Revelation 22:19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
It’s the last curse in the Bible and one that should make us all cautious. When I first read it decades ago in the old King James version, it terrified me. I realized that I had been taking away from God’s Word with my lifestyle choices and that put me under His awful judgment. Even today, when I re-read that verse, it sent shivers down my spine.Far too often, we think that we can do our own thing, go our own way, and that God will turn a blind eye, accept us warts and all, and just make everything good in the end. Anyone who believes that has not read the Bible or taken their faith seriously. We live in a sinful time where people make up their own beliefs and genuinely think that the Bible reflects their thinking. We fatally forget that the Bible reflects God’s thinking and not our own.
My main duty as a teaching elder is to teach the truth, even when and where that truth is not popular, unacceptable, and uncomfortable. I could make it easy for myself and pander to the people by preaching what they want to hear, but that would be living a lie. I am no saint and, like John Newton, I consider myself to be the worst of all sinners, but my sinful ways do not change God’s Holy Words. I will never reach His perfect standards, but I am willing to be challenged, to change, and to try.
We all need to seriously reflect upon today’s Bible reading from Revelation ( Revelation 22:14-21). If we ignore it, we will end up without God in eternity. That may seem like a far off distant future, but let’s bring it home and close to the bone: if we were to die today, would we go to heaven? If we truly answered “No,” then what’s stopping us and what do we seriously need to change?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your Words cut right through us at times and we are challenged once again by God’s Holy ways. We want to go to heaven; we want to be saved by Your grace. Whatever is holding us back or whatever is topping us from obtaining salvation, tear it from our lives. Help us, Lord Jesus, to completely give over our lives and hearts to You alone. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is an Easter drawing of mine called “Son Down.” If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4442496002_fab6cfb6ac_b.jpg
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