And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.~ Revelation 2:8-10

Everything that Jesus says to the church of Smyrna is important, but I want to draw your attention to his instructions to them to be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. We then have the interpretation of what Jesus means by that saying in the very next verse, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.~ Revelation 2:8-10

Remaining faithful to Jesus even as they faced death, would be the ultimate test of their faith in Jesus. Remaining faithful meant they were overcomers and would not be hurt by the second death. 

So what is the second death? The book of the Revelation tells us exactly what it is.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ~ Revelation 20:14

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. ~ Revelations 21:8

Continuing in faithfulness to Jesus is what insured the Smyrna believers that they would not be hurt by the second death. And we are explicitly told that this same truth applies to us who believe today by the words, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Jesus’s instructions to the church at Smyrna is something we all need to heed because we must be faithful to the end to receive a crown of life. The scriptures reveal that our faith will be tested and it is the faith that has been tried that brings honor and glory to God.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. ~ 1 Peter 1:7-9

It is the end of our faith, not the beginning that assures that we will be with Christ forever. This is why those who receive Christ need to be discipled and grow daily in their faith in Jesus. A faith you possessed when you were 15 years old will not benefit you when you are 50 if you have rejected the Christ that you once believed and trusted.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul writes, But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. ~ 2 Timothy 4:5-8

Notice that Paul explicitly states, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.

There is no text anywhere that tells us that we will receive a crown of righteousness by simply believing in Jesus at one point in our life. We must live by faith, and keep the faith. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. ~ Hebrews 10:38

Do we hear what the Spirit says to the church of Smyrna?  Do we truly understand how important it is to remain faithful to Jesus? Saving faith is not a one time believing experience. Saving faith is faith that overcomes by faithfulness to Jesus. It is the faith that endures to the end. Those who possess this faith will not be hurt by the second death.

If you have come upon this article, and you once knew the Lord, but you have not kept the faith, now is the time to repent and pray for God’s forgiveness. God is faithful and he will forgive and establish you again if you will trust him, but you must follow Jesus and remain faithful to him to receive the crown of life.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ~ Isaiah 55:6-7