Part 7 Rewards for finishing the race Part 3

Part 7 Rewards for finishing the race  Part 3

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Rewards are clearly a biblical principle, although God loves everyone equally and His love is unconditional; rank, position, status, and titles are a part of the Kingdom of God.

In heaven rank is easily recognizable by the light coming from a person or an angel, the higher the rank the brighter one shines, often the light is intermingled with another element of light, that of fire.

1 Corinthians 15:40	There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41	There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42	So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

We need also to appreciate the fact that the light coming from the Lord Jesus is exceedingly bright, if He did not tone it down He could not appear to us.

Rewards for running and finishing the race

In the British Museum in London there is a tablet from the theatre at Ephesus of a combatant of the second century after Christ.  The inscription reads “He fought three fights and twice was crowned with wreathes” no doubt such inscriptions were known to the Apostle Paul and is reflected in his writings to Timothy  

2 Timothy 4:7	I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8	Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

These wreaths or rewards are unfading and will never perish.

1 Corinthins 9:25	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.
26	I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
Revelation 2:10	Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

There are five wreaths (crowns) of victory mentioned in the New Testament. 

1)         The victorious fighter with a Crown of righteousness 2 Timothy 4:8

2)         The steadfast runner  1 Cor 9:25-26

3)         The one who is faithful unto death  Rev 2 :10  James 1:12

4)         The unselfish laborer  1 Thess 2:19  Phil 4:1

5)         The example to the flock  1Peter 5:3-4          

 A new paradigm shift is required

The way we look at life and the reason for us being here is very important. Most Christians live there lives in such a way that reflects their thinking about the importance of this life, most have very little thought about the next life.

James 4:14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Your life span here on earth is tiny compared with eternity and how you spend your life here will determine for all Eternity your Rank and Position in the world to come.

Romans 8:18	For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19	For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
2 Corinthians 4:17	For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18	While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 5:1	For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2	For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

Our time on this earth is a testing time, a time to qualify and graduate, death is simply a transition to another world which is far more real than this one, where our exam papers will be marked and graded.

One of the things that the angels marvel over is when they see faithful Christians who have not experience the wonders and glories of heaven which seem to them  as just a remote dream, and these Christians give there all  and cling in faith for this hope of glory.

2 Corinthians 4:18	While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
5:1	For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

As this age comes to a close we will see unbelievable destruction in the earth as God systematically demolishes all that is decadent to make way for a new and glorious age the Millennium Reign of Christ. Great plagues will sweep the earth until the world will know there is no hope outside of Jesus, doctors will send there patients to the true church for healing, great darkness will cover the earth and great glory will be upon HIS people and millions will come to their light.

Isaiah 26:9

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

The Apostle Paul said to Timothy a good soldier does not entangle himself with the affairs of this life.

2 Timonthy 2:3	Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4	No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
5	And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

SOON VERY SOON OUR EXAM PAPERS WILL BE MARKED AND WHAT THE LORD JESUS WILL LOOK FOR IS; HOW MUCH OF HIMSELF HE CAN FIND IN YOU.

Exodus 33:19

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee,

God is pure goodness which can be translated as pure love that’s who He is and the light which manifests in and through Him is a product of that pure love.

1 Corinthians 13:1	Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2	And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
3	And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love,  it profiteth me nothing.
4	love,  suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5	Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6	Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7	Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8	Love, never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

In other words we must allow the nature of Jesus love, to become a part of who we are. The world will see who Jesus is in us, as we become an expression of who He is in this earth.

Isaiah 60:1	Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2	For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3	And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4	Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

God Bless youNeville Johnson © July 2006