The Crown of Righteousness

A Study

The crown the saved are presented and wear in heaven and the New Jerusalem is described as a literal and physical crown, not just as a spiritual symbol.
It is called by several names, some describing the crown itself, and some describing the character and characteristics of the saved that wear it. “And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1 Pet. 5:4) “There is a crown of life for the overcomer.”(1) “Their joy is complete and they take their glittering crowns and cast them at their Redeemer’s feet.”(2) “Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not to my only, but also to all that have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:8) “They do it to win a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (1 Cor. 9:25)
It is made of gold and decorating with brilliant stars. “We want you to live among the pure and holy angels in heaven, and wear a crown of gold…”(4). “God wants to put the harp in your hand and the crown of gold on your head.”(5) “The white robe and jeweled crown given to them by Christ as a reward for their unselfish efforts..The stars in their crowns will shine forever and ever..”(6) “The crown of life will be bright or dim, will glitter with many stars, or be lighted by a few gems, in accordance with ones own cause of action.” (7) “For each there is a crown bearing his own ‘new name’ and the inscription ‘Holiness To The Lord.’”(10)
The stars in the crown signify those who are in heaven because of your influence. “
By living a life of devotion and self-sacrifice in doing good to others, you might have been adding stars and gems to the crown that you will wear in heaven, and laying up unfading, eternal, treasure.” (8) “The lives saved through their efforts will be more precious to them than costly and fashionable dress. The white robes and jeweled crown given them by Christ as a reward for their unselfish efforts in the salvation of souls, will be more valuable then needless ornaments. The stars in their crowns will shine forever and ever…”(9) “The crown of life will be bright of dim...in accordance to ones own cause of action.”(7) “On the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square. Some of them had very bright crowns, others not so bright. Some crowns appeared heavy with stars, while others had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with their crowns.”(11)
God, our just God, rewards them for their deeds, as He does the wicked.(12)
“There will be no one saved in heaven with a starless crown. If you enter there will be some soul in the courts of glory that has found an entrance there through your instrumentality.” (13) A well known hymn by Elisa Edmunds Hewitt asks the question: “Will there be any stars in my crown, when at evening the sun goeth down?” If the answer is no, another hymn answers the question by singing “I Dreamed I searched heaven for you, searched vainly in heaven for you.”(14)
We have a part in attaining this crown of glory. We know that if we have not been instrumental in saving at least one person here on earth the crown will not be ours.Also: “How many of us are worthy to receive the crown of life?”(15) “The Christian moves steadily onward and upward, daily drawing near his heavenly home, where awaits for him a crown of life, and a new name…”(16) “ For you are fighting for the crown of life and should not rest satisfied for a low standard.” (17) “Those who are ready will receive an unfading crown of life.”(18) “Those who expect to wear at last a crown of life, must in this life be lightbearers.” (19) “Blessed is he who endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him.”(James 1:12) “A crown of life awaits all who fight the good fight of faith.” (20) “. It is also a fearful thing to fold the talent entrusted to us in a napkin, and hide it away in the world; for this is casting away the crown of life. God claims our service.”(21) “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness…also to all that have loved His appearing.”(2 Tim. 4:8) “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10)
The crowns are made by angels. “Angels are employed in making crowns for such ones, and upon these star-gemmed crowns will be reflected, with splendor, the light which radiates from the throne of God…I saw a very great number of angels bring from the city glorious crowns-a crown for every saint, with his name written thereon. As Jesus called for the crowns, angels presented them to Him.”(22)
The crowns of life will be placed on the heads of the saved by Jesus Himself. “Before entering the city of God, the Savior bestows upon His followers the emblems of victory and invests them with the insignia of their royal state. The glittering ranks are drawn up in the form of a hollow square about their King, whose form rises in majesty above saint and angel, whose countenance beams upon them full of benignant love. Throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed every glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds His glory whose ‘visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.’ Upon the heads of the overcomers, Jesus with His own right hand places the crown of glory. For each there is a crown, bearing his own ‘new name” (Rev. 2:17), and the inscription ‘Holiness to the Lord.’ In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp.”(23)
The saved put up the crowns when they are not wearing them. “In each (house outside the city) was a golden shelf. I saw many of the saints go into the houses, take off their glittering crowns and lay them on the shelf, then go out into the field by the houses and do something with the earth..”(24)
In adoration of Christ, the saved will throw down their crowns at His feet in love at times. “I want to cast my crown at His feet, and I want to touch the golden harp and fill all heaven with sweetest music.”(25) “Then all the heavenly host surrounded the Son of God, their majestic Commander, and with the deepest adoration bowed, casting their glittering crowns at His feet, and they touched their golden harps, and in sweet, melodious strains, filled all heaven with their rich music and songs to the lamb that was slain, yet lives again in majesty and glory.”(26) The 24 elders in their crowns of gold (Rev. 4:5) often adore God in this manner. “The 24 elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast down their crowns before the throne..”(Rev. 4:10,11) All know without question that “Christ is your hope and your crown of rejoicing.”(27)
All the saved can echo with joy the poetry of Wyman Allen:
He is coming, oh my spirit with His everlasting peace,
With His blessedness, immortal and complete;
He is coming, oh my spirit, and His coming brings release-
I listen for the coming of His feet. (28)

(Another kind of crown, the crown of sacrifice- not a literal crown, but a description of self-sacrificing service by the Christian, is mentioned in the writings of the Messenger of God. “All who follow Christ will wear the crown of sacrifice. They will surely be misunderstood by selfish men… the principle of self-sacrifice” (29) “The brows who do this work will wear the crown of sacrifice but they will receive their reward.”(30) The service is rewarded according to the spirit in which the service is given. “The value of service to God is measured by the spirit in which it is rendered, rather than by the length of time spent in labor.”(31) The reward is given here on this earth also. “those who give their lives to Christlike ministry know the meaning of true happiness.”(32) “Even in this life, they find a precious reward.”(33) )



Bibliography
1. DG 184
2. CS 349
3. SDG 340
4. YI Oct. 1, 1852, Heaven p.84, An Appeal to the Youth p.41
5. MR 3 p.290
6. DG 217
7. 6 SDABC 1105
8. 4 SDABC 1174, T.C. 200
9. DG 17
10. Heaven p.59
11. EW 16,17
12. GC 589
13. S.T. June 6, 1892
14. Song-“I Dreamed I Searched Heaven for You” by Kitty Wells
15. Mar 98
16. MYP 95
17. FCE 301
18. SDG 362
19. Words of Encouragement to Self-Supporting Workers p.11
20. Ms 21, 1895
21. MYP 37
22. Heaven pp. 56, 57
23. Heaven 59
24. Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White p.62
25. Sermons and Talks Vol.2, p 34
26. 1 SG 77, S.T. Nov. 10, 1881, Ms 21, 1885, Sermons and Talks 2 p.259, LDE 298, 8T 254
27. Spalding and Magen Collection 281
28. Poem: “The Coming of His Feet:” by Lyman Allen, The Best Loved Poems of the American People. P 306
29. DA 223
30. 6T 348
31. 9T 74
32. 9T 42
33. GT 308.309