“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one
may take your crown.” Revelation 3:11
The last part of Revelation 3:11 is one of the most sobering sentences in the New Testament. It is linked to the rapture of the church, to the Lord’s great love in keeping His church from the Tribulation and to the impact that the Lord’s great love should have on believers. The Lord’s imminent return is the reason the Lord told His church at Philadelphia to grasp onto, to seize and not let go. But what else are they to hold onto?
What you have The Lord tells this small insignificant church they have something of great value they should not lose. The highest value, of course is their relationship with the Lord through their salvation. They are to hold fast to spreading the word of the Gospel throughout the area in which they live. They should hold fast to their faithfulness in witnessing and serving the Lord for that is highly pleasing to God. The chief end of man is to glorify God which this church is doing by bearing much fruit for Him and that fruitfulness results in great treasure in heaven.
That no one The Lord then shares a warning that echoes across the church age to every believer. Treasure in heaven is not assured, it can be lost or stolen. The words no man can be translated nothing. It means any person, thing, action or sin. In other words anything that becomes a higher priority than serving the Lord is a great danger to losing the treasure a believer has in heaven.
May take your crown What is the danger the believer faces? The Lord is clear. The treasure that the Lord planned for us to earn in this life can be lost or taken. The reward the Lord wanted for us can be taken by wasted time, lethargy or love of something other than Jesus. This is a clear and present danger. The Greek word take can be translated “receive”. The reward the Lord designed for us to receive can be received by someone else because they were diligent to do what God intended us to do.
What can we learn? This is an unbelievably humbling passage but it is God’s truth and must be taught. Paul tells us what happens at the Bema Seat where our actions for the Lord are tested by fire. Everything a believer does falls into one of two categories. Some works are precious stone which survive the test by fire and are rewarded by the Lord with crowns. A second area of work is illustrated by wood, hay or stubble. Paul tells us this second category will be “burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved.” In other words the believer suffers a great loss of reward. (Note Paul makes it clear the loss is not salvation – it is loss of reward for faithful service.) The Lord tells us the rewards we could have received may be given to another because of unfaithfulness. “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” (Matthew 25:28-29). Paul tells us we can lose our rewards by a lack of self-discipline. “I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Finally, John confirms that we can gain rewards but lose them due to neglect. “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.” (2 John 8)
Scripture tells us after the millennium is over God will wipe away our tears. If those tears are due to unfaithfulness to serve the Lord and a loss of reward, that is a long time to grieve over our failure to be faithful servants. Endure!