“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10b
Though we are saved entirely by God’s grace and mercy toward us for Christ’s sake (cf. Eph. 2:8-10), we are commanded to remain faithful to Christ — even until death — and He promises us a crown of life.
Though there are many examples of believers who held tightly to Christ, even in the face of death, one of the most beautiful professions of such faith is that of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (better known to us as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego).
When commanded, at the sound of music, to fall down and worship the golden image set up by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, or be cast into a burning, fiery furnace, they answered in this way (Daniel 3:17-18): “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
They knew they were to worship the LORD God and serve Him alone (cf. Ex. 20:3-6; Deut. 6:13-15; 13:4), and they were confident that the LORD God could and would deliver them from the fiery death Nebuchadnezzar decreed for them, but even if God let them burn to death in the flames, they were not willing to compromise their faith in the true God and worship the false gods of Babylon.
When we read the rest of the historical account in Daniel 3, we see God intervened and delivered them from the fiery flames, even though the furnace was so hot that the men who had to throw them into the flames died. Then, King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the power of the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego.
According to church history, Polycarp, a pastor and overseer of the church in Smyrna, the church to whom Revelation 2:8-11 was addressed, also held fast to his faith in Christ Jesus in the face of persecution. Rather than compromise his faith and join in offering incense to Ceasar, he was burned alive for his faith, being faithful to Christ unto death and receiving the crown of life.
But what about us? Jesus commands us to be faithful unto death and not compromise His doctrine or our faith in Him, even unto death (cf. Mark 8:34-38). Do we hold fast to Christ and His doctrine in the face of criticism and ridicule? What if it means losing our job, our property, or even our lives? Are we willing to stand up to church leaders or government officials and obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)? God is able and may deliver us, but what if suffering or even a martyr’s death is in God’s plan for you or for me? (Cf. 2 Tim. 3:12; John 16:1-3.)
Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego earn a place in heaven for their faithfulness? Not at all! Heaven is for them God’s gift of grace in Messiah Jesus — because He suffered and died for their sins and rose again in victory over sin, death and the devil. But had they denied Christ and compromised their faith, they stood to lose everything.
Can we earn heaven by faithfulness? Not at all! Heaven is God’s gracious gift to us in Christ Jesus, too! But if we deny Christ and abandon His Word, we too stand to lose all because there is not “salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Dear Lord Jesus, keep us faithful to You until death, for You are our eternal hope and salvation. Amen.
[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]