What God commanded John to write down, we now read. The question is whether we believe “these words.” Will we honor God by treating His words as they are, “trustworthy and true”? Or will we follow Satan’s lies into something less than full devotion to Christ?
For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough (2 Corinthians 11:2-4).
Constantly fight the temptation to create ‘God’ in your own image, according to your own liking. How easy to pull the strings of a ‘Jesus puppet’ to the tune of your own ideas. How convenient to re-shape a ‘gospel’ to suit personal tastes.
The real Jesus is the Jesus who revealed Himself to and through the apostles – “the Jesus we preached.” Be faithful to that Jesus. Hold to the true Gospel preserved in the Scriptures, the Gospel that is so full of grace and yet so demanding. This Gospel calls you to receive Christ’s infinite love (Ephesians 3:17-19). It also calls you to give by living “a life of love” (Ephesians 5:2). It calls you to imitate the real Jesus by pouring out your life in complete service and sacrifice. God is faithful, and He rewards His faithful children with the eternal celebration of life!
“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:10-11).21 M
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). M
21. Research Subject – “The second death” refers to hell, the eternal lake of fire, Revelation 20:14; 21:8 cf. Revelation 14:10-11; 19:20; 20:10; Matthew 5:22,29-30; 10:28; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 12:5;16:23.