Bible Discussion Thread

Ouestion. Please explain the corruptible crown or is it called the incorruptible?

Hello Bplumley. We read about this in 1 Corinthians 9:24,25: "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible."

As you've read the chapter, the Apostle Paul wrote about how specific his ministry was to both Jew & Gentile - that he was doing everything possible to evangelize them & win them to Christ (v22: "...that I might by all means save some).

Then he encourages the Corinthian believers to also do likewise: 'to run the race (the race of living the Life of Christ in them & in service to Him), so that they might win the prize.' Here, Paul alludes to the Corinthian/Isthmian games which his readers would have been familiar with. The athletes had only one thing on their minds: to gain the coveted prize (the crown of special leaves placed on the head or neck, garlanding the winner). But how long did the wreath last for? In a few days, the leaves dried & withered, and in a few months or years, the winner's name might also be forgotten. This Paul called the 'corruptible crown'. Even though the athletes maintained a heavy regimen of training throughout the year in preparation, they did it all for a momentary period of glory & recognition.

For Paul though, and for the believer, our crown (the incorruptible crown), is that which is given by the Lord Himself to His children who have struggled & won the battle against the onslaughts of our enemy, Satan. Paul said "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection...", which means that he exercised great discipline in his Christian walk & singular focus on his calling to evangelize. This he willingly did, knowing that his reward lay with Jesus, a crown incorruptible, and not like what man might gain on Earth.

For the crowns (or, recognition) mentioned, see: 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; James 1:12.

Anything that doesn't have eternal value is corrupted. Anything that has been touched by sin has been corrupted. All mankind can achieve a crown as a reward of his doings but with no eternal value. Corruption carries a death sentence with a rot that will corrupt what it comes in contact with. Just as in Adam all have sinned and have been corrupted through the deceit of self-righteousness (pride) as their crown of glory. Only "in Christ" is incorruption found and honored as pleasing as voice by God himself ( Matthew 3:17). Christ alone is God's only means of righteous standing before Him as Holy and acceptable, therefore without the "crown" of Christ righteousness you have no righteousness of your own to be in the presence of the only Holy Righteous God. You must understand simple terminology laid out in the KJV bible which many times is lost or left out in other versions such as "in", "of". Example: we are saved and live by faith "in" Christ, but we are to walk by the faith "of" Christ (Rom.3:22, Gal.2:16, Phil.3:9). Remember small words can carry a lot of meaning. Rightly dividing the Word of Truth must be an essential in understanding (2Tim.2:15 and this verse you find changed in other versions) the Bible. In short, the crown is your reward of life, and all will receive a crown; the unrighteous (in Adam as the lost) to everlasting destruction (resulting in hell and separation from God b/c of rejecting Christ for salvation) and the righteous (as the saved and sanctified in Christ) unto Eternal life (with God).