“Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”” Rev. 3:11

Many are trying to get the crown of life, which God is offering so freely. But they are not holding on to it fast and eventually they lose their hold on it and perish.

In the time of Noah only eight persons were holding on to their crown and were saved from the flood.

This has been the experience among God’s people since the beginning.

In the 1844 experience only one in 1000 were holding on after the disappointment. In 1914 only a small remnant were holding on to their crown in the time of the war. As a mountain climber is holding on to a rope, which is anchored to the rock, so we are to hold on to the truth, which is Jesus Christ.

To let go would mean death in both cases. In order to hold on to our crown, we must be faithful unto death. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Rev. 2:10. Yet many people let go of the truth long before they are tested with death. It was shown to Sister White in a vision, “The shaking of God blows away multitudes like dry leaves. Prosperity multiplies a mass of professors. Adversity purges them out of the church.” T. Vol. 4 p. 89

“Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be born away on the wind, even from the places where we see only floors of rich wheat.” T. Vol. 5 p. 81

Satan is offering to the Christian something that looks more attractive to many of them than the crown of life that Jesus is offering. Let us take a look at some of the attractions that Satan is offering to us with the same results as the forbidden fruit to Adam and Eve.

LOVE OF MONEY

Sister White was shown a vision of two crowns. “I saw an arm reached down from heaven, holding a golden scepter. On the top of the scepter was a crown studded with diamonds. Every diamond emitted light, bright, clear, and beautiful. Inscribed upon the crown were these words: ‘All who win me are happy, and shall have everlasting life’.

“Below this crown was another scepter, and upon this also was placed a crown, in the center of which were jewels, gold, and silver, reflecting light. The inscription upon the crown was: ‘Earthly treasure. Riches is power. All who win me have honor and fame.’ I saw a vast multitude rushing forward to obtain this crown. They were clamorous.

Some in their eagerness seemed bereft of reason…
“Many who sought this earthly crown were professed Christians. Some of them seemed to have little light. They would look wistfully upon the heavenly crown and would often seem charmed with its beauty, yet they had no true sense of its value and glory. While with one hand they were reaching forth longingly for the heavenly, with the other they reached eagerly for the earthly, determined to possess that’ and in their earnest pursuit for the earthly, they lost sight of the heavenly. They were left in darkness…. Some, I saw, who profess to be the followers of Jesus, are so ambitious to obtain earthly treasures that they lose their love for heaven, act like the world, and are accounted of God as of the world.

They profess to be seeking an immortal crown, a treasure in the heaven: but their interest and principal study is to acquire earthly treasures. Those who have their treasures in this world, and love their riches, cannot love Jesus.” T. Vol. 1 pg 347-350

Jesus said, “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” Many try but fail of the eternal treasure. Satan has blinded their eyes that the earthly treasure seems so important and desirable that they lose sight of the heavenly.

Once they realize their mistake it may be too late. “In that day a man shall cast his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats.” Isa. 2:20.

APPETITE

Many have lost their crowns for uncontrolled appetite. As Paul writes, that their belly is their god.
“It was through temptations addressed toappetite that Satan had overcome a large proportion of the human race… He (Christ) knew that appetite would be man’s idol, and would lead him to forget God, and would stand directly in the way of his salvation.” TE 20.

By indulged appetite, millions have lost their salvation.
“All this weight of woe and accumulated suffering can be traced to the indulgence of appetite and passion… Sins of the greatest magnitude are committed through the indulgence of perverted appetite.” 4T 30.

Only by fasting and prayer can we overcome this sin. Health Reform means more than being just a vegetarian. Several books by the Spirit of Prophecy are available on this subject. It is important for our salvation to study them carefully and put this knowledge into practice.

AMUSEMENT

Worldly amusements have blinded many that they cannot see the heavenly crown anymore. They are hypnotized by Satan. Time and money are wasted, the mind polluted and the morals corrupted by the entertainment that Satan has inspired.

“The love of pleasure is one of the most dangerous, because it is one of the most subtle, of many temptations that assail the children and youth in the cities.” MYP 400.

“Those who learn to love amusement for its own sake open the door to a flood of temptations.” COL 54.
“Many are eagerly participating in worldly, demoralizing amusements which God’s word forbids. Thus they sever their connection with God and rank themselves with the pleasure lovers of the world.” 5T 218.

Satan knows the influence of the worldly entertainment, therefore he has brought to the homes televisions, videos, movies and lately, the Internet. By looking and hearing, the desire is aroused and the result is sin. The mind and conscience are benumbed. The difference between right and wrong is not clear anymore. Sister White writes that the result of worldly amusement is always mental depression. (CH627).

Also, the Apostle Paul writes to us that we are changed by beholding. If we are beholding sin and vanity we will not be changed by it to the image of Christ. The Prophet Isaiah gives us a clear counsel.

“He that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high.” Isa. 33:15-16.

How much better it is to spend the hour in prayer and Bible study instead of watching television.

MEETINGS

Some do not see the importance of the church meetings. For any even small reason they choose to remain home. This may cost them their crown of life.

“It is a serious mistake to neglect the public worship of God. The privileges of divine service should not be lightly regarded.” MH 511.

“Some have failed to see the real importance, not only of attending religious meetings, but also of bearing testimony for Christ and the truth. If these brethren do not obtain spiritual strength by the faithful performance of every Christian duty, thus coming infc a closer and more sacred relation to their Redeemer, they will become weak in moral power. They will surely wither spiritually unless they change their course in this respect.” 4T 539.

Let us make a reformation also in this respect, and be also on time. Tardiness shows disrespect to God. Proper clothing for church service should be carefully planned because we are not coming in the presence of a worldly monarch but in the presence of the Almighty God.

Many other deceptions of Satan can be added to this list. All these can take away from us the crown of life. We need to take the counsel of Paul to be rooted and grounded in love to Christ. We must dig deep and lay a solid foundation upon the Rock, Jesus or our religion is in vain.

Many professed Sabbath-keepers will be lost in the end by not holding fast to their crown. Break the connection to the world and take hold of the crown of life with both hands. Put all your strength, body, soul and spirit into the battle and the crown of life will be yours for eternity.
AMEN.

Timo Martin