An important prophecy in Revelation to the church

by | Posted April 25th at 9:38am

There is an invitation to those who will hear this message given to the apostle John. It is given to the church of Jesus — anyone that has a true abiding connection to Jesus Christ. We know this because it is a message to the churches that Jesus noted is to be read to the assemblies. Further, Jesus indicates, those that read the message will be blessed. (Revelation 1:1-3) This is because it is clear that those who care about Christ’s message to his church will obey and proclaim and share this message to the members of his church. This indicates that they are in sync with his Spirit.

The message is proclaimed in unison by the teachers and preachers in Christ’s church and is shared in meetings and seminars with interest worldwide among his people. Many people will both hear and heed the call to come to Jesus Christ as Lord to allow Christ’s Spirit to guide their lives to: “take the free gift of the water of life” which He taught is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, which is the divine Guarantor’s seal of life eternal (John 4:14;7:37-38; Revelation 7:17; 21:6; 22: 1; 17; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14; John 3:5; 20:22) Further it is the Spirit which initiates, and proclaims this message through His gifted teaching evangelist-teachers. The teachers/preachers work in unison led by the Spirit. The term “the Spirit and the bride” means the Spirit and Christ’s church members — who are His disciples who are very involved in this proclamation:

“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17)

The gift of the Holy Spirit is being offered to those who will hear, to those who chose to come into union with the Lord, as One people, prior to his second advent to the earth as both judge and saviour.

“Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” (Revelation 22: 7)

Further, in Revelation 22: 10-11 he makes it very clear that this is an either/or message. Either you are for him or against him which is indicated by an ongoing lifestyle of obedience to the Royal Law: doing right, by expressing loving behaviour, while omitting the allurements of Satan; versus the opposite: doing wrong by expressing harmful motives, while omitting love and kindness towards others, craving the allurements of the world over knowing and obeying God.

The following scripture presents that those who follow Christ, reflect His character and abide in Him via the Holy Spirit. These people are progressing in a lifestyle of holiness obedient to the scriptures. Some may think that holiness is a better-than-thou term for legalistic or fanatical Christians. No. Rather, holiness is only possible when led by the Spirit and we are following the Gospel message of God’s love to man via Christ’s propitiation on the cross for mankind’s sin. (Romans 8:14)

Holiness is a lifetime process of separating from the world’s values and influencers while dedicating your life to walking in the light, with no part dark. This means abiding in Jesus because without him we can achieve nothing truly holy (John 15:4, 5-6).

“Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right, and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:11)

Jesus prayed that the church would enter into a sanctification process in order to become one with Him — to live in holiness reflecting his influence. Sanctification is the process of moving into a closer walk with Jesus, of allowing the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, full sway in your life. It also means repenting, confessing sin, and turning to Jesus to abide in Him (John 15:4-6), versus following the wickedness in the world. Here Jesus is praying to his Father prior to his crucifixion — notice Jesus said he is not of this world, being sanctified, and that he is asking the Father in heaven to continue sanctifying his apostles and the members of his church:

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself [see note], that they too may be truly sanctified”. (John 17: 16-19 [author’s emphasis])

Truly sanctified ultimately means to be holy as the Lord is holy (1 Peter 1:16) which is a process, not an absolute obtainment of perfection in this world (Philippians 3:12-14)

Note: Jesus expressed sanctified, holy obedience to his Father as a man when going to the cross when he prayed submissively in the garden of Gethsemane: ‘not my will, but thy will be done’.

Article posted by Glen R. Jackman, founder of GraceProclaimed.org

Glen has optimized his eldership role to teach the full scope of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ without boundaries.
You can read his testimony.