“A Crown Of Righteousness Is Deserved By A Righteous Life!”

“A Crown Of Righteousness Is Deserved By A Righteous Life!”(II Tim.4:6-8).
“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, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” These words of Paul to Timothy have become a regular epitaph – though sometimes unbefitting – on the funeral programmes or tombstones of African christians. We say “sometimes unbefitting” because sometimes these words are written for deceased persons who had backslided for many years or had even joined a different religion. In such cases those words of Paul do not deserve to be used as epitaph on the funeral programme or inscribed on the tombstone.
Recognising that his hour of death was near, Paul was confident that he had done the best he could by keeping the faith, running the race of faith to the finish and defending the cause of the gospel at the risk of his life.
Paul had the confidence that at death a crown of righteousness awaited him, to be awarded by the righteous Judge on the day of reckoning.
Paul spent his energy propagating the gospel and winning souls for the kingdom. He couldn’t be selfish in his consideration of the reward to be. So he said, “not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
This part is often left out on the epitaphs that use the said verses. Is such omission a demonstration of our selfishness?
That notwithstanding, those who live their lives in the fear of the Lord are not afraid when death approaches. They even recognise the symptoms of their end and embrace it with joy. There is nothing to fear when there is a home better than here. Even Socrates recognised this when he said it is ignorance that cause men to fear death since we do not know if the world beyond is better than this one.
Christians who have kept the faith and walked with the Lord know for sure that there is a better land. Not only a better land, but crowns of righteousness awaits them, to be conferred by the righteous Judge.
What this means is that a crown of righteousness awareded by a righteous Judge can only be deserved by those who live righteous lives.
Therefore, while we are still here and longing for the day of his appearing, let us live righteous lives as a respinse to God’s amazing grace.
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me to run a good race, fighting a good fight and to keep the faith until my travelling days are done. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!