For What We Have Done

The book of Revelation tells us about the last days before the return of Christ and beyond. The book is written to the church. It begins with letters to the complete church (seven letters). Five of the seven are chastised for wrongdoing and they are told to repent or face the judgment of God.

 

Then, we have the proclamations of those judgments, the beast rising and conquering nations and peoples, and the saints of God being persecuted. At the end of this time of tribulation, the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire and the dragon (Satan) is bound for a thousand years.

 

When the thousand years have ended, the dragon is released for a short time before he is also thrown into the lake of fire. Anyone whose name is not found written in God’s book of life is also thrown into the lake of fire.

 

Then we have a new heaven and a new earth, and the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. Here there will be no more pain, no more death, and no more crying, for the former things have passed away, and the Lord has made all things new. God is now the temple. And, nothing unclean will ever enter this city.

 

The Time is Near

Revelation 22:10-13 ESV

 

“And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.’

 

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

 

In these last days we have both wicked and righteous people; people who deny Jesus Christ by their lifestyles, or who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and those who honor Christ as Lord of their lives.

 

Although we can proclaim the truth of the gospel of Christ to all who will listen, not everyone is going to accept the truth of the gospel into their lives. So, they will continue living in sin, many of whom do profess faith in Christ, but whose faith is false because it is based on a lie, not on the truth.

 

This is not granting permission for the evildoer to continue in his evil, but it acknowledges the reality that evil will continue to exist until Jesus judges the world and he casts all who practice evil into the lake of fire. And, it is an encouragement to the righteous to continue to do what is right.

 

And, we have the proclamation that Jesus is coming soon, and when he does, he will repay everyone for what he has done, not for what he professed. And, we need to get this big time! For, the Scriptures do not teach that we will be saved on the basis of a confession of faith only.

 

They teach that our faith in Jesus Christ is evidenced by what we do, by our obedience to Christ, and that if we do not walk in obedience to our Lord, but we continue to walk in darkness, living in sin, we will not have eternal life with God, but a fearful expectation of judgment and eternal damnation.

 

[Lu 9:23-26; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Rom 2:6-8; 2 Co 5:10]

 

Who Wash Their Robes

Revelation 22:14-15 ESV

 

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

 

So, this is saying that we need to believe in Jesus Christ, and that the evidence that our belief is genuine is that we have died with Christ to sin, that we are living to Christ and to his righteousness, and that daily we are dying to sin and living for the Lord (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17).

 

It is also saying that if we continue living in sin, making sin our practice, we will not have the hope of eternal life with God. We will be on the outside of the city of God, not on the inside. So, if you are being told that you can be saved and that heaven is guaranteed you, but you can continue living in sin, you are believing a lie (See: Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6).

 

The One Who is Thirsty, Come

Revelation 22:16-17, 20 ESV

 

“’I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’

 

“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

 

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

 

The invitation here is not merely to confess Jesus as Lord or to proclaim that you believe God raised him from the dead. Even the demons believe, and they shudder, and they are not saved.

 

True faith in Jesus Christ, which is God-given, results in genuine change of heart, of mind, of attitude and of behaviors. For we must die with Christ to sin that we might live to Christ and to his righteousness. For, if we continue walking in sin, we do not have eternal life with God.

 

But, if we repent of our sins, and if we turn to God/Christ to walk in obedience to his commands, and we walk according to the Spirit and we no longer walk according to the flesh, then we have salvation from sin and eternal life with God (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6).

 

Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet

 

Frances J Crosby, 1880

William H. Doane, 1876

 

“Though your sins be as scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they be red like crimson,

They shall be as wool!”

“Though your sins be as scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow.”

 

Hear the voice that entreats you,

Oh, return ye unto God!

He is of great compassion,

And of wondrous love;

Hear the voice that entreats you,

Oh, return ye unto God!

 

He’ll forgive your transgressions,

And remember them no more;

“Look unto Me, ye people,”

Saith the Lord your God!

He’ll forgive your transgressions,

And remember them no more.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FDaARQ-Rnk

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