do not trust in them, but trust in the Lord. For this reason, we are informing the rich in this world not to be conceited and arrogant. They must not trust their uncertain riches but God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment 1 Timothy 6:17. For you to receive the crown, you must neither be contemptuous of others nor trust your unreliable wealth but trust God, who richly supplies your needs.
The scripture says “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright” Psalm 20:7-8. Those nations who trust in their technological abilities must change immediately, and the countries which depend on their military prowess instead of God must retrace their steps. So, you must neither put your trust in your strength nor your equipment, if you do not want to fall in the presence of the heavens. If you want victory and the crown, trust in God alone. Jesus Christ sounded this warning by saying “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! Mark 10:24. Since Jesus Christ had reservation about those who trust in their riches, then you must realize that you must neither trust yourself, nor your wealth but God in order to be granted the crown and inherit the kingdom of God. For this reason, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” Psalm 62:8. Never forget to put your trust in God at all times, and in all places, and in whatever you do.
Several people in the world are having series of problems simply because they trust the idols/deities rather than God. Their aspirations have made them to forget the Lord God and focus on vanities. The Bible testified to this fact by saying “This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me, says the Lord, ‘Because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood. Therefore, I will uncover your skirts over your face, that your shame may appear’” Jeremiah 13:25-26. If you do not want to be disgraced, never forget God. If you want to be given the crown, trust God alone. Do not trust in lies that are worthless because it will only hurt you. Do not trust in deceptive and useless words which bring no benefit. Trusting in deceitful words can neither help you nor do you any good. As it is written “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit” Jeremiah 7:8. Do not be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer the consequences of not trusting God. So, it is inevitable for you to trust God in order to receive the crown.
The Bible alerted us by stating that “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help” Psalm 146:3. No human can save you or give you the crown of righteousness, therefore, trust in God alone. Do not trust yourself too, because you are a mortal/dust. If you trust in your wisdom or capabilities or thoughts, then you are a fool says the scripture; as it is written “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered” Proverbs 28:26. It has been clarified that those who trust their own insight are foolish. Only fools would trust what they alone think without asking God for guidance. Since it is foolish to follow your own opinions, then trust God and follow the teaching of the Bible so as to be given the crown. For this reason, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes” Psalm 118:8-9. It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to trust and rely on people who will fail and disappoint you.
The scripture says, curse is the person who trusts in humans and relies on only human strength to the extent that such person’s heart turns away from God. Be informed that God has put a curse on those who turn from Him and trust in human strength. God will condemn those who turn away from Him and put their trust in human beings instead of Him the immortal God; those who trust in the strength of mortal who are creatures for their survival, rather than trust in God their Creator. As it is written “Thus says the Lord: ‘Curse is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord’” Jeremiah 17:5. If you want to receive the crown and blessings instead of curse, trust in God alone; because He will bless those who put their trust in Him. Therefore, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord” Jeremiah 17:7. For you to be blessed with spiritual security, you must trust in the Lord. For you to receive the crown, the Lord must be your hope and confident expectation. It is then that you will be established, secured and remain forever; according to the scripture which says “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever” Psalm 125:1. For you to be granted the crown and be immovable, you must trust in the Lord and not humans.
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector was about people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. A Pharisee and a tax collector went to the temple to pray, the Pharisee was bragging about his righteousness in manner that he humiliated and ridiculed the tax collector. The tax collector humbled himself and showed signs of remorse by saying ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ Jesus said the tax collector went home justified rather than the Pharisee Luke 18:9-14. Learn from this parable, do not trust in yourself, but trust in God; not only to receive the crown but for you to be justified in the presence of God throughout your lifetime.
Topic: Crown of righteousness is reserved for me - Part 3
Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
We shall continue our discussion with continuation of the conducts that are disqualifying people from receiving the crown of righteousness.
Rebellion against God: Many people in the world are rebelling against the Lord God their Creator. People are defying the Almighty God in many geographical locations across the globe and they are refusing to obey His instructions. It is a common occurrence for people to openly resist the teachings of the Bible and oppose His messages. Many nations in the world even prohibited the circulation and the reading of the Holy Bible, together with practicing of Christianity religion. Such people/nation must realize that they are not opposing human but God who has power over body and soul. They need to know that rebellion against God is as bad as the sin of sorcery in the presence of God.
The Bible says, rebellion is as serious as the sin of divination before the Lord according to the scripture which says “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king” 1 Samuel 15:23. Henceforth, you need to know that to go against the statutes of the Lord is like the sin of witchcraft and failure to obey His instructions or keep His judgments is like the sin of worshipping idols/deities. Therefore, judgment will come upon the rebellious people who follow their own plans instead of God’s plans, by making alliance without asking Him and signing treaties against His will; as it is written “‘Woe to the rebellious children,’ says the Lord, ‘Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin’” Isaiah 30:1. If you want crown instead of sorrow, you must neither make plans that are contrary to God’s nor act on any plan that contradicts the Holy Bible. If you do not want to be doomed, you must never make plan that is not directed by the Spirit of the Lord.
Learn from the rebellious incident which happened to the people of Israel in the wilderness, whereby all the people that are twenty years and above with exception of Joshua and Caleb died in the wilderness without getting to the promise land Number 14:9-30. Do not be stubborn, but yield and quit/stop all your rebellious acts against God Hebrews 3:8.
People have forsaken the Lord: The promise of God to the believers was “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6. This promise will come to pass only in the lives of those who are not afraid of their problems or tremble in dread of their adversaries. It will be fulfilled in the journeys of the determined and confident believers who will neither panic nor fear whatever they are passing through. Those whose character or moral disposition is free from love of money, greed, avarice, lust and craving for earthly possessions. Those who are content with their present circumstances and with what they have, trusting in the Lord to transform their lives by keeping His promise; according to the words of inspiration from Paul apostle Hebrews 13:5. Therefore, it is evident that “The Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people” 1 Samuel 12:22. God has promised not to abandon you but to take care of you, however, if you forsake Him, He will leave you to the dictate of your mind which will make it possible for the darkness/foes to punish you. So, make a resolution now that “Far be it from you that you should forsake the Lord to serve other gods” Joshua 24:16. For this reason, do not be an atheist, and never worship other gods or stop worshipping God.
You must neither abandon the Lord nor reject Him, because if you turn your back on the Lord and worship other gods or serve the materials things of this world, then He will permit terrible things to happen to you and wipe you out. As it is written “If you forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good” Joshua 24:20. If you do not want to be punished by the Lord, but desire to receive the crown of righteousness, never forsake the Lord. King David testified about this fact by saying “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” Psalm 37:25. If you are righteous in the presence of God by not rejecting/abandoning Him, then you will be given the crown. Jesus said, whosoever that cannot renounce Satan and his works cannot be His disciple. Anyone who does not give up his/her earthly possessions for His sake cannot be His disciple. If you cannot relinquish your claim to the throne of the darkness or any satanic realm, then you cannot be His disciple. Whoever does not flee from lustful lifestyle and depart from sinful pleasures of this world cannot be His disciple. As it is written “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” Luke 14:33. If you desire to be a disciple of Christ in order to receive the crown, you must forsake everything and embrace God alone.
Lack of the knowledge of God: Today, many people think it is foolish to acknowledge God and they neither consider Him worth knowing nor approve of Him as their Creator. Several people neither think it is worthwhile to accept God as their Creator nor admit His existence. Nowadays, people refuse to think about God because they think it is worthless and a waste of time. So, God abandoned them to their foolish thinking and corrupt minds to do indecent and inappropriate things. As it is written “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting…” Romans 1:28-32. You can never receive the crown or enter the Glorious Home if you are among those who failed to think about God. Christians must not practice the vices mentioned in these passages or approve/encourage others to practice them; if they have the intention of receiving the crown: because it would have been better if they had never know the way of righteousness that will make them worthy to receive the crown, than to know it and then reject the command that was given to them; according to the Bible passage which says “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” 2 Peter 2:21. You must never deny the existence of God or betray His covenant. You must neither turn your back on the Christ-like life that you are supposed to live nor turn away from the sacred command that was given to you in order to be given the crown.
Do not be wise in your own eyes but fear God and heed His instructions, since the wisdom of this world is absurdity and stupidity before God. What this world considers to be smartness is nonsense in God’s sight which means the wisdom of this world is rubbish and valueless as far as God is concerned; according to the scripture which says “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’” 1 Corinthians 3:19. Therefore, acknowledge God, and seek His wisdom that will enable you to receive the crown. The first step to become wise is to look for the divine wisdom of God, then use everything that you have to acquire understanding. Getting divine wisdom is the wisest thing you can do because it is of utmost importance. Divine wisdom is like wearing a glorious crown and she will be your crowning glory; according to the scripture which says “…She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you” Proverbs 4:7-9. If you diligently seek wisdom and understanding, it is then that you will be given the crowns of glory and righteousness. Divine wisdom alone can make you to qualify and receive the crown of righteousness.
Failure to seek God: Devil is luring many people away from the righteous path thereby making it impossible for them to receive the crown because they are so concerned about what they will eat, the clothing they will wear and where they will reside, instead of seeking God. Lucifer has capitalized on the worries of mankind regarding their survival in this world to take away spiritual crowns from many people. As long as humans continue to brood over what they will eat, what they will wear and the abode where they will live, Satan will continue to use this issue to put them in spiritual bondage and make them to fall in the presence of God. Today, people are not seeking God but vanities of this world to the extent that earthlings are assessing their success in terms of their wealth/riches instead of their richness in faith and their relationship with God. Jesus warned about this problem by saying “Therefore do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” Matthew 6:31-33. Hence, seek first the kingdom of God and you will be given the crown. Stop worrying about your survival but begin to worry about getting the crown. Though many people seek the Lord, but it is only because of their situation, and as soon as their situations are resolved, they stop seeking Him. Some are even attaching conditionality to seeking the Lord by saying until certain conditions are satisfied, they will not seek God. Jesus testified to this fact by saying “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” John 6:26. Do not seek God because of materials things of this world but seek Him to get the crowns and inherit His kingdom.
Numerous people only seek God when they are in distress; during this period, they will seek God through prayer and fasting. They will be zealous for the work of God and attend church services regularly, but immediately their troubles are over, they will stop seeking God. The Bible corroborated this fact by saying “Lord, in trouble they have visited You. They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them” Isaiah 26:16. Are you one of those who seek the Lord only when they are in trouble? Or you are seeking Him to enter His kingdom? How long will humans refuse to respect God? When will they stop pursuing worthless things and seek God for the salvation of their souls? Children of men, how long will you insult God by turning His honor and glory to shame? How long will you love vanity and futility, seeking lies and deception, instead of God? Psalm 4:2. Are you among those who are ruining the reputation of God? What will it take for you to stop lying and desert Satan? It is time for you to be sober and alert, so that the devil who is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking people to devour will not ruin your chances of getting the crown. It is either you seek God or the devil will attack you. Failure to be on guard, and be vigilant at all times, seeking God in spirit will result in spiritual devastation 1 Peter 5:8. Discipline yourself and seek God diligently so that you will not be among those that devil will devour this year.
“Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” Zephaniah 2:3. If you want to receive the crown and escape punishment on the day of destruction, do not hesitate to seek God. Therefore, it is time to seek the Lord, to yearn for His blessings and to require His favor; until He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation on you Hosea 10:12. “If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and prosper your rightful dwelling place. Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly” Job 8:5-7. If you refuse to seek God, He will cover your face with shame until you turn to seek and acknowledge Him Psalm 83:16. Henceforth, seek God now, else He will utterly disgrace you until you submit to seek and worship Him.
Topic: Crown of righteousness is reserved for me - Part 4
Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
We shall continue our discussion with continuation of the vices that are making humans unworthy to receive the crown of righteousness.
Unrighteousness: Many people in the world today are unjust and they are unfair in their dealings with others. Unrighteousness is prevalent among mankind and it cuts across every age. Several people are twisted and biased to the extent that it is difficult for them to dispense justice. So, hearken to us, you stubborn hearted people who are far from righteousness, you are at the peril of eternal condemnation. Those who are neither in right stand with God nor upright are distant from His salvation. For He is ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! He is ready to save the believers and show His glory to the Christendom. God is bringing His justice and victory near, His salvation and triumph will not be delayed Isaiah 46:12-13. Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways. Be sober and wake up from your spiritual stupor as you ought, and stop sinning because some Christians are disgracefully ignorant of God and ignore His truths. As it is written “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; For some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” 1 Corinthians 15:34. Are you sensible? Seek God and the crown. Some people are lacking the sense of God’s presence and all the true knowledge of Him like Bar Jesus. Elymas the sorcerer and the false prophet tried to obstruct the work of God because he did not want Sergius Paulus the proconsul to be saved and be converted to Christianity. Paul who was filled with the Holy Spirit said to him “O full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” Immediately Bar Jesus was blinded and led away by the hand. However, the proconsul believed and converted to Christianity because of the supreme power of God and His teachings Acts 13:6-12. Are you obstructing the work of God in anyway? Are you hindering the work of God willfully or due to lack of knowledge of Him? If you intend to receive the crown, quit your unrighteousness and start winning souls for the Lord.
We need to realize that the evil or the good we do only affect other humans. People usually suffer from your wicked acts, and your good acts always assist them. The Bible says “Your wickedness affects a man such as you, and your righteousness a son of man” Job 35:8. Which means, your unrighteousness is adversely affecting mankind. “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:20. Your righteousness must be greater than that of the hypocrites in order to be admitted into the kingdom of heaven. You must stop your unrighteousness and faithfully keep His commands so as to receive the crown. If you faithfully obey everything that God has commanded you, then it will be counted as righteousness for you; as it is written “Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us” Deuteronomy 6:25. For you to be considered righteous and be given the crown, you need to obey the rules of the Lord. However, never be among those who neither understand nor know God’s way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, by not submitting to God’s way of making people righteous; according to the scripture which says “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” Romans 10:3. You must neither be unaware of the righteousness of God nor try to set up your own based on works or keeping the law alone without faith. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given and He has brought the Law to an end. As a result, all who believer in Him are made right with God. As it is written “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” Romans 10:4. Since Christ is the goal of the Law, depart from unrighteousness and believe in Him so that it will be counted as righteousness which will enable you to get the crown. “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” 1 Corinthians 10:12: Those who think that they are immune to temptation must be careful not to fall. Anyone who is self-righteous and overconfident must watch out else he/she will fall. Henceforth, let kindness and justice be your coat and hat. Always act justly and fairly; as it is written “I put on righteousness and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban” Job 29:14. If you desire to receive the crown, you must be honest in everything you do.
Lack of endurance: Though mankind is not strange to troubles and difficulties, in fact, anyone that is born of a woman or carry out of a woman’s tummy through cesarean section operation has short life which is full of troubles. The Bible testified to this fact by saying “Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble” Job 14:1. So, be prepared to ‘weather the spiritual storm.’ You must endure your miseries and turmoil without complaints or rebellion against God. Since He has promised that “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For ‘I am with you,’ says the Lord, ‘to deliver you’” Jeremiah 1:19. Since you have the assurance from God that foes and problems will not overcome you, hence, cultivate the habit of endurance.
It must be noted that if your challenges are various and many, do not be afraid but continue to be faithful to the Lord and you will be saved; as it is written “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” Psalm 34:19. No matter the number of the hardships and perplexing circumstances that are confronting you, you will be rescued. Inasmuch as you remain steadfast during your afflictive period and endure your misfortune without turning against God, then you will be saved. You must realize that God have the knowledge of whatever that you are currently passing through, and there is reason (s) why He permitted it to happen and there is lesson (s) He wanted you to learn from the incident. It is for this reason that Jesus said “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 16:33. Therefore, whatever trials and distress that are confronting you, whatever suffering and frustration that are plaguing you, be confident and endure, because Christ has deprived them of the power to harm you.
We must know that God does not enjoy bringing affliction or suffering on mankind. He takes no pleasure in causing us grief or pain. He does not arbitrarily torment or punish human beings; according to the scripture which says “For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men” Lamentations 3:33. It is clear that God does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow, but the purposes are to prove your loyalty to Him and remain on the righteous path; according to the Bible passage which says “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” Psalm 119:67. We can deduce that afflictions is a corrective measure, so, do not complain but endure it. Hence, no one must be unsettled by his/her difficulties, for we know that we have been destined for this, as something unavoidable in our position.
Christians must not be disturbed by afflictions and difficulties, since we know that this is our appointed lot. As it is written “That no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this” 1 Thessalonians 3:3. You must neither backslide nor turn your back on the Lord but endure persecutions to receive the crown. Let us not forget that these little troubles and hardships are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our difficulties seems like nothing. Our present pains and sufferings are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs our troubles, and it will not last forever; as attested by the scripture which says “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and external weight of glory” 2 Corinthians 4:17. So, it is inevitable for you to admit and proclaim that “I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me” Psalm 119:75. If you desire to gain the crown, then you must accept that the decisions of the Lord are correct and His regulations are fair. You must admit that He disciplined you because you needed it and He is right to punish you.
Be a good example to the Christendom like Moses who “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” Hebrews 11:25. Are you ready to endure hardship rather than sinful life? Are you prepare to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin? Remember “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” Matthew 24:13. Endure whatever that you are passing through in order to receive the crown. Be on guard, don’t turn to evil as a way of escaping your affliction, but endure it. Beware, turn back from evil, for God sent your suffering to keep you from a life of evil. Be careful, do not turn to wrongdoing because it is for this reason that you have been tested by affliction. The scripture confirmed this by saying “Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for you have chosen this rather than affliction” Job 36:21. Believers, do not turn to wickedness and depart from the vice of complaining against God, instead, learn from your afflictions. We must endure our afflictions in total submission to God so that we will be granted the crown.
Worship God alone in the beauty of holiness: Many people in the world are not worshipping God, instead, they are worshipping the idols/deities. Some are serving God and at the same time serving the demons/Satan, while others who profess to serve only God are not worshipping Him wholeheartedly. The Bible says “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ‘You shall have no other gods before Me’” Exodus 20:2-3. Therefore, you shall worship no other god, for the Lord whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God, He will penalize you if you disobey this commandment Exodus 34:14. Hence, you must neither have any other gods nor worship them; as it is written “You shall have no other gods before Me” Deuteronomy 5:7. Never forget the Lord your God or turn to other gods to worship and serve them. If you do, then you will certainly be destroyed. We are warning and testifying against you today that you will surely perish, if you forget and abandon God who has been merciful to you, and walk after other gods to worship and serve them Deuteronomy 8:19. If you want the crown instead of destruction, worship and serve God alone.
Jesus laid the example when He refused to worship Satan by saying “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” Matthew 4:10. Peter demonstrated that God alone must be worshipped by lifting up Cornelius who fell down at his feet to worship him saying “Stand up; I myself am also a man” Acts 10:25-26. The angel of the Lord also acknowledged that God alone must be worshipped when John fell down to worship before the angel who showed him the heavenly vision. The angel said to him “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” Revelation 22:8-9. For this reason, do not let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial or worship of angels, saying they have vision about these things; according to the Bible passage which says “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” Colossians 2:18. Be warned, do not practice harsh self-denial and worship of the angels. If you want to be given the crown, do not engage in self-mortification or angel-worship.
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” John 4:24. You must worship in spirit and truth for your worship to be acceptable to God since the Bible says; “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” John 4:23. It is time for mankind to bow down and worship the Lord our Creator in reverent praise and prayer; according to the scripture which says “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” Psalm 95:6. The churches where their congregation always sit down to praise and pray to the Lord should take note. They need to kneel down and bow in the presence of their Creator. Everyone on earth, now tremble and worship the Lord majestically in holy splendor; according to the scripture which says, “Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth” Psalm 96:9. The only way to receive the crown is to “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” Psalm 29:2. Do not forget to glorify God in whatever you are doing and worship Him in beauty of holiness if you want the crown.
Topic: Crown of righteousness is reserved for me - Part 5
Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
We shall continue our discussion by mentioning the righteousness of our Lord God and how it led to the grace which made the crown of righteousness available to mankind.
The righteousness of the Lord
The Lord is righteous, He always does right and wants justice done; everyone who does right will live in His presence. Our God is absolutely and rigidly righteous, He loves virtue, morality and justice; the virtuous will see His face. As it is written, “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the uprights” Psalm 11:7. The Bible confirmed this fact by saying “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” Psalm 45:6. Since you know that the throne of God is permanent and endures forever, why not make efforts to inherit it? If you know that He rule with a scepter of justice, why not emulate Him to receive the crown? Why not make righteousness and fairness your watchword? Why not allow love and faithfulness to manifest in whatever you do? As it is written “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face” Psalm 89:14. Whatever the circumstance, rule with righteousness and equity, and make sure that justice is established and entrenched in your domain Psalm 97:2. Inasmuch as your Creator is fair and righteous in all His ways, and faithful in all His acts; then you must be kind and thoughtful in whatever you do in order to be a good image of Your Creator; according to the Bible passage which says “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works” Psalm145:17. Never forget to imitate Your Maker so as to receive the crown.
The scripture says, “The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory” Psalm 97:6. The nations of the world behold the glory of the Lord through various seasons and weather conditions which continues to support their existence. A centurion who witnessed what happened to Jesus on the cross glorified God and said “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” Luke 23:47. Do you also admit that our Lord God is righteous? What steps are you taking to be righteous in His presence? You need to admit that the Lord will reward the righteous with the crown and penalize the wicked. As it is written “And did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked” 2 Peter 2:5-7. In that case, “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things” Revelation 16:5. Therefore, in every race, anyone who venerates and fears God will be acceptable to Him. Whoever that is seeking God diligently, worshipping Him in obedience and living uprightly is sure of being received and welcomed by Him; as it is written “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted to Him” Acts 10:35. All you need to do to please God and receive the crown is to fear Him and do what is right.
We are sure that Jesus Christ our Lord always does right, which means, everyone who does right is a child of God; according to the scripture which says “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him” 1 John 2:29. The only way to receive the crown and be among the children of God is to do what is right. Then, “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother” 1 John 3:10. The children of God can be distinguished from the children of the devil because everyone who does not do what is right or love other believers is not God’s child but devil’s child. Hence, do not be fooled, anyone who does right is good, just like Christ Himself. Do not be led astray, but know that whoever does what is right is righteous, just as Jesus Christ is righteous. As it is written, “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” 1 John 3:7. So, “‘He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still, he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still;’ ‘And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last’” Revelation 22:11-13. The decision is yours; it is either you will be rewarded with the crown or you will be condemned to eternal perdition. We pray that you will make the right decision.
The grace supplements our righteousness
The righteousness of mankind is not sufficient to receive the crown of righteousness. Our righteousness is not perfect, but it is below the acceptable standard. So, God in His infinite mercy gave us grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the grace which we received through Christ that enhanced and completed our righteousness. The grace rectified our deficiency and reinforce our righteousness to make it perfect in the presence of God. The grace improved our relationship with our heavenly Father and boost our righteousness to acceptable standard before Him.
We must accept that we are sinners from the moment that our mothers conceived us, and we were born in guilt because of the iniquity which we inherited from our parents. The Bible testified to this fact by saying “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” Psalm 51:5. Therefore, “If You Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Psalm 130:3. If God kept the record of our sins, nobody will stand a chance to claim innocence or escape being condemned. The scripture says “If God puts no trusts in His saints, and the heavens are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is abominable and filthy, who drinks iniquity like water!” Job 15:15-16. If the heavens are not pure in the sight of the Lord, do you think humans have any chance? We that are repulsive, corrupt and terribly evil to the extent that we always thirst for sin/wickedness. We must realize that “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” Romans 3:23-26. Despite the fact that we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet, God in His grace treated us much better than we deserve: without earning the grace, we all are granted the status of being considered righteous before Him through the act of redeeming us from our enslavement to sin, that was accomplished by Christ when He freed us from the penalty of our sins.
“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?” Job 15:14. No human is pure and innocent in the sight/presence of God, except through the blood of Jesus Christ and the grace received through Him. So, “We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” Isaiah 64:6. We are all infected and impure with sin, thereby unfit to worship God, even our best deeds and each of our righteous works is a filthy rag, so, it is the grace received through Christ that is sustaining us. “How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?” Job 25:4. Hence, we need to plead with God by saying “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous” Psalm 143:2. No living being is righteous or innocent by God’s standard, and there is no one alive that can be justified in His presence except by grace. Then, it is our duty to pray fervently to God not to bring us to trial, since in His sight no one alive will be considered righteous. For this reason, “There is none righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10. It is clear from the passage that, no one is righteous, not even a single person, which means, no one is acceptable to God except through the grace.
If you have the desire to receive the crown, then beware, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. Stop forming inappropriate relationship with unbelievers who can make you to compromise your faith and go astray. You must not make mismatched alliances which are inconsistent with your faith with the Gentiles, but be focused on heavenly things. “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” Romans 6:13. Never allow any part of your body to become an instrument of evil to serve sin, instead surrender your body to do what is right for the glory of God. You need to realize that you will become the slave of whatever that you choose to obey, you can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living; as it is written “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” Romans 6:16. Think carefully and pray for God’s guidance before making your choice. Henceforth, you must neither ignore nor frustrate the grace of God bestowed upon you. You must never treat the grace of God as meaningless, because if keeping the law alone could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. As it is written “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” Galatians 2:21. Do not nullify the grace that God has granted you but emulate Paul apostle by using it judiciously.
Faith and grace made the crown available
It is our faith and the grace of God that made earning the crown of righteousness possible for mankind. In those days when we were bound as servants to sin, we were not under righteousness and lived our lives free from any obligation to righteousness, however it is the grace received through Christ that is preserving us. As it is written “When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness” Romans 6:20. God achieved this goal by making Jesus Christ a sinless being to be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with Him in faith we will fully share in God’s righteousness. Jesus Christ our Lord was without sin, but for our sake God made Him to share our sin in order that in fusion with Him through faith, we will share the righteousness of God; according to the scripture which says “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We can deduce from the passage that Christ was offered for our sin, so that we will be made right with God through our faith in Jesus and the grace received through Him. The conclusion was; “What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” Romans 8:3-4. God performed this act so that we will do what the law commanded by obeying the Spirit instead of our sinful desires.
The scripture says “‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” Romans 4:3-5. You can only be counted as righteous and receive the crown because of your faith in God and not because of your work. It is written “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteousness the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 5:18-21. It must be noted that sin and death came through Adam while righteousness, grace and eternal life came through Jesus Christ. Our faith in Christ and the grace we received through Him will make us worthy to receive the crown of righteousness.
Finally, do not forget that many people are called by the Lord, but the few who are worthy will be chosen. We pray that you will be among the chosen ones Matthew 22:14. God will make you to be successful in your ministerial work and you will be counted worthy to receive the crown of righteousness.
The Seal: 2 Timothy 4:8: Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.