“The Future: The Crown, with Which He Will Be Rewarded” (2 Timothy 4:8)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/31/2025 9:40 AM

My Worship Time               Focus: “The Future: The Crown, with Which He Will Be Rewarded”  

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                     Reference:  2 Timothy 4:8

Message of the verse: “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. (4:8)

            This section is the last section in MacArthur’s commentary for this chapter.  In this chapter there are not really a lot of words that Paul wrote to Timothy, but each verse is full of wonderful things for the reader to learn.  In the last section which was on 4:7 it took seven days to go over that one little verse, little in words, but full of meaning, and perhaps this one will take that long too.  I have mentioned that John MacArthur’s commentaries are very long, and very deep with meaning, and that is why I like reading from his commentaries on the wonderful Word of God.  I am still saddened that he is gone from planet earth, never to preach in the church he pastured for over 50 years, but at the same time I am happy to know that he is with His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in heaven, and perhaps one of the first things he did was have a conversation with the Apostle Paul, the man who he truly loved while here on planet earth.

            MacArthur begins by talking about the Greek word that is translated in the future.  “Loipos, translated in the future, refers generally to what remains, that which is left to come.  What yet remained for Paul, after the past and present were finished, would be by far the most glorious part of his life in Christ.”  Now as I just wrote about how MacArthur loved Paul and is now in the presence of the Lord what he had just written about Paul’s end, he is not exercising now too.

            Paul knew where he would be going once he died, for one thing he had already been there and was not allowed to talk about any of the details of that visit to heaven, but he knew what it would be like.  He was certain as he had the Spirit-inspired assurance that in the future there [was] laid up for [him] the crown of righteousness. After he had fought the good fight, finished the course, and also kept the faith, he would be given the victor’s reward.”  Now what I am about to write is something that I have been thinking about for a while, and that is how believers will win the rewards that Paul is writing about in this section, a reward that he knew he would receive.  When would Paul receive this reward?  Well as one reads about what will happen in what the Bible calls the “end times” they will learn that once the rapture of the church happens, and that happens at the end of the church age, as that will actually end the church age, that all believers in the church age will receive their new heavenly bodies, those alive who are raptured will receive theirs on the way up to the clouds where Christ will be there.  Then I believe He will take his “bride” those in the church age, to heaven where we will be with the Lord forever, however back on planet earth the “tribulation” will be going on, and this is written about in Matthew 24-25, along with Mark 13 and also in Luke 21, however in Revelation 6-19 gives the most detailed look at what will be going on during the tribulation period.  Now as mentioned the church will be there in heaven and one of the things that we will experience is the receiving of rewards at the “Judgment Seat of Christ.”  Now how do we receive those rewards?  Well it is my belief, and I believe that the Bible backs this up that in eternity past before there was an earth, angels, or mankind as only the trinity was there, that God chose those who would be with Him in heaven, and I know that some have a problem with this and the reason is that they believe that God chose others to be in hell, but that is not the case at all.  God knows all things, and if He didn’t He would not be God, and we as believers do not know everything that God knows, and never will because we are not God.  Now read this verse that has always helped me to understand more about God:  “"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”  This verse was written by Moses, and it is Deuteronomy 29:29. Now one of those things that are secret is what I have been writing about, and so what I do is believe what the Bible teaches and not be concerned with what I don’t understand, for they are The secret things belong to the LORD our God.

            Now what I do know is that at the end of the Church age, ended by the rapture of the church, that all who have been born-again through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will go to meet Christ in the air, and then go to heaven for the seven years of the tribulation period, and then according to Revelation 19 will return with Him and then shortly after that the Millennial Kingdom will begin and last for 1000 years, and then after that the earth will be completely destroyed along with all planets that God created.  In heaven there will be another judgment, and this judgment is only for believers, “The Great White Throne Judgment” is what it is called.  Only unbelievers will be there, and after that they will all be sentenced to hell.  I believe that each person will have the opportunity to say what he or she has done while on planet earth, but to no avail.  After that even heaven will be destroyed and there will then be a new heaven and a new earth and a New Jerusalem where believers of all ages will be with the Lord forever serving Him, and worshiping Him.  And for certain no one will be bored.

            Sometimes lately I get to writing about the end times and kind of go off scrip of the verses that I am looking at, but I believe that is a good thing, as I believe we are getting very close to the rapture of the church, something I greatly look forward to.

Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today:  I like Paul am looking forward to what will be my experience in heaven.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust the Lord to continue to give me the ability to write my Spiritual Diaries each day, and that the Lord will use them for His glory as people around the world are reading them.  It is my desire that souls will be saved and believers will grow as they read these Spiritual Diaries.

7/31/2025 10:25 AM