END OF TIME PROPHECIES 062

PHILADELPHIA     The Challenge        Revelation 3v11.  

"Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown". 

The flow of thought in these verses is very interesting; the open door of missionary enterprise, the future vindication of their work, the coming of Christ for His people and now, the reference to the day of reward.   What will happen after Christ comes, is the judgment seat of Christ.   This will not be a punitive  judgment, but rather more like an award ceremony;  serious enough, nevertheless, because there is the possibility of the loss of reward and that for ever!    This is presented in the New Testament as an incentive to holy living.    Believers today are being trained for a position in the great kingdom which is to come.   The judgment seat will investigate "deeds done in the body" (2nd Corinthians 5v10); work done in connection with the church (mainly doctrinal 1st Corinthians 3v11-13); and my relationship with my brethren (Romans chapter 14). The key phrase is that "the fire will try every man's work of what sort it is" 1 Corinthians 3v 13.

It would appear that each one of us has been allocated a crown (stephanos - the victor's crown) but there is the possibility that through loose living and unfaithfulness in doctrine, we may lose the award that the Lord had set aside for us.   There is no loss of salvation, but there may be loss of reward.   There could be two ideas in this statement; firstly that my reward may be given to someone else, or secondly, that I lose out because I did not play by the rules.   The second of these appears more likely, and in 2nd Timothy 2 the apostle likens the Christian life to that of an athlete in verse 5  "if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully."   In 1st Corinthians chapter 9 the apostle outlines many details of what he means by "striving lawfully."   In verses 17 - 27 he lays out the different aspects of this.   He begins in verse 17  "if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me."  To each of us the Lord has given gifts for His service and He expects us to use them, but not in any old way, but within the parameters that He has laid down.   These are variously stated in the passage as follows:   "so run to obtain"  -  "temperate in all things" (constant self control)  -  "strive for mastery" (excellence)  -  "not beating the air" (we must run intelligently, we must not be kidding ourselves)  -  "I bring my body into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." I must be the living example of what I proclaim. 

We have to be careful of others who would rob us of this prize by bringing snares before us.   The prophet Jeremiah warned in chapter 5v26-27  "for among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.   As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit."   The New Testament warns of this in many places and notably in Colossians chapter 2.   There the apostle Paul having outlined the greatness of the person and work of Christ gives four warnings in chapter 2 of those who would rob the people of God of their faith and therefore of their rewards.  

• In chapter 2v4 Satanism...   "And this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words." By simply altering a word here and there or taking scriptures out of their context, or presenting an easier pathway (which is what Satan did in Eden), many could be drawn aside.  
• In chapter 2v8 Humanism    "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men."    The word "spoil" is to make a prey of you, or set a trap for you as in Jeremiah chapter 5.
• In chapter 2v16 Ritualism      "Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days."   All these are just the rules of men when they are not seen as a shadow of things to come, which is Christ.
• In chapter 2v18 Mysticism    "Let no man beguile you of your reward."   This phrase means do not allow anyone to decide what your reward will be by becoming the arbiter of your conscience before God. Many claim superior knowledge of spiritual things.  

The whole answer is that in Christ "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him."   If what men say does not agree with Christ, does not reflect Christ, does not glorify Christ, then turn away from it.   Hold fast what you have He says  "let no man take thy crown."

The subject is much bigger than we can deal with here, but a few things can be said which sum up how we must be, if we are to gain our reward.  

• We are to contend but not to be contentious.
• We are to strive but not such as to bring strife.
• We are to preach the truth, but always in love.
• We are to be more concerned with devotion to God than to mammon (material things).
• We are to do things to be seen of the Father rather than to be seen of men.
• We are to be discerning but not indulge in sectarianism.

The Christian life is a balance which must always be sought.   We must be doing but doing it so as to bring glory to the Lord and not to ourselves. In so doing we will be well rewarded.