Jesus at the Door

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. (Revelation 3:20)


Someone once said, “A text without a context is nothing more than a pretext.” Nothing could me more true of the all-too-frequent use of Revelation 3:20 in the context of evangelism. This verse is commonly used to show sinners that it is up to them to open the door of their hearts to let Jesus come in and sup with them.


“You see,” says the evangelist, “Jesus is standing outside the door to your heart. He’s knocking on the door but he can’t open it because there’s no doorknob. You have to open it from the inside.”


My friend, to put it most truthfully and bluntly, this is poppycock. It is a lie. When this line of reasoning is used by one that knows better (and many do) it is using a tool of the Devil to do God's work. It is impossible to find any support for this fabrication in the context, although many commentators foist that explanation off on us in their writings.


What is the context? Jesus Christ is speaking to the backslidden, lukewarm church of Laodicea. He is urging upon them the necessity to repent. So Jesus is not standing at the door to a unbeliever's heart, but at the door of a believer's heart. When we speak of door and of the heart, it must be taken allegorically. We could just as easily say the door is of the mind, or of the will, or something similar.


Is there a knob on the door? Who knows. The Bible doesn't tell us one way or another. To state that there is no knob is to add to the scriptures and perhaps to come under the condemnation of Revelation 22:18. What we do know is that Jesus could, if he would, blow the door down. He could do that with his breath or just by willing it. Jesus wants voluntary obedience and gives us the opportunity to enjoy his company.


Just previous to this, Jesus speaks a warning: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent,” (Revelation 3:19). This invitation to open the door is the counterpoint. On the one hand is the threat of chastening, on the other hand is the invitation to fellowship.


We need to recognize the urgency of living godly lives, of lives pleasing to Jesus. We may claim to be Christians, we may have been baptized, we may have joined and served in the church, but if we do not walk the walk, we shall be rebuked and chastised. If we are off the mark in our walk with God, the invitation to find our place at God's table is always extended.