There is a common misconception today that states to receive Christ, one must INVITE JESUS INTO HIS HEART.
Obviously, the
cause of this misconception is the failure to realize what it is to receive
Christ. To receive Christ is actually to receive His claims about Himself.
Did you not notice that in the Gospel of John, the apostle strives and labors so hard to present to his readers claim after claim after claim of the Lord Jesus?
The book piles up one claim after another of the Lord Jesus. Here are some of them:
Did you not notice that in the Gospel of John, the apostle strives and labors so hard to present to his readers claim after claim after claim of the Lord Jesus?
The book piles up one claim after another of the Lord Jesus. Here are some of them:
1. He is the Word of God (or the Revealer of God)
2. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
3. He is the Bread from heaven
4. He is the Savior of the world
5. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to God except through Him.
6. He is the Light of the world
Now, in order to genuinely receive a claim, one must trust in the claim and the person making the claim. I might say for example: "I am superman", and your mouth may pay lip service to it by saying: "Yes, I believe", but if your heart does not trust what I am claiming, then you have not truly received my claim.
2. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
3. He is the Bread from heaven
4. He is the Savior of the world
5. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to God except through Him.
6. He is the Light of the world
Now, in order to genuinely receive a claim, one must trust in the claim and the person making the claim. I might say for example: "I am superman", and your mouth may pay lip service to it by saying: "Yes, I believe", but if your heart does not trust what I am claiming, then you have not truly received my claim.
In order to genuinely receive a claim, one must trust
in it. Open your Bibles to John 12:46:
Joh 12:46 "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
Joh 12:46 "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
Joh 12:47 "And if anyone hears My words and does
not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to
save the world.
48 "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My
words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in
the last day.
Notice and observe, in verse 46, the Lord Jesus makes a claim about Himself: "I have come as a light into the world.”
Notice and observe in verses 47 to 48 that not receiving the Lord Jesus is rejecting His claims, verse 47: "And if anyone hears My words (what words? The claim that He has come as the light of the world) and does not believe.”
Verse 48: "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words (What words? His claim that He is the light of the world).
Receiving Christ is receiving and trusting in the claims of Christ. And so that is why the apostle John says in John 1:12. Open your Bible there please, John 1:12:
“Yet to all who received him…what is it to receive Him?...to those who believed/trusted in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
You see, receiving Christ is qualified by John himself as to what it is: “It is trusting in His name.”
Names in the Bible, especially those of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, are not only mere words without significance to the one bearing the name.
It’s not like in our culture. When I was in high school, they used to call a schoolmate of mine “Fatso.” “Hey Fatso! How are you?”
When I turned to look at him, Fatso was as slim as slim can be.
They also called another schoolmate of mine as “Thinny.” “Hey there Thinny! What’s up?” When I turned around to look at him, Thinny was another planet of his own. He was so big.
It is not this way when it comes to the names of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Their names describe who they are. When God says: “My name is God Almighty” His name is God Almighty because He is God Almighty.
When God says: “My name is Holy” His name is Holy because He is holy. Their names are who they are.
Listen, when God reveals His name, He is actually making a claim about Himself.
Notice and observe, in verse 46, the Lord Jesus makes a claim about Himself: "I have come as a light into the world.”
Notice and observe in verses 47 to 48 that not receiving the Lord Jesus is rejecting His claims, verse 47: "And if anyone hears My words (what words? The claim that He has come as the light of the world) and does not believe.”
Verse 48: "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words (What words? His claim that He is the light of the world).
Receiving Christ is receiving and trusting in the claims of Christ. And so that is why the apostle John says in John 1:12. Open your Bible there please, John 1:12:
“Yet to all who received him…what is it to receive Him?...to those who believed/trusted in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
You see, receiving Christ is qualified by John himself as to what it is: “It is trusting in His name.”
Names in the Bible, especially those of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, are not only mere words without significance to the one bearing the name.
It’s not like in our culture. When I was in high school, they used to call a schoolmate of mine “Fatso.” “Hey Fatso! How are you?”
When I turned to look at him, Fatso was as slim as slim can be.
They also called another schoolmate of mine as “Thinny.” “Hey there Thinny! What’s up?” When I turned around to look at him, Thinny was another planet of his own. He was so big.
It is not this way when it comes to the names of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Their names describe who they are. When God says: “My name is God Almighty” His name is God Almighty because He is God Almighty.
When God says: “My name is Holy” His name is Holy because He is holy. Their names are who they are.
Listen, when God reveals His name, He is actually making a claim about Himself.
To believe in Jesus' name is to trust who He is. Jesus
means Savior. Receiving Him is to trust Him as Savior.
At least 70 times in the book of John alone, the idea of believing/trusting in the Lord Jesus is emphasized. Not once can we find of anyone inviting Jesus into their hearts.
Receiving Christ is just another way of saying: "Trust in who He claimed to be and what He claimed that He did for you on the cross for your salvation.”
* Revelation 3:20 is addressed to a church. Not to unbelievers. Rev 3:14 says: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write…”
* It is addressed to children of God who are out of fellowship with Him. Rev 3:19 says: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.”
God only disciplines His children. He doesn't discipline those who are outside of His family that’s Hebrews 12:5-8. For discipline simply means child-training.
At least 70 times in the book of John alone, the idea of believing/trusting in the Lord Jesus is emphasized. Not once can we find of anyone inviting Jesus into their hearts.
Receiving Christ is just another way of saying: "Trust in who He claimed to be and what He claimed that He did for you on the cross for your salvation.”
* Revelation 3:20 is addressed to a church. Not to unbelievers. Rev 3:14 says: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write…”
* It is addressed to children of God who are out of fellowship with Him. Rev 3:19 says: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.”
God only disciplines His children. He doesn't discipline those who are outside of His family that’s Hebrews 12:5-8. For discipline simply means child-training.
* The promise of Revelation 3:20 is fellowship or
communion, not salvation: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with
me.”
Fellowship means sharing the same things in common. It is perfectly symbolized by two people sharing a meal, dining together.
It is possible to be saved and be out of fellowship with the Savior leaving us in a wretched state and condition.
* Revelation 3:20 nowhere speaks of inviting Jesus into one's heart.
Ephesians 3:17 says that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. Christ is received by faith, and He dwells in our hearts through faith.
We let Him in by faith. We let Him dwell and be at home in our hearts by faith. The first is justification. The second is sanctification.
It is entirely possible invite Jesus into our hearts with our lips, without the heart trusting in Him and what He did on the cross alone for salvation.
Receiving the Lord Jesus is receiving by faith His claims about who He is and what He did on the cross for our salvation.
Fellowship means sharing the same things in common. It is perfectly symbolized by two people sharing a meal, dining together.
It is possible to be saved and be out of fellowship with the Savior leaving us in a wretched state and condition.
* Revelation 3:20 nowhere speaks of inviting Jesus into one's heart.
Ephesians 3:17 says that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. Christ is received by faith, and He dwells in our hearts through faith.
We let Him in by faith. We let Him dwell and be at home in our hearts by faith. The first is justification. The second is sanctification.
It is entirely possible invite Jesus into our hearts with our lips, without the heart trusting in Him and what He did on the cross alone for salvation.
Receiving the Lord Jesus is receiving by faith His claims about who He is and what He did on the cross for our salvation.
