At the GES national conference this May, we will conduct a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for the children. The theme this year is “The Crowns in the Kingdom.” Throughout the week, the children will learn about the difference between entering the kingdom and reigning in the kingdom. This is a topic that many adults in our churches also need to study in more detail.
In a previous blog, I discussed the crown of life (SEE HERE). That will be the first crown addressed during VBS. The second crown the kids will study is the crown of righteousness. Paul addresses it in 2 Tim 4:8:
“Finally, 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” (emphasis added).
To receive this crown, the believer must love the Lord’s appearing, or return. This is the Christian who is not distracted by the cares of this world, but who has his eyes fixed upon the Lord and His coming kingdom (Matt 6:10).
This is not about earning eternal life. Paul wrote these words and was talking about a crown that he would receive. Paul already possessed eternal life. He was talking about a reward the Lord would give him for loving His appearing. This crown is laid up, or reserved, for believers who live in anticipation of Christ’s return.
In the Evangelical world, there is a strange teaching that all “true” believers love the Lord’s appearing. That is simply not true. We can believe that Jesus is the Christ who gives us eternal life, but still love this present world and the pleasures it offers.
At VBS, the kids will talk about watchtowers and about guards waiting for the King to return from a journey. The color is blue, symbolizing hope and looking ahead. We will play games like “Red Light, Green Light” to illustrate readiness. We will even take the children outside to look at the clouds and talk about meeting the Lord in the air.
But the doctrine underlying these activities is not just for children.
Loving His appearing shapes how we should live today. If you believe the King could come at any time, your priorities shift. This matters in our theological discussions. Some confuse rewards language with the idea of maintaining eternal life. But in 2 Tim 4:8, Paul does not fear losing eternal life. Instead, he looks forward to a reward.
The Lord is called “the righteous Judge.” Judges evaluate works. This is not about entrance into the Kingdom. It is about honor within it.
With each of these crowns, questions arise. What will it be like to have this crown in Christ’s kingdom? What will a person who earns this crown look like? We do not know all the answers, but the prospects are exciting. We should earnestly desire to have the Lord’s approval and to receive this crown from His hands.
At VBS, when they study this crown, the children will learn:
“We live today because we’re excited the King is coming back.”
Perhaps, as the children learn to look up at the sky with anticipation, the adults will recover that same sense of expectancy.
