These are variously put with a rich variety. Paul speaks, as you remember, of the crown of righteousness,' by which he means to imply that on impure brows it can never sit, and that, if it could, it would be there a crown of poisoned thorns. None but the righteous can wear it. That is the first and prime indispensable condition. But then there are others stated in the other passages to which we have referred. The wrestler must strive lawfully,' according to the rules of the arena, if he is to be crowned. The man that is tried must endure his temptation,' and come out of it proved' thereby, as gold is tried by the fire The martyr must be willing to die, if need be. For fidelity to his Master. We must' hold fast that which we have' if we are ever to win that which, as yet, we have not, even the crown that ought to be ours, and so is by anticipation called ours.
But two of the passages to which I have referred add yet another kind of condition and requirement. Paul says,' Not to me only, but to all them also that love His appearing'; and James here says that the man who is tried will receive the crown which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.' So it is not difficult to make out the sequence of these several conditions. Fundamental to all is love to Jesus Christ. That is the beginning of everything. Then, built upon that, for His dear sake, the manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before, fidelity, if need be, unto death, and a grim tenacity of grasp of the truth and the blessings already bestowed. These things are needed. And then as the result of the love that grasps Christ with hooks of flesh, which are stronger than hooks of steel, and will not let Him go, and as the result of the efforts and struggles and discipline which flow from that love to Him, there must be a righteousness which conforms to His image and is the gift of His indwelling Spirit. These are the conditions on which the crown may be ours.
Such righteousness may be imperfect here upon earth, and when we look upon ourselves we may feel as if there were nothing in us that deserves, or that even can bear, the crown to be laid upon our brows. But if the process have been begun here by love and struggling, and reception of His grace, death will perfect it. But death will not begin it if it have not been commenced in life. We may hope that if we have our faces set towards the Lord, and our poor imperfect steps have been stumbling towards Him through all the confusions and mists of flesh and sense, our course will be wonderfully straightened and accelerated when we shuffle off this mortal coil.' But there is no sanctifying in death for a man who is not a Christian whilst he lives, and the crown will only come to those whose righteousness began with repentance, and was made complete by passing through the dark valley of death.
