Rebuke, Repent, and Reward

“ ‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten,’ ” Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:19. “ ‘Therefore be zealous and repent’ ” (NKJV). None of us, for even a second, could justly say that Jesus doesn’t care about us or our future. How much easier it would have been for Jesus to give up on humanity and not travel the painful road He chose on this earth. It’s precisely because He loves us so deeply that He rebukes us in our current state. He wants a much stronger, deeper relationship with us. He’s not satisfied with our on-and-off attitudes, our “I’ll come to Him when I need Him” approach.

Instead, Jesus rebukes us for our own good. He tells us to repent. But we can’t repent unless we realize that there’s something wrong. Yet, He’s told us exactly what’s wrong with us: we think we’re rich, but we’re actually “ ‘wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked’ ” (Rev. 3:17, NKJV).

This is such a beautiful and extraordinary word picture. The God of the universe wants to sit down over a meal with you, with me. He desires mutual engagement and conversation over good food. He wants a close, abiding relationship, and Jesus invites us to have this with Him.

Jesus stands patiently waiting and knocking at the door of your heart. Perhaps you’ve seen pictures of this in children’s books—a tall, graceful Savior, knocking gently. He doesn’t barge in and force you to talk with Him. He doesn’t impose on your time or your busy life. Time is short; so, if you hear Him, open the door. He will be there to step into your life.

This metaphor illustrates the kind of relationship Jesus wants to have with each of us. But one day, when you meet Jesus face-to-face, when you cast your crown at His feet in adoration and praise with thousands upon ten thousands of others in worship to the Creator (Rev. 4:9–11, Rev. 5:11–14), when you think back to your earthly trials and see that they dim into insignificance—do you think at that point you’ll ever regret the time you spent with Jesus on earth?

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Additional Reading: Selected Quotes from Ellen G. White

Only those who receive the seal of the living God will have the passport through the gates of the Holy City. . . .
The seal of the living God will be placed upon those only who bear a likeness to Christ in character.
As wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God and retain the image of Christ.
Many will not receive the seal of God because they do not keep His commandments or bear the fruits of righteousness.
The great mass of professing Christians will meet with bitter disappointment in the day of God. They have not upon their foreheads the seal of the living God. Lukewarm and halfhearted, they dishonor God far more than the avowed unbeliever. They grope in darkness, when they might be walking in the noonday light of the Word, under the guidance of One who never errs. . . .
Those whom the Lamb shall lead by the fountains of living waters, and from whose eyes He shall wipe away all tears, will be those now receiving the knowledge and understanding revealed in the Bible, the Word of God. . . .
We are to copy no human being. There is no human being wise enough to be our criterion. We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the pattern man. His experience is the measure of the experience that we are to gain. His character is our model. Let us, then, take our minds off the perplexities and the difficulties of this life, and fix them on Him, that by beholding we may be changed into His likeness. We may behold Christ to good purpose. We may safely look to Him; for He is all-wise. As we look to Him and think of Him, He will be formed within, the hope of glory.
Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.—Maranatha, p. 241.

Halfhearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their deceptive words and noncommittal position lead many astray. The infidel shows his colors. The lukewarm Christian deceives both parties. He is neither a good worldling nor a good Christian. Satan uses him to do a work that no one else can do.
Love of self excludes the love of Christ. Those who live for self are ranged under the head of the Laodicean church who are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. The ardor of the first love has lapsed into a selfish egotism. The love of Christ in the heart is expressed in the actions. If love for Christ is dull, the love for those for whom Christ has died will degenerate. There may be a wonderful appearance for zeal and ceremonies, but this is the substance of their self-inflated religion. Christ represents them as nauseating to His taste.
Let us thank the Lord that while this class is so numerous, there is still time for repentance.—Our High Calling, p. 348.