How to Receive the Crown of Life

[Enow]

Rewards are earned, not gifted. God's gifts (unlike man's) are freely given by His grace and only because of who He is, not because of what we are, or what we have done (or not done). Please study the letters to the seven churches, addressed to those who have already received the gift of eternal life. Some Christians in each of those churches would receive rewards for what they did. Paul deals with the questions of rewards (or forfeiting of rewards) also in some depth.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

To all those verses after the warning or exhortation to a church in Revelation, those verses that testify to he who overcomes.... are for those saints left behind at the pre trib rapture for not departing from iniquity as Jesus is the He that overcomes for them. It is an odd notion, granted, but those saints pre trib raptured will be worthy to be of that resurrection that will be made like the angels that never die and so they do not need to eat from the tree of life.

Luke 20:[SUP]34 [/SUP]And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:[SUP] 35 [/SUP]But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:[SUP]36 [/SUP]Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

It is not about you being faithful perse, but keeping the faith in Him that He is faithful, and we are to rely on Him for that too, since faith is a fruit of the Spirit. So rewards of crowns are not earned when we receive them because they are His crowning achievements in us for applying our faith in Him to help us depart from iniquity and endure persecution even unto death.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:

Again, all those verses are for those saints left behind that did not depart from iniquity wherein the Lord Jesus Christ is the HE that has to overcome for them in bringing them back to be of the one fold and of the one shepherd.

Since they will not be made like the angels that never die, hence the loss of their first inheritance for which there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth, but God will wipe the tears from their eyes to help them get past their loss as like the prodigal son that gets a robe and ring, so all those verses of He as in Jesus that overcomes, will receive those things in serving the King of kings in ruling over the generations coming out of the millennium reign of Christ.

That is why they and those generations following will eventually eat from the tree of life.

Those who are of that resurrection before the rest of the dead are resurrected at the white throne judgment, that resurrection that took place after the great tribulation when Satan is in the pit, only the power of the second death is not over those saints resurrected that got left behind along with the new believers that got saved at the pre trib rapture.

 

[garee]

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I can easily prove (again): the NT teaches us that the crown of life is eternal life.

Yes we all receive the same promised reward eternal life . Christ is the crown of new spirit life that could never die but will be raised on the last day..

Scripture equates that free gift in parable as a penny, as in a penny for our salvation as the work needed to have eternal life. The crown of eternal life

Some like the man in Mathew 7 think they deserve more than a pennies worth. Christ calls them workers of iniquity. He never hired them.


For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.Mat 20:1-16

 

[Veteran]

Since eternal life is a gift and the crown of life is a reward, they cannot be the same thing. The context also makes this very clear. The Gospel is very clear that salvation (eternal life) is the gift of God to those who believe (Romans 6:23).

You are involved in Kindergarden Christianity where they only drink milk.

Where does it say that the crown of life is a reward? ... Nowhere, because that idea is a lie!

 

[Enow]

You are involved in Kindergarden Christianity where they only drink milk.

Where does it say that the crown of life is a reward? ... Nowhere, because that idea is a lie!

It is an error for sure, but can only be a lie when the poster knows it is a lie and giving it as a lie. So I discern he is not lying but in error. We should all make that distinction as I am sure we all have been in error at one time or another, and knew it not, but believed that to be true. That is hardly lying and thus considered as a lie, but an error.

In addressing your signature....

Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” -- John 14:15, 21, 23, 24

John 14:15 is followed by verse 16 & 17 about receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit. If we are to keep all His commandments in order to receive the Holy Spirit, then we would never get the Holy Spirit because His commandments still requires us to keep them. But we need Jesus Christ in us if we have any hope for following Him.

So His commandments in John 14:15 is the repeated commandments to believe in Him.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.....[SUP]10 [/SUP]Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.[SUP] 11 [/SUP]Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.[SUP] 12 [/SUP]Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

So those are the repeated commandments of verse 15 in how one receives the promise of the Holy Ghost.

John 14:[SUP]15 [/SUP]If ye love me, keep my commandments.[SUP] 16 [/SUP]And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;[SUP]17 [/SUP]Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Jesus says, “if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death.” -- John 8:51
Jesus says, “My sheep … follow me. And I give them eternal life” -- John 10:27-28
Jesus says, “this is eternal life, that they may know … Jesus Christ” -- John 17:3

I have nothing to add to that but you may want to reconsider by Him how you are applying those references with the other two references.

John says, “we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” -- 1 John 2:3

It would stand to reason that John would tell us what those commandments are, right? He said so again here...

1 John 5:1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.[SUP] 2 [/SUP]By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.[SUP]3 [/SUP]For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

And John did mention those commandments on how any believer can be found abiding in Him.

1 John 3:[SUP]22 [/SUP]And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. [SUP]23 [/SUP]And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. [SUP]24 [/SUP]And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Those two commandments hung everything by which a christian can follow Jesus by.

Believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour that you are saved simply by believing in Him.

Believe in Jesus Christ as your Good Shepherd to help you to follow Him by His words in the KJV in being His disciples.

And love one another by trusting Jesus Christ to do His work in us so we can love one another, even our enemies.

Believing in Him for everything is the first commandment whereas loving others is us applying belief in Him to help us to do that as love is a fruit of the Spirit provided by Jesus Christ from that throne of grace.

Philippians 1:[SUP]6 [/SUP]Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:....[SUP]11 [/SUP]Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Galatians 5:[SUP]22 [/SUP]But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,[SUP]23 [/SUP]Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Yes. The Holy Spirit will give the credit & the glory for those fruits of the Spirit to Jesus Christ.

John 16:[SUP]13 [/SUP]Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.[SUP] 14 [/SUP]He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.[SUP]15 [/SUP]All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Matthew 28:[SUP]18 [/SUP]And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.....[SUP]20 [/SUP]Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

[Enow]

Yes we all receive the same promised reward eternal life . Christ is the crown of new spirit life that could never die but will be raised on the last day..

Scripture equates that free gift in parable as a penny, as in a penny for our salvation as the work needed to have eternal life. The crown of eternal life

Some like the man in Mathew 7 think they deserve more than a pennies worth. Christ calls them workers of iniquity. He never hired them.


For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.Mat 20:1-16

This is to to testify that new believers and those that have been believers for a long time, are saved equally in God's eye.

Now when Jesus testify of the many be called BUT few are chosen is to testify to God judging His House first at the pre trib rapture event wherein those found abiding in Him by His grace & by His help shall be received by the Bridegroom at the Marriage Supper as vessel unto honor in His House whereas...

Those saints found in unrepentant iniquity for NOT looking to the author & finisher of our faith to help them lay aside every weight & sin in running that race will be left behind to be received after the great tribulation as vessels unto dishonor in His House.

So the many that are called but few are chosen is a diversion from the parable about how God will judge among the first and the last as they will be seen as all saved, but not all will be ready nor chosen to attend the Marriage Supper.

Another reference to how the first and the last is applied as also being among the chosen is that Old Testament saints will be sitting down with the New Testaments disciples at the Marriage Supper after God excommunicates those saints that shall be seen as workers of iniquity for not looking to Him for help to discern and to depart from iniquity, & left behind as castaways.

Luke 13:[SUP]24 [/SUP]Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.[SUP]25 [/SUP]When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:[SUP] 26 [/SUP]Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.[SUP] 27 [/SUP]But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.[SUP] 28 [/SUP]There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.[SUP] 29 [/SUP]And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.[SUP]30 [/SUP]And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

So the first and the last as being among the chosen to attend the Marriage Supper are the O.T. saints with the N.T. disciples as they are both received by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord at the Marriage Supper to His glory.