Revelation: Is our gospel message in this book?
Aren’t there people who would tell you this first verse we’ll note is a gospel message, and an invitation extended to all people for salvation?
Revelation 3:20
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. [Emphasis added]
Haven’t you ever heard people say that to be saved you need to ask Christ to come into your heart? And isn’t this a verse they’d use to justify that belief? But is there anything in this verse or even this passage that tells us it is the means to one’s salvation now or at any other time? Furthermore, is there anything about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ in this passage or even in this book that tells us it is faith in this which Christ did for us that is the means to one’s salvation? Don’t we have Scripture elsewhere in the Bible that tells us the means to our salvation today?
Doesn’t the word gospel mean good news? Isn’t this typically speaking of the good news about what Christ did for us through His death, burial, and resurrection? Let’s look at some passages of Scripture that answer some important questions for us—
1-Exactly what is our gospel message now?
We have our apostle Paul clearly answering this question for us.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
2-What exactly did Christ do to provide our means of salvation?
Through His death, burial, and resurrection He provided the means by which anyone in the world can be reconciled to God for eternal salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:19-21
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
Weren’t all our sins imputed to Christ and judged in Him when He was on the cross of Calvary? Wasn’t He judged for them all so that anyone and everyone would have an opportunity to be saved?
1 Timothy 2:5-6
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. [Emphasis added]
Even the apostle John speaks of this.
1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation [the One satisfying the justice of God] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [Emphasis added]
3-Is there anything we can DO that contributes to our salvation?
Our Bible tells us salvation is truly a gift. There is NOT something anyone can DO to earn or deserve it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]
Faith in Christ is not a work of ours as some falsely claim. Faith alone is by no means meritorious for salvation or anything else. It is the object of our faith that is meritorious, that being Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection alone.
Romans 4:4-5
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]
4-Isn’t there Scripture that tells us certain works ARE required?
Yes, but all those passages are addressed to Israel for another time of history. What is said in James is an example of that—
James 1:1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, TO the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. [Emphasis added]
There are other letters in your Bible that are also addressed this way. All such statements are significant and certainly not to be ignored as we seek to understand exactly what is being said and to whom. We must accept the fact that these words in these passages were not addressed to us today in this which is often called the Age of Grace.
1 Peter 1:1
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, TO the strangers [foreign Jews] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, [Emphasis added]
Unfortunately, most people don’t pay any attention to such verses. But don’t most people check the addressee on envelopes before they open the mail they find in their mailbox? Aren’t we to do something similar with Scripture? Yes! In fact, this is called “rightly dividing” the Scripture we have in the Bible. We’re commanded to do this diligently, yet I find that most people don’t even know what that means.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
An application of this would be to note that there’s not even one passage in the book of Revelation that presents our gospel message. Not even one! And, as we’ve already noted, there’s nothing in the Revelation 3:20 verse about it either. What one must do to be saved in our time is not found anywhere in the twenty-two chapters of the book of Revelation. Furthermore, that Revelation 3:20 verse is addressed to believers, not unbelievers. Note what is said earlier in that chapter.
Revelation 3:14
14 And unto the angel [AGGELOS = angel or messenger] of the church [EKKLESIA = church or assembly] of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; [Emphasis added]
There are many people today who believe this passage refers to the Body of Christ church of today. It does not! This is addressed to a “church” or an assembly of Jewish believers who will live in the coming seven-year period of time known as The Tribulation. In other words, the whole book of Revelation is prophetic. Those seven “churches” listed in Revelation 2 & 3 will exist in the coming time of The Tribulation.
When studying the book of Revelation, we must always bear in mind its prophetic nature; not just some of it but ALL of it. Yes, the book of Revelation is a book of prophecy—future things in its entirety, and not just certain portions of it.
Revelation 1:3
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. [Emphasis added]
And please realize that that last phrase about the time being at hand doesn’t necessarily mean what we would think of as a short time. Also, when the word church is used in this book or in any other place in the Bible, it does not always refer to the church which is the Body of Christ. For instance, as you may already know, it is used for an assembly of a rioting mob in Acts.
Acts 19:32
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly [EKKLESIA = church or assembly] was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. [Emphasis added]
The time of The Tribulation is a seven-year period after The Rapture and before The Second Coming of Christ when He will establish His millennial [thousand-year] earthly kingdom.
Revelation 20:1-2
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [Emphasis added]
Again, just because a passage of Scripture speaks of a “church” does not mean it refers to us. The Greek word translated “church” is the word EKKLESIA which can be translated with words like church and assembly. As I’ve pointed out, it isn’t limited to believers, those who are saved.
Again, Acts 19:32
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly [EKKLESIA = assembly or church] was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. [Emphasis added]
Here in this case the same word that is so often translated “church” is translated with the word assembly. Fortunately, the translators had the good sense not to translate it with the word church, knowing how people usually use that word to speak of an assembly of God’s people. The context of Acts 19 tells us THIS assembly was a rioting mob. For more information about this word and its use in the Bible, please see my other articles about it. Here are links to four of them—
Church: What are the uses of this word in the Bible?
Church: Are we the New Testament Church today?
Church: Does Hebrews 10:25 say we must attend?
Church: Did ours today begin at the time of Acts 2?
5-Doesn’t the apostle Paul say works are not required for salvation?
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]
6-Isn’t grace affirmed numerous times in the apostle Paul’s writings?
Romans 4:4-5
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of GRACE, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]
Titus 3:5-7
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. [Emphasis added]
Romans 11:6
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. [Emphasis added]
7-Aren’t works required in Revelation as a manifestation of one’s faith?
Especially in Revelation 2 & 3 there’s a big emphasis on works as they relate to the attainment of salvation. But Paul emphasizes them as something that’s to occur after our salvation has already been secured and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [Emphasis added]
Multiple times the emphasis in writings of other authors is on works. Again, even the apostle Paul emphasizes works for ones who are already saved, but not as what God requires as a manifestation of one’s faith to obtain salvation. Paul clearly tells us our works of righteousness have nothing to do with the attainment of our salvation.
Conclusion—
It was many years ago that I first heard someone speak of what they called “the Romans road to Heaven.” What they were referring to was the use of passages in Romans exclusively to make their gospel presentations. Is that a bad idea? No, but certainly not essential. But I would suggest that you use only verses out of Paul’s writings. Using verses out of what people often call “the gospel of John” and other places can certainly introduce some confusion to the event. People are quite prone to erroneously think their own works of righteousness have something to do with the acquisition of it. You should NEVER want to leave the impression that they do. Paul’s statement in Romans comes to mind as I conclude this article—
Again, Romans 4:4-5
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of GRACE, but of debt.
5 But to him that WORKETH NOT, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]
