Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Revelation 3:20

Revelation 3:20 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. This is a very familiar passage of scripture. Many know this verse, and many quote and use this verse frequently, but it is used so frequently to promote a wretched doctrine of works for salvation. Revelation 3:20 is erroneously used as an invitation to the lost, but I believe that they, to comfort and ease the minds of the lost, have twisted a verse speaking of the love of Christ toward His church and made it into a doctrine of God dishonoring heresy.

Too many people believe in errors and easily accept falsehood due to the perception that all scriptures in the bible are for all people regardless of whether a child of God or child of the Devil. I could say “I am happy to see you here this morning” to one who enters the Lords house on Sunday morning and there would be nothing strange about that. But the same phrase “I am happy to see you here this morning” would not be the message I would give to an intruder who was trying to break into my house in the early morning. Just as every word you and I speak are not intended for every person walking the earth in all situations, words of peace spoken to those who are loved of God wouldn’t apply to the reprobate. So common sense would tell us that not every message in the Bible is for every person at all times.
We need to see who this message is from and who is the intended recipient. Revelation 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia. Jesus, I am, Alpha and Omega, it was He who had the message. It was he who had the message, and revealed it to John, to give to someone, but who? Revelation 3:14 "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,” and Rev. 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. The message that the Lord had given in Revelation 3:20 was given to the church of the Laodiceans. A message that is given to a church, naturally excludes some people. Since a New Testament church is made up of saved, baptized believers, it can be said that a message to a church would in fact exclude the impenitent sinner. By a simply, cursory reading of the whole message, and knowing to whom the message was intended, we see that Revelation 3:20 cannot be an invitation to the lost as so many believe. Otherwise this verse would be calling for those who are saved to be saved.

This verse cannot be an invitation to the lost to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. This would contradict the attributes and nature of Jesus. I once saw an artist’s depiction of this verse. A log cabin set back in the woods with a small dirt path leading up to the door. It was dusk; the fire from within the rustic home was putting out a warm glow that could be seen afar off shining out through the windows. There at the door, what I assumed to be Jesus, with his head hung low, and arm out stretched, gently knocking at the door of the old cabin, but alas, no one would answer. HOW OUTRAGEOUS! That is not my Jesus! My Jesus does not beg for one to trust in him, but he is the Great Shepard who said in John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. The lost world loves to think of Jesus in this manner, the needy Saviour who is in great want from us. In December, they will think of Him in the manager, but not as Lord. He is depicted standing outside of “heart’s door” seeking our approval rather than seeking and saving the lost. The choosing is not at “hearts door”, man choosing Christ, but the choosing was in eternity, God choosing his people.

I mentioned “heart’s door” because that is how I have always heard the door in Rev 3:20 being referred as. The bible states clearly in John 10 that Rev 3:20 doesn’t call sinners to open their heart’s door to Jesus. In verse one Jesus says Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. Then in verse seven Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Jesus is the door, not our hearts. And if one is to be saved they must “enter in”, not allow Jesus to enter in. Those who teach another Jesus, knocking at heart’s door, are not “entering in by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way” and are thieves and robbers. It is by grace that we are saved through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

So then, what does it mean? As with the previous churches in Revelation, there was a word of correction of faults then a word of comfort or encouragement. The Laodecians were neither hot nor cold as we find in verses 14-22. They had lots of money, but spiritually poor. They had lost their zeal for service, just playing church if you will. They had not gone off into idolatry either; they were lukewarm. Jesus told them in verse 19 to repent of the sinfulness of idleness and cold heartedness. He commanded the children of God to be zealous. Then in verse 20 we see a word of encouragement. The emphasis of the verse should not be put on the door, or on the knocking, but what the verse is telling us. Consider the foolishness of “heart’s door” in this interpretation. If the door is heart’s door, when we sup, do we sup at heart’s table? No, what we see here is Jesus love for his people and his church. Because of this love, Jesus meets and fellowships with his churches. Jesus will not leave nor forsake us. When his churches gather together to worship, He is there. Jesus loves His people, and loves fellowship with His people. The Laodecians met, but by being lukewarm, they lost sight of the fact that we are given the opportunity to come, fellowship with the Son of God, in His house, and worship Him in spirit and in truth, and we are given that opportunity regularly. We should come to God’s house knowing that Jesus meets and sups with his church, without fail. He is faithful to meet with us and bless us; but are we faithful to be in His house? God is faithful by who ye were called unto the fellowship of His son Jesus Christ our Lord. This love knows no bounds, and with that love there is friendship. There is a special relationship between the Lord and His church. He will choose his bride from among his true church and said “ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you” and the members of the Lord’s churches have followed the Lord in baptism and joining His assembly.

Revelation 3:20 doesn’t tell us that Jesus needs something from us, but that God is there for us! This passage teaches that God is faithful to us as He promised to be. Are you in need? Are you depressed? Do you feel alone child of God? Are you shunned by family and hated by those around you for trusting in Christ? 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. To apply this message to an invitation perverts the sacrifice, the glory of God, God’s relationship with His children and the love Jesus has for his Church. Child of God, do you seek that sweet fellowship with the Lord? He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.