REVELATION 3:19-20 - CORRECTION—CONFIRMATION OF LOVE

CORRECTION—CONFIRMATION OF LOVE

by Susan R. Slade

REVELATION 3:19-20

As many as I love⁵³⁶⁸, I rebuke¹⁶⁵¹ and chasten³⁸¹¹: 

be zealous therefore, and repent. 

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.

These verses are within the message to the church at Laodicea, the ones who were spiritually tepid, neither apathetically cold nor passionately hot. Surprisingly, the word used for love in this passage is philĕō, a friendly, sibling affection, rather than the broader agapaō²⁵ which is a moral choice to love. To rebuke is to make someone aware of their faults; and to chasten is to discipline, teach, or punish. Jesus says that He points out the sin of those He loves, those who are His friends, and takes measures to correct them. The Lord’s intent in showing us our sin (conviction) is to show us that we need to make an “about face” away from sin and make a bee-line toward Jesus (repentance). Once we realize how far we are from Him, we will see that we need to trust His accomplished work on the cross and throw open the door for Him to walk through and take control of our lives. The Lord Jesus says he will sup (dine) with the one who invites Him in. This is more than just sharing a chicken fried steak and some sweet tea. This note from The Complete Jewish Study Bible explains what the Lord is truly saying:

In Jewish culture meal sharing includes table fellowship, affection, intimacy and mutual confidence. In short, Yeshua is promising to be intimately and truly present with anyone who genuinely asks him.

Notice that Jesus is not judging His friends when He rebukes them. Because He loves them, He is not willing to leave them in the sin that separates them from relationship with Him. One of the hardest things to do is to lovingly confront a friend who has strayed from the way Jesus would have them to go. However, it is one of the most loving things we can do on behalf of the familyship because it is for the sake of fellowship with the Lord and His fellowship with His bride. Sin impedes every kind of intimacy both with the Lord Jesus and within the Messianic community, all those who have trusted Jesus for salvation. Accountability is crucial to growth, and intimacy flourishes among those who love enough to gently rebuke each other.

The fruit of the Spirit is love. Genuine love cares enough to confront rather than bury that which separates a friend from the intense loving relationship with Jesus that restores vitality to life. When someone rebukes you, do you bristle? Remind yourself that they may be doing this most difficult task out of affection and for your protection. Their hope is to restore your intimacy with Jesus and deepen your friendship with them.