Winning Crowns Through Righteous Works of Faith, Without the Offence of Spiritual Pride

“Of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 

As Christian believers, we are in Christ Jesus because God put us in Him. (Ephesians 1:4-6) When we exercised our faith in Jesus, He became for us “wisdom from God,” and righteousness from God, and sanctification from God, and redemption from God. Therefore, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” In other words, as Christian believers, we have no reason to glory or boast because of any accomplishment of our own making or achievement of our own doing. If we are wise, if we are righteous, if we are sanctified, and if we are redeemed, it is because God chose to place us in Christ Jesus! Our salvation (justification, sanctification, and glorification) was, is, and will be the result of our sovereign God’s choosing. Now, this does not mean that the human will is not involved in the process. God’s will was to provide the Way for our salvation from sin. Our responsibility is to repent from our sins and trust and obey the gospel. When our wills line up with God’s will, then His will is done in us, to us, and through us, on earth as it is in Heaven!

“God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) And, “It is God’s will that you be sanctified.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) Still, if we are sanctified, there is no reason for us to boast because “no flesh shall glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) and “our righteousness apart from the gift of His righteousness is as filthy rags!” (Isaiah 64:6) Also, any crown or position of authority that we might attain to now or in the future kingdom of God that is to come, will be attained to “by grace through faith.” This, of course, is why the twenty-four elders who stand before the throne of God are seen casting their crowns at Jesus’ feet instead of parading them around on their heads in a perverse display of spiritual pride! (Revelation 4:10) Any righteousness that might be attributed to us is a direct result of God having predestinated us to be in relationship with Him, and because of that relationship with the righteous One, we can now choose to remain in fellowship with Him instead of living in, or returning to our sins.

At the end of the day, it is all about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and God’s efforts to save us! The only alternative for us apart from Christ’s righteousness imputed and imparted to us through faith, resulting in a relationship with Him, and an opportunity to continue in fellowship with Him, is self-righteous religion or unrighteous rebellion, which in reality are two sides of the same coin! Both of these depraved human conditions are completely unacceptable to God. It is interesting to note that the body of fallen humanity instrumental in crucifying the Lord of glory came under both these two categories; the self-righteous legalistic religious, and the unrighteous rebellious, or, if you will, those who seek license and give license to sin.

The “works of faith” that we might perform as Christian believers are a direct result of His faithfulness to “perfect that which concerns us,” (Psalm 138:8) and to “complete the work that He began.” (Philippians 1:6) After all, “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that God ordained before hand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Even our choosing to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,” by yielding to the directives of the doctrine of Christ and the blessed Holy Spirit, is a direct result of His grace, which is “the divine influence upon our hearts and its reflection in our lives.” (Philippians 2:12-13) It is by God’s grace through faith alone that we choose to do righteousness and choose to resist the temptation to do evil. This does not mean that we cannot resist God’s will or “receive His grace in vain;” the scriptures clearly point out that potentially we can. (2 Corinthians 6:1) Therefore, it would do us all well to remember the following quotations: “Temptation resisted is the mark of true character,” and “After everything is said and done, there’s a lot more said than done.” And let’s not forget the exhortation of Paul, “Be careful if you think you stand, lest you fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

We are all self-centered and self-seeking to one degree or another because of Adam’s transgression and because of our own choices to continue in sin instead of “believing in,” “receiving,” and “remaining in Christ.” God’s desire for sinful human beings is for them to begin the process of becoming Christ centered instead of self-centered through being born again, or, if you will, by believing in and receiving God’s grace in the Person of His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:12-13) This is accomplished through “repentance from works that lead to death and faith towards God,” baptism in water in the name of Jesus, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 6:1-2) Now after our initiation into Christ, the sublime and supreme mission or, if you will, the highest calling and goal in this life as believers in Christ, disciples of Christ, and saints of God is to continue in the process of becoming as Christ centered as possible through “growing in the grace” we have received. (2 Peter 3:18) This is accomplished through yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit and conforming ourselves to the teachings and instructions found in the Holy Scriptures. (Romans 8:14) It is through these disciplines of spirit, soul, and body that we are to “be transformed through the renewing of our minds that we might prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2) All of this is what Paul called “pressing for the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 3:14) Nevertheless, even our “pressing for the mark” is an out working of His grace. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples where Jesus warned his disciples against spiritual pride and how to avoid it.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If any man remains in Me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table, and will not rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink?’ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not.  Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’” Luke 17:7-10

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14


"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:1-5


Earlier in this teaching I mentioned the twenty-four elders casting their crowns before the Lord’s throne. Let’s take a look at five crowns or rewards for righteous works of faith mentioned in the Bible that we as Christian believers can receive by grace through faith. They are the following:

The Crown of Life: Given to all who endure temptation and are faithful through trials. This crown is also given to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

The Crown of Righteousness: Given to all who keep the faith and long for and love His return. (2 Timothy 4:8)

The Crown of Rejoicing: Given to all who have helped bring others to Christ. (1Thessalonians 2:19)

The Crown of Glory: Given to all who serve and shepherd God’s people. (1 Peter 5:1- 4)

The Imperishable Crown: Given to those who have exercised self-control in all things and subdued their sin nature. (1 Corinthians 9:25)

So, we see that it is entirely possible for Christian believers to “practice righteous works of faith” without “spiritual pride” and receive “crowns” for our behavior. Why? Because, “Of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”