When we think of wearing a crown, we may think of a modern-day crown worn by a queen or queen, a golden headpiece decorated with priceless jewels. When considering the crowns we will wear in heaven, they may not be similar to the worldly crowns we think of today, but they will be just as priceless.
In the Bible, our crowns in heaven often symbolize the eternal life believers will experience at the end of their earthly lives. How do we receive these crowns? Do they have special meanings? We’ll dip into scripture to discover more about the crowns we’ll wear in heaven.
The Bible mentions the crown of righteousness in a letter Paul writes to Timothy. Second Timothy 4:8 says, “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
In this passage, Paul looks forward to the day he “finishes the race” and is united with Jesus in Heaven. He had suffered much for the Gospel but knew his true reward was coming. He encourages Timothy to also look past present-day trails and focus on the heavenly rewards in the future.
Matthew Henry notes in his commentary that the crown of righteousness “will be the recompense of our services, which God is not unrighteous to forget; and because our holiness and righteousness will there be perfected, and will be our crown.” Paul notes that the crown won’t only be given to him. It will be given to all of Christ’s followers.
Crowns in the Bible had both literal and metaphorical meanings. Receiving God’s blessings can be compared to receiving a crown. Psalms 103:4 explains God as one “who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.” A relationship with God is also compared to a crown in Isaiah 28:5, which states, “In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.”
In the New Testament, the meaning of “crown” changes to the Greek term stephanos. This was a garland worn by Roman victors of a race. In a letter to the Corinthians, Paul refers to this type of crown when speaking about the race Christians run.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
Paul uses the analogy of a race since the Corinthians were familiar with the Grecian games. The games included running races, wrestling, and fighting. In these verses, the race refers to the journey of the Christian life. The race is the world or present life, and runners are believers. They run to stay the course pursuing Jesus and his ways. At the end are Jesus and our heavenly rewards. Victors that reach the end receive the crown of life—eternal salvation.
To receive this crown, believers must run the race well, although the expectation is not perfection. Only Jesus can be that. However, runners should strive to follow God’s commands and hold on to them tightly amidst the world’s ways. Runners in a race also move forward. Likewise, we must run toward Christ, pursuing him and growing in our faith.
Athletes also exhibit a degree of strength. Running the race of life is not an easy one. We meet much opposition along the way, including challenges and pursuing a path that might not be the most popular in the world’s eyes. Through these challenges, runners must press on to receive their crowns. However, they aren’t running alone. They can call on the strength God will provide and support from the other runners, the community of believers.
Additionally, athletes follow strict training. They may follow a certain diet or training schedule. They may abstain from certain things to better prepare their minds and bodies for the race. Likewise, Christians should form healthy habits to run their best race. Again, opposition from the world may come as certain practices aren’t always popular, but a believer can stay dedicated to their course of action, knowing it will help their mind, body, and soul stay the course.
In the Grecian games, a victor’s crown was fleeting. Made of boughs, leaves, and other dried greenery, it didn’t last long. Still, the runner made sacrifices to receive this crown. Crowns in heaven are so much better. A gift of eternal life is just that—eternal. How much more dedicated to the Christian life can we be if we know our crown will last forever?
Wanting a crown at the end of our race isn’t selfish when we’re chasing after Jesus. That’s why He came in the first place—to die for our sins so we could be made right with him. We should want that crown of righteousness when we cross the finish line into eternity.
On the other hand, doing works merely for adding more to a list or accomplishing a certain number of tasks isn’t healthy. Jesus won’t wait at heaven’s door for our checked-off to-do list. Our actions should serve as a way to further the kingdom of God and approach them with a heart full of love for God and his people.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” We don’t receive our crown and enter the kingdom of God by doing things. We can enter because of what Jesus did for us. Once we put our faith in Jesus, our eternal crown is secured.
Our works should then come from a heart and attitude chasing after him. Christianity.com contributor Clarence L. Haynes Jr. writes, “The works that God values are the ones that are done with the right heart and right attitude. He explains that once we accept Jesus and start doing works for the right reasons, we begin storing our treasures in heaven.
Matthew 6:20 tells us, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Like our crowns in heaven, our heavenly treasures won’t be physical riches that can come and go.
In “Heaven; Where It Is; Its Inhabitants, and How to Get There,”, D.L. Moody uses the classic story of King Midas to compare heavenly riches to earthly rewards. In the story, King Midas wishes for everything he touches to turn to gold so he can be the richest man in the land. When his wish comes true, Midas realizes earthly riches aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. He touches his precious daughter, who turns to gold, teaching him there are more important things in life than physical wealth.
Similarly, when we store treasures in heaven, we aren’t gaining a pile of gold or physical treasures. We will earn heavenly rewards from a life that pursued Jesus—like peace, joy, and complete contentment.
When talking about Jesus in heaven, Revelation 21:4 states, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” No more pain. Can you imagine? Our heavenly rewards will give us more than we can fathom. When we receive our crowns in heaven and are in the presence of Jesus, we won’t miss a golden headpiece atop our heads. We’ll have everything we could want and more.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Sashkinw
Jenna Brooke Carlson is an elementary dual language teacher in the Chicago suburbs. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers, she enjoys spending time with other writers and perfecting her craft. Her debut novel, Falling Flat, spreads the message that healing can occur, even after tragedy. Along with writing, she’s pursuing her dreams of creating a community of brave young women, who she can encourage to live out their dreams amid challenges and imperfection. Her days are busy, but she’s determined she can conquer anything with a fuzzy blanket and a hot cup of tea. To find out more about Jenna, visit her website at jennabrookecarlson.com.
This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.
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