Whose Crown is it, Anyway?

Spirituality Column #192
July 13, 2010
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Whose Crown Is It, Anyway?
By Bob Walters

“And on his head are many crowns … ” Revelation 19:12

Just before Satan “gets it” in chapter 20 of Revelation, the Bible’s final book, the resurrected and heavenly Jesus Christ is dramatically described in Revelation 19 as an avenging conqueror called “Faithful and True” that nobody in their right mind would “mess with” (obviously my words, not the Bible's).  Of Christ is written …

The “roar of a great multitude” shouted “Hallelujah!” to Christ.  Twice.

“With justice he judges and makes war.”

“His eyes are like blazing fire.”

His robe is “dipped in blood.”

“Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.”

He will rule with “an iron scepter.”

“He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.”

His name is “the Word of God.”

His name is also “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

And in the middle of all this we learn that “on his head are many crowns.”

This … is our loving, gentle and humble savior? The Lamb of God?

You bet.   He is also the righteous warrior who defeats sin, releases the world from death, and seals our eternal salvation by throwing the “beast,” the “false prophet,” and Satan into the lake of burning sulfur to be “tormented day and night” for all eternity.

I want to be on the Conqueror’s side. I want to glorify Him. I want His righteousness and power to battle Satan when I sin, and I desperately want His forgiveness to intercede with God the Father on my behalf when final, eternal, “lake of burning sulfur” judgment is handed down on my soul.

Not that there’s, uh, anything to worry about.

Serious business, this salvation. Yes it is. And that “sword” coming out of the Conquering Christ’s mouth? We can be sure that sword is “Truth.”

In this life we are pretty much on a death march if Christ is absent from the picture. That’s not to impugn any other religion; it’s just that eternal salvation by faith is an utterly unique aspect of the truth of Christ. No other theology teaches that.

The many crowns of Christ aren’t the vanquished; they are the believers who humbly and faithfully follow Him, and accept His gift of salvation.

And if you are working hard to get your own Christian crown … you’re missing the point; the crowns go on the head of the Conqueror.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) loves the hymn, “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” It’s great advice ... crown "Him," not "me."