GREETINGS BELOVED, WE ARE CONTINUING OUR STUDY OF THE 5 CROWNS OF SALVATION IN SCRIPTURE.
THIS WEEK WE WILL LOOK AT THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THIS IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE CROWN AND
THE ONE THAT PAUL YEARNED AND WAITED FOR AS HE NEARED HIS DEPARTURE FROM THIS LIFE.
PAUL WAS AT THE END OF HIS DAYS, AND AS HE FACES MARTYRDOM HE WRITES TO TIMOTHY:
“FOR I AM ALREADY BEING POURED OUT AS A DRINK OFFERING, AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE
IS AT HAND. I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT , I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.
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 APPREARING.” 2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8
PAUL HAD FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT AND ALL HE HAD; HE HAD GIVEN. PAUL HAD BEEN POURED OUT
AND YET WAS READY TO OFFER THE LAST HE HAD—MARTYRDOM. HIS LEAVING THIS EARTH WAS AT HAND.
CAN YOU SENSE THE SADDNESS MIXED WITH JOY IN HIS WORDS TO HIS SPIRITUAL SON TIMOTHY?
HE KNEW THAT TIME WAS SHORT. HE HAD KEPT THE FAITH AND HAD RUN THE RACE AND NOW
PAUL HAD THE ASSURANCE OF A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE LORD JESUS, THE
RIGHTEOUS JUDGE OF ALL THINGS.
THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS GIVEN TO THE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE LIVED A GOOD AND
RIGHTEOUS LIFE BEFORE GOD. THIS IN CONTRAST TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED,
BUT CONTINUE TO DO EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, GRANTED WE ALL STRUGGLE ON THIS ROAD OF
SANCTIFICATION BUT GOD WILL HONOR THOSE BELIEVERS WHO MAKE DAILY CHOICES IN ACTION,
WORD OR BEHAVIOR THAT ARE RIGHTEOUS.
GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR PERFECTION RATHER HE IS LOOKING FOR DIRECTION!!!!
THE LORD LONGS FOR US WHEN FACED WITH TEMPTATION OR DIFFICULTIES TO CHOOSE THE RIGHTEOUS PATH. AS EUGENE PETERSON STATES, GOD IS LOOKING FOR LONG OBEDIENCE IN THE SAME DIRECTION,
RESISTING TEMPTATION EVEN UNTO DEATH.
FINALLY, CAN YOU SENSE THE STRUGGLE IN THIS CROWN?
IMAGINE THE BELIEVER WHO HAS CHOSEN RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE MOST OPPRESSIVE CIRCUMSTANCES.
DAILY HIS FAITH HAS BEEN CHALLENGED TO CHOOSE THE NOBLE THING, THE RIGHT THING,
THE PURE THING, THE THING THAT PLEASES HIS SAVIOR AND NOW HE IS WEARY. THIS WORLD
HAS MADE HIM TIRED, AND IN THAT TIREDNESS, HE LONGS FOR THE RETURN OF HIS KING.
HE HAS DONE HIS BEST AND NOW CRIES —-PLEASE COME LORD JESUS COME!!!!
HE LONGINGLY AWAITS THE RETURN OF JESUS. WHEN HIS SAVIOR RETURNS, HE WILL NOT BE BRINGING
SALVATIONS, THAT WAS SETTLED LONG AGO. NOW JESUS WILL RETURN WITH REWARD.
“AND BEHOLD, I AM COMING QUICKLY, AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE TO EVERY ONE
ACCORDING TO HIS WORK.” REVELATION 22:12
SO BELOVED, PICK UP YOUR SHIELD OF FAITH AND LIVE THIS LIFE COURAGEOUSLY, LONGING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THE RETURN
OF OUR RIGHTEOUS JUDGE WHO WILL BESTOW A CROWN FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE LABORED
AND LONGED FOR HIS COMING.
MORGAN TAYLOR
REFERENCES:
MAJESTY MINISTRIES
LIVING STREAM MINISTRIES
WATCHMAN NEE
