Blog
“First The Cross, Then The Crown”
Categories: Baptism, Daily LivingFirst The Cross, Then The Crown
Jarrod Jacobs
Before Christ received His crown, He had to die on the cross. This is seen in passages like Philippians 2:5-11 and Hebrews 2:9, as well as Ephesians 1:20-23 and I Timothy 6:15.
In like manner, if we today are going to receive the “crown of life” (Rev. 2:10), we must first die at the cross. Our old man of sin must be put to death (Col. 3:5). Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). He later wrote, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). The letter to the Romans made it clear that those who “obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine” delivered to them were “then made free from sin” (Rom. 6:17-18).
What did they do? They portrayed Christ’s death, burial and resurrection in their putting to death the old man of sin, being buried in the waters of baptism, and rising to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4). In doing so, Paul said they were “buried” with Christ in baptism, “risen with Christ” and “are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 2:12, 3:1, 3). Based on this, they could look forward to their crown. Friend, are you looking forward to your crown? First comes the cross!
