4:6-8 What is Paul saying here?
4:6-8 What is Paul saying here?
Paul is speaking of his impending death here - he would soon be martyred. God's purpose for his life had now been fulfilled and his death would be his final sacrificial offering of himself to God (CP Ac 9:15-16; 2Cor 1:8-9; 4:10-12; Php 1:20-21; 2:16-17; 3:7-11). In 2Ti 4:6-8
Paul saw his life as complete - he had been able to accomplish all that the Lord had called him to do and now he was ready to die (CP V7-8 with 1Cor 9:24-25; Php 3:13-14).
Every true Christian will receive a crown of righteousness, which is also called a crown of life and a crown of glory in scripture (CP Jas 1:12 and Rev 2:10 with 1Pe 5:4).
These are not three different crowns as many Christians believe, but three facets of the same thing.
The word crown is used figuratively as a symbol of the reward of eternal life (CP 1Cor 9:25; Rev 3:11).
At that day refers to the time of Jesus' coming again to take all the saints of God back to heaven with Him at the first resurrection (CP Jn 5:29; 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58; 1Th 4:8-13).