Any one can readily see, by turning to the word "crown" in a critical or analytical Bible Concordance, that there are two words so translated in the New Testament. One is literally "diadem," and refers to the regal circlet worn by a king or emperor. This is the word used in Rev. 12, 13 and 19. In the first instance the Great Red Dragon, "that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan," is seen wearing seven diadems. He is the prince of this world. Then we see the wild-beast of chapter 13-the coming prince of Dan. 9-wearing ten diadems. This is Satan's Man, who will some day arise and will accept the offer that our blessed Lord indignantly spurned when shown all the kingdoms of earth and promised their rulership if He would worship the Adversary. In chapter 19 the descending Lord Himself comes to take the kingdom, and "upon His head are many diadems." He is to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The other word-"stephanos," from which the name "Stephen" comes-is, literally, a victor's wreath. It refers to the chaplet of laurel or other leaves placed upon the brow of the triumphant athlete in the games of old, or the golden band worn upon the head of the victorious general as he marched in triumph through the city amid the plaudits of the people. Subject kings wore a crown of this character in contrast to the imperial diadem. When the soldiery mocked Jesus they put upon Him a crown-or, Stephanos-of thorns, the fruit of the curse. Yet He was indeed the Victor, even in the hour of His apparent defeat, and He is now "crowned with glory and honor," as He sits at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens.

"His be the Victor's Name
Who fought the fight alone,
Triumphant saints no honor claim,
His conquest was their own.

By weakness and defeat
He won the meed and crown,
Trod all our foes beneath His feet
By being trodden down."

And He, the Overcomer whom the Father Himself has crowned, is the Judge of the contests in which His saints are engaged, and will in due time sit upon the Bema-the judgment-seat-and give to the overcomers the crowns they have won in the conflict with sin. We have a list of the heroes of faith who have fought and overcome in Heb. 11, and in chapter 12 we read, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us law aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (vers. 1, 2).

"Bless, bless the Conqueror slain;
Slain in His victory;
He lived, He died, He lives again,
For thee, His Church, for thee."
We likewise are running a race and for us as for Him there is a crown at the end. It is of this the apostle Paul writes when he speaks of

"AN INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN,"

in 1 Cor. 9:24. He has been speaking of service-of his own call to preach the gospel-of the importance of faithfully fulfilling his ministry; and then he uses the striking illustration of these closing verses. "Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." It is not salvation of which he speaks. We do not obtain the gift of God-eternal life-by diligence, or by "running." "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Rom. 9:16).

But we are, as Christians, running a race-we are contending in the arena-and for the victors there are fairer crowns than ever were bestowed on the winners in the Olympic games or on the battle-fields of earth. Let us then see to it that we so run that we may obtain the reward.

In the next verse he goes on to remind them that "every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." The youth who would win the race is careful to subdue his natural appetites, to "train down" to the proper weight, to hold himself in check lest by self-indulgence on any line he unfit himself for the contest. "Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible." In a few hours the laurel wreath will fade or the metallic circle tarnish and corrode. We are striving for an imperishable prize, a crown that is incorruptible.

All believers who die will be raised in the first resurrection to incorruptibility (as 1 Cor. 15 assures us), but the incorruptible crown is the prize for faithfully running the Christian race. It is the Master's "Well Done!" at the end of the course.

With such a reward in view, what an incentive do I have for holy living – for self-denying devotion to Christ. Into this Paul himself fully entered. He says; "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." This last word is the negative form of the word that means "approved." It means therefore "disapproved," or "rejected."

The apostle covets above all else the Lord's approval. He would receive the victor's incorruptible wreath at the hands of Him who once wore the crown of thorns. With this in view he will not permit the body to be master. He will hold its tendencies in check that he may not by any possibility bring dishonor on his Lord's name through any carnal indulgence, and so miss His approbation at last.

How many a one has preached to others who has been set aside as a servant and-in some instances-proves utterly unworthy even to bear the name of Christian because he has not held his body under but has given way to fleshly lusts and passions which war against the soul.

To preach well is but to increase one's condemnation if one does not live well. Like the clean beasts of old, mouth and foot must agree, speech and walk must both be according to godliness, if one would win the crown.

The race may seem long, and the way rough and difficult, but the reward is sure for him who keeps his eye on Christ and follows on in the footprints He has left on the wilderness road. To save one's life is to lose it. To lose it now for His name's sake is to keep it unto life eternal, and thus to win the incorruptible crown. H. A. Ironside