“ which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,”
“And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.”
Jesus Christ gave His life so we could be forgiven for sin. He did this on the cross. Before going on the cross, His entire body was punished so we could be delivered from sickness and disease. In His death, He had to descend to spoil the principalities and powers of hell. He took the keys of death, hell, and the grave from the enemy and shamed all of hell as He ascended. But before He would go back for the last time to sit with His Father as our High Priest, He commanded the disciples to go and wait until they receive the promise of the Father, which was to be baptized and immersed in the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). They would receive the Seal of the Holy Spirit —speaking in tongues. The purpose was to give them power and boldness so that they could be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ on Earth. Until this time, the disciples were terrified because Christ had been crucified. But this event that fulfilled the promise of the Father gave them a boldness that made an impact in all of Jerusalem. The Pentecost was the birth of the Church. The Church age started on the Day of Pentecost and will end when the Rapture comes, when Jesus will gather His people, living and dead.
One of the promises Jesus has for us is that when we are faithful over a few things, He will make us ruler over many things (Luke 16:10). This is a tremendous promise that shows us that God, by nature, is a rewarder of all those who obey Him. And no one knows better to reward you than Christ Himself.
What Happens in the Rapture and Judgment?
The Rapture is also known as the catching away of the Bride of Christ. The Bible tells us that an angel will sound a trumpet, and those who are dead in Christ from the birth of the Church up to the present will arise first. Then we, the living believers, will meet them in the air, and we will be taken to Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We’ll go from time to eternity. You will immediately have an appointment with Jesus Christ Himself for judgment as soon as you reach Heaven. It will take place at the judgment seat of Christ. This is a judgment that is only for believers from the birth of the Church until the Rapture. It does not deal with any Old Testament saints.
The good news is that this event doesn’t have to do with any judgment of your sins. Because you accepted Christ as your Savior, He dealt with your sin through the cross. So, this Judgment doesn’t deal with sin. If you made the Rapture, you have made it into Heaven. This Judgment takes place before the Lord Jesus Himself, individually. He’s going to see who is worthy of receiving rewards. Your rewards will be based upon your life and your service to Jesus, including your motives, integrity, and the fulfillment of the ministry that Jesus gave you. We will be judged based on our work. You will be judged for your actions in life.
How important do you see your life now? Do you see it as a time to reign later? There will be seven years of Tribulation that will take place on Earth. After this, the Lord Jesus will come back. We will go with Him to Earth for those who made it through this time with Him and the Rapture. He will set up a Kingdom on Earth and will have a thousand-year millennial reign on the entire Earth.
The kind of life you lived here and what will happen at the Judgment will determine what you will have in the thousand-year millennial reign. Consider the importance of your life right now. It will determine many things. The rewards that Jesus could ever give you are defined as crowns. It’s the best reward He has to give anyone. The number of crowns you receive depends on whether or not you’ve earned them.
What makes our actions worthwhile or worthless? Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 5:10-11:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”
The judgment seat of Christ has two main purposes. The first purpose is to review everybody’s life individually. Christ Himself is reviewing your life to get to the second purpose: reward those who have earned rewards. The review is based on a person’s works on Earth and will determine their status, authority, position, and power in the afterlife. The Judgment is not related to salvation, which is a gift. The focus is on God’s will for a person’s life.
The Five Unique Crowns Jesus Offers
Five specific rewards or crowns are given at the Judgment Seat, with the first being the Incorruptible Crown. This aims to recognize those who have fulfilled the plan and purpose that God designed for their life.
In the mind of Jesus, self-discipline and self-control are important. It is necessary to fulfill God’s plan for one’s life. There is a need for discipline, control, and surrender to Jesus and being faithful, serving, and victorious in one’s life.
The first of the five unique crowns that Jesus offers is the Crown of Righteousness, which is given to those who eagerly anticipate Jesus’ return and have a righteous relationship with him. This crown is given to those who have fulfilled their God-given purpose and are eagerly awaiting the return of Jesus. The Incorruptible Crown is the second, which is given to those who keep their body in control and live a disciplined life for God. The Crown of Life is given to those who endure trials, tribulations, and hardships in life. This crown is for those who look forward to Jesus’ coming and remain faithful even in the face of death.
The fourth crown is the Crown of Rejoicing, also known as the soul winner’s crown. This crown is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 and represents the joy and reward of winning souls for Christ. When a soul is saved, there is rejoicing in Heaven. This crown is significant to Jesus because it represents the fulfillment of the Great Commission and His vision for our lives.
The fifth crown is the Crown of Glory, mentioned in 1 Peter 5:1-4. This crown is often associated with pastors but is also for elders, apostles, teachers, and prophets. It represents the reward for those who care for the flock of God and lead by example. When the Great Shepherd appears, those who have received this crown will receive never-ending glory and honor.
We must do what the Word of God tells us to receive the crown and earn rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Surprisingly, many Christians don’t believe in these crowns and instead prefer myths about equality in Heaven. Believers must understand the importance of these rewards so that we may receive them. In Revelation 4:9-11, the 24 Elders cast their crowns before the throne of God in worship, which tells us that they were people who had been crowned by Jesus himself and were now rulers in Heaven.
Your crowns in Heaven will be based on your actions and choices. If you do not earn crowns, you will regret it for eternity. You have to strive to master your own life. We must be reminded that we must strive for excellence in all aspects of life so that we may be fulfilled and that our Lord and Savior may reward us in eternity.
Consider your own life and how you are living it for Christ. Each of us has been given a unique set of talents, abilities, and opportunities, and it is our responsibility to use them to further God’s kingdom.
As believers and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must strive to live in such a way that we can receive each of these crowns that are promised to us in eternity. Let us be willing to stand for the Word of God, even if it means facing opposition and persecution in this life.
Let us look at what The Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7-8:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Finally, 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 appearing.”
Let us do our best in the present to honor our righteous Judge as we go from time to eternity.
You can view the complete message titled “Only the Crowned Can Crown Him” here:
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