3. Three Things That Lead to Crowns
The rewards of obedient faith, persistent hope, serving love … In our study of the Scriptures, we need not only to notice the three great qualities that this book is about, but also to be aware of what seems to be associated with them. Sometimes, this can be quite illuminating. Look for example, at the crowns of the righteous mentioned in the Bible.
In ancient Israel both kings and priests (Exodus 39:30 ESV, NKJV, etc.) wore crowns, and the New Testament makes it clear that the calling of believers is to eventually become as "kings and priests" in the Kingdom of God (Revelation 1:6 NKJV). The Christian Scriptures also discuss the literal or figurative crowns it says will be given to believers.
Two different terms for the word "crown" are used: diadema which was primarily used of the crown of royalty, and stephanos which refers to a crown of leaves or flowers that was given for great accomplishments such as athletic and military victories. When speaking of the crowns to be given to believers, the New Testament always speaks of the second kind – the stephanos – which was given as a reward for accomplishments rather than the royal crown handed down merely by descent. Different types of this stephanos crown of accomplishment are also mentioned in discussing the reward of the faithful.
Some of the references to crowns simply speak of conditions pertaining to them. For example, Paul tells us that the crown of leaves sought by athletic exertion "…will not last, but we … get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25). This is probably not speaking of a specific "imperishable" crown; it is just a statement that our crown is imperishable. There are, however, three different types of crowns mentioned in the New Testament which seem to be linked to different rewards. In all three cases, each type of crown is said to be a reward for a particular accomplishment or spiritual trait:
1. The Crown of Righteousness (associated with obedient faith): "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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 ..." (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Here Paul associates this crown with faithful accomplishment.
2. The Crown of Life (associated with persistent hope): "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12). At first, we might only see the connection between the love mentioned in this verse and the crown of life, but when we look closely we see that perseverance (frequently associated with hope) is the actual subject of what is being said – leading to the promise (another aspect of our hope) we are given.
3. The Crown of Glory (associated with serving love): "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve … And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away" (1 Peter 5:2-4).
Whether these crowns are meant to be understood literally or metaphorically (see, for example, 1 Thessalonians 2:19) is beside the point. What is important and of great encouragement to every Christian is to see that the very qualities this book is all about – obedient faith, persistent hope, serving love – lie beneath the rewards we are promised.