CHRIST looked to return to the glory He had left from the path of humiliation down here: the reward for it would be glory as a crown. This applies to us: when we see Him, we shall be like Him. The highest and most blessed thing is to be with Him in the Father’s house; this will be infinite, unspeakable joy; but there will also be the crowning with glory and honor. Paul speaks of this: “The crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day, and not to me only, but also to all them that love his appearing.” But his brightest hope was to win Christ. As the reward of walking with Him in communion, there will be joy in His presence; as the reward for faithful walk, it will be the place in glory.
He will come to set everything to rights in power; “judgment will return to righteousness, and all the meek of the earth shall,” &c. That has never been known yet. When Christ comes in power, judgment and righteousness will go together. Power will be given to the Judge, who will act in righteousness. Is that all I am looking for? No; I am going up to meet the Lord in the air; the hope is founded on righteousness of course, but I am not looking to be justified. What the church gets in the rapture is (as Christ was raised up by the “glory of the Father,” and so taken up into His presence), we shall have the blessed joy of being with Him forever. (1 Thess. 4). No getting righteousness is there; the best thing is looking out for Himself―to see Him as He is―to be ever with the Lord. When responsibility is spoken of, it is always connected with the appearing; there is the crown, the principle of integrity and faithfulness owned (Psa. 17), connected with the life down here. When speaking of going to be with Christ—the rapture, all go tether to enjoy the grace and presence of Him who has done it all. It is very important to lay hold by faith of the truth of the rapture to Christ of the church of God.
Receiving crowns differing each from each is one thing; but all going together is another thing, all alike being associated in His own blessedness, as He said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.”