For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

Dear children, we learned last week that those who serve the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully will be rewarded. This truth is affirmed by the abovementioned verse. There is a time when every Christian has to come before the Lord Jesus Christ to receive his or her reward for the things done for Him.

The Bible mentions five different crowns as reward. Each represents a specific area of service rendered to Christ. Let us learn what they are, and how we can receive them. For this devotion, we will begin with the Incorruptible Crown.

In ancient Greece, there were the Pan-Hellenic Games. These Games were held in a four-year cycle known as the Olympiad. The Olympiad consisted of four separate sports events: the Olympic Games, Pythian Games, Nemean Games and Isthmian Games. The winner of every event will receive a wreath which is like a crown to be placed on his head as a form of recognition.

The Corinthians must have been very familiar with the games. They knew the method of training and what the rules were, for example, every participant of the games must be a Greek citizen, and those competing in the running race must run the entire race. Only one person will emerge as the winner!

These athletes went through a strict training programme. They ran under the sun or in the rain daily. They went through hardships to obtain the prize of a crown made of pine. This crown however is corruptible because after some time the pine leaves will wither.

The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians used the Isthmian Games as an analogy of the Christian life. He exhorted the Corinthians to strive towards obtaining an incorruptible crown. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).

The Christian life is a race! You need to be born again in order to participate in this race. You must believe in Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour to enter it. Rather than competing with others, the Christian is competing against
himself. He has to deny self and take up his cross daily (Luke 9:23). In every aspect of life, he has to follow the Word of God and not his own desires. Everyone who has completed the race is a victor and will receive the incorruptible crown – a crown that will never decay, but will last forever!

This Incorruptible Crown is given to those who run the heavenly race by faithfully following the Lord Jesus according to His Word. May the Lord help us to obtain this crown for His own glory. Amen!