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THE LORD DOESN'T KNOCK
There is a popular but erroneous idea going about in some religious
circles. It is that the Lord Jesus is standing outside knocking on the door
of the sinner's heart, obviously wanting to come in. He is waiting on the
sinner to open his heart's door. The idea comes from a misunderstanding of a
part of one Bible verse: Revelation 3:20 which says:
“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 words were
not addressed to a sinner, but to the “angel” or messenger of a
congregation. The context proves this. Verse 14 of that chapter says,
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write...”
The door
at which the Lord Jesus is said to be standing is the door of the church or
congregation in the ancient city of Laodicea. That church was in such a
sorry spiritual condition that Christ was on the outside!
Further proof of this is seen in the Lord's promise. He said, “I will
come in to him.” He did not say I will come “into” him. Anyone who
understands the English language will know the difference between coming “in
to” a person and coming “into” a person. To come “in to” a person is to come
“in to” where they are. To come “into” a person is to enter within that
person or to indwell a person. There is absolutely no Bible basis for
telling sinners that Jesus is standing at their heart's door patiently
knocking waiting on them to open the door so He can come “into” them! That
is a man-made teaching based upon the idea that God cannot save whom He
wants to save when He wants to save them! It makes God a powerless failure
to accomplish what He wants to do.
The fact is, God has the ability to open the heart. We read about Him
doing that very thing in Acts 16:14 where the Bible says,
“And a certain
woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which
worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened...”
What! The Lord
opened Lydia's heart? She did not open it! Why would the Lord stand knocking
at the imaginary door of a sinner's heart when He has the power to open the
heart? Why would a homeowner stand knocking at the door of his house while
holding the key to that door in his hand?
Do not try to make an excuse saying that the Lord is waiting on the
sinner to exercise his free will. The Bible says,
“For it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure,”
(Philippians 2:13). God causes men to “to will” and “to do.” He causes
sinners “to want to” and “to do.” Has the Father drawn you to Christ? (see
John 6:44). |