One of the most important spiritual crowns mentioned in the Bible is the crown of life. The all-important questions about it are:
- What is the crown of life?
- Who gets the crown of life?
The following two Scriptures answer both questions in a distinct way.
The Crown of Life Scriptures
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Rev 2:10,11)
Now we can answer our question about who gets the crown of life. They are the people who:
- truly love God and persevered under trial
- are faithful to the point of death and escape the second death
The Crown of Life is NOT a Reward
To expand upon that, the recipients of the crown of life stood the test (James 1:12) and were faithful to the point of death (Rev. 2:10). They alone are the ones who get the crown of life. All others will be hurt by the second death (Rev. 2:11), another name for the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 21:8). That means all overcomers, who get eternal life in the age to come (Mark 10:30), will get the crown of life. Therefore, the crown of life is NOT given as a reward. It is given to all who enter God’s kingdom after their death, the same ones who endured to the end for salvation (Mt. 10:22).
Furthermore, the people who have their names in the book of life (Rev. 21:27) will be given a crown of life, because they are alive in Christ, our eternal life (1 John 5:11-13). They loved God, which means they OBEYED God (1 John 5:3). Does all of that describe you? In the end, will you get the crown of life?
