Most Blessed of All / The greatest curse:: Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may
have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the
city.15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers
and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. New versions (NASB, NIV,
ESV) have a different rendering. It goes, “Blessed are they who wash their
robes…” If you consider this with some understanding, the two renderings
resolve into the same thing, because John also writes: “And this is His
commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and
love one another, as He gave us commandment. Believing in the Son washes us
clean and makes us into a new creation: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation. Old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” When you
believe in the Lord Jesus, HE makes you clean, and you become different. As
someone once put it, “you’re clean inside;” God heals the awful disease of sin
and brings you into His forever family, just as Jesus did the leper in the
Gospel of Luke: And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a
man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored
Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus
responded: And he put forth his hand, and
touched him, saying, I will: be clean. And immediately the leprosy departed
from him. This is how it is. You may be the most disgusting person on the
planet—but HE can make you clean. HE can heal you. HE can “wash your robes.” HE
can make you into a new man or woman, and if you ask Him, He WILL.
There’s a counterpoint to this
wonderful promise, however, and it’s found in the next verse: “outside [of
the holy city] are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and
idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. Great mercy for you when you
turn to the Lord and follow Him—Terrible judgment when you reject Him and
pretend you are “just fine” in your sins and wickedness. Note the last phrase:
“Whoever loves and practices a lie.” Lying is the way of the world, whether
you’re purchasing a used car, voting for a politician, dating a potential
partner, whatever. God hates it. He Himself cannot lie (!!!) However,
God LOVES honesty. Honesty is one of the truest hallmarks of a genuine
conversion, and of you becoming a new man or woman in Jesus Christ. If you want
to enter the Golden City, the New Jerusalem, heaven, the place where all tears
will be wiped away, turn to the Lord and make every effort to avoid the things
listed above, but especially lying. Lying pollutes your whole life. Be truthful
in every way.
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