Mmmm, interesting thought!
The word for crown in the sense of reward is from the Greek "stephanos" - the wreath of honour given to a victor in the Games. Stephen, the martyr, was well named!
Some relevant scriptures are: 1Corinthians 3:10-15, 2Timothy 4:8 and the references in Revelation on "Him who overcometh" in chapters 2-3 and chapter 21:7
1Corinthians 3:[i][color=000066]10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw 13 each mans work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any mans work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.[/color][/i]
It seems it is posssible to lose this reward, even though we don't lose our salvation.
2Timothy 4:8 [i][color=000066]7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up 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 also to all who have loved his appearing.[/color][/i]
Revelation 2:7 [i][color=000066]To him who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God[/color][/i] Revelation 2:11[i][color=000066]11 He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death. [/color][/i] Revelation 2:17 [i][color=000066]17 To him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone which no one knows except him who receives it.[/color][/i] Revelation 2:26 [color=000099]He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations, 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. [/color] Revelation 3:5 [i][color=000066]5 He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels[/color][/i] Revelation 3:12 [i][color=000066]12 He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.[/color][/i] Revelation 3:21 [i][color=000099]21 He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.[/color][/i] Revelation 21:6-7 [i][color=000066] 6 And he said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment. 7 He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son.[/color][/i]
These are some of the rewards to the victors in Christ
In Him
Jeannette |