The Sufficiency of Christ Part 2.
Philippians 4:17
17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account (KJV).
Paul acknowledges the genuine mission here. The Philippians would receive rewards for their work. Paul knew the rewards (crowns) that the genuine believer would receive for the work we pursue in Christ’s name. He didn’t care for himself just for them as he expressed their faithfulness to the cause of Christ.
There five such crowns mentioned in Scripture.
The first crown is called the incorruptible crown in.
Cr 9:24-25
This is a crown given to those who exercise self-control and gain the mastery and victory in the spiritual life. It is for those who gained the victory over the old man, the old sin nature. It is for those who have learned to live a Spirit-controlled life.
The second crown is called the crown of rejoicing:
I Thes 2:19
This is the crown give to those who win souls for Jesus the Lord. It is a crown available to all those who do the work of evangelism, and through the fruits of their labors are seen in people coming to the Lord through them.
The third crown is called The Crown of Righteousness
2 Tim 4:7-8
This is a crown for those who have kept the faith both doctrinally and morally in spite of adverse circumstances. It is a crown given to those who love His appearing, those who look longingly for the return of the Messiah. Looking for His return is the result of sound doctrine and keeping the faith. A life lived in conformity with the New Testament will include the expectation of the soon return of the Lord. For such, there is a crown of righteousness.
The Fourth crown is Called the Crown of Life
It is mentioned in two passages:
James 1:12 & Rev 2:10
In James it is given for those who endure trials
In Rev 2:10 it is given for those who suffer martyrdom for their faith:
The Fifth Crown is The Crown of Glory
1Pe 5:2-4
This is a crown for faithfully feeding the flock of God. It is available to those teachers who feed the sheep with the milk and meat of the Word of God.
There may be other crowns available but these are the only ones mentioned in Scripture. At least these five are available to those who works remain, which were built of gold, silver and precious stones.
These rewards of crowns are for the purpose of determining degrees of authority in the Messianic Kingdom and not the Eternal Order. In eternity, all believers will be equal, but not so in the Kingdom where believers may have different positions of authority.