Key Verse:
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(Rev. 2:10)
Central Truth:
You will face trials and tribulations in your life, but the ultimate reward will be eternal life.
TOUGH LOVE
In this chapter, John is writing to the seven churches in Asia. In each letter, the angel of the church is either given approval or vindication of its actions. The one thing that is commonly found in all of the letters is the assurance of eternal life:
v7: To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat at the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.
v11: He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
v17: To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.
v26: He who overcomes and he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
God encourages these churches even though their actions may not have always been what God had intended for them. They have wandered off of God's path, and He is encouraging them to get back on it. Although God scolds the churches and threatens them, He also encourages and praises them.
Even though we try to live by God's standards, we often fail. Life may become overwhelming at times, and we forget our real purpose. God may have to scold and threaten us like He did the churches; but, God is then truly being our parent by showing us "tough love." For example, we all want what is best for our children. We try to guide but also know that they have free will to do as they please. While we encourage our children in all that they do, we must also scold them when they go astray. We must show tough love and get them back on the right path.
We don't have to give up when we fall short of what God may have planned for us. God doesn't forget us and move on just because we have messed up. We may fail time and time again, just like the churches addressed in this chapter, but God encourages us to stay on the right path and keep our focus on the end-goal, eternal life in Heaven with Him.
God is the only true path to eternal life. Which path are you on?
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