Lesson 243 . Open It or Leave It Closed?

We are all awaiting a glorious event to which we attach many of our hopes and expectations—an event that will change everything in our lives and give us far more than we can imagine. This is the Second Coming of Christ. Whether I believe in it or not, whether I await this event or not, whether I make plans for that time or live for myself, it will take place regardless of how I regard it or prepare for it. Christ will come in the clouds of heaven with all His angels, and it will truly be an impressive sight. His Coming does not depend on my faith or my expectations. It is certain, and it will take place on the day that He determines, according to the authority He has reserved for Himself.

But what is interesting is that He promised long ago to come. In every generation He addressed people with the words, “Behold, I come quickly,” but now, in our time, He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” What does this mean? It can mean only one thing—that He has already come.

Please do not confuse these two events. Christ has now come to the chosen ones in order to do and give them something special—to help them change something in their lives and prepare them for something. At the Second Coming, however, He will come for everyone in order to put an end to everything sinful on earth and give both those who await Him and those who continue in sin what they deserve: to some, the right to life; to others, the right to death.

There will be a glorious resurrection from the dead; human nature will be transformed into immortality; all the righteous will be taken up to Heaven, into God’s presence; and those who receive the right to death will be completely destroyed. At last, the earth will have rest from man and will remain at rest in this condition for a thousand years.

But the message for our time is that Christ has already come. Whether I believe it or not, He is here at the door. He is knocking, asking me to open it, and waiting for me to respond to this appeal. His voice can be heard. Yet in this appeal He also makes it clear that there will be those who hear but do not open the door and let Him in, or who let Him in once and then ask Him to leave. The word “if” makes it clear that someone will leave Christ standing outside the door of his heart forever and will pay no attention to the appeal to open the door and let Him in.

Has a friend ever come to visit you, and you did not open the door even though you knew it was him? Those are not very pleasant memories. Perhaps he was being intrusive, perhaps I was not ready for his visit, or perhaps the family situation did not allow me to let him in. The friend did not remain there until I let him in, nor did he try to force his way through my door; he quietly went away. Perhaps that friend visited another time and I welcomed him. Earthly friends come and then leave, but Jesus wants to come in order to stay. This is an enormous difference. I understand what He wants. Sometimes I even ask Him to come in, but then there are times when I ask Him to leave my house so that I can be alone. And, just to be safe, I close the door behind Jesus—a door closed to Jesus, but not to temptations.

The enemy of souls does not ask my permission before visiting. He forces his way through the doors and windows of the soul, bursts into my life without asking, occupies the available living space, plants his banner there, and offers me his friendship. He is not interested in my wishes, yet he still takes my choice into account. Satan tries to convince me that the voice outside the door is not so important, that I can wait a little longer, and that I am not yet ready for such a Guest. The only thing that can drive the prince of darkness out of my life is the presence of Christ. The enemy of souls knows this and is afraid. Yet I am not afraid to live with such a dangerous guest, who teaches me to sin. He is my relative according to the flesh, while Christ offers only spiritual values, and my flesh resists them.

But somewhere deep in my soul, I dream that something in me must change. I even read about it in the Bible. I have already accepted and believed many things. I open the window, lean outside, and ask Jesus to help me solve my problems, and He gladly helps me. Then He waits for me to open the door. But I go back into the room and begin to sing hymns to the glory of God. And my demon friends sing along with me. Sometimes they do not like my singing and begin to tremble, fearing that under the influence of those words I might open the door to Christ. But I calm them by expressing my desire to think it over and make a decision while postponing everything until tomorrow. Meanwhile, Jesus stands and knocks. He sends me His friends so that they may tell me about their experiences of life with Him and how good it will be for me if Christ makes His home with me. But I have so many important things to do, so many missionary projects, and so much that must be accomplished before I die. I listen to them and rejoice that someday, in my old age, I will finally take this step, let the Lord in, and sup with Him. He will bless me and pour out His Spirit upon me. I will guide young people onto the true path, and everyone will listen to me and be deeply moved. I will point them to Jesus and teach them obedience. How interesting all this is!

The parable of the ten virgins tells us that five of them were foolish. I never counted myself among that group, and I always felt sorry for them. I always thought they were heathen who had no interest in the marriage feast. Now I understand that this parable is about me and that my vessel must be filled with oil. But I do not understand what this is. I know the answer, but what should it look like in my life? Where is the heavenly standard by which I will be weighed? Will I be found wanting? What determines my weight?

In a museum in Switzerland, there is a precise balance that the staff enjoy demonstrating to tourists. They place identical pieces of paper on both pans, and the balance shows that they have equal weight. Then they take one piece of paper, put a signature on it, and place it back on the pan. The pan holding the signed paper confidently descends, showing that it is heavier than the blank one.

Will there be a signature upon my character that gives weight and significance to all my deeds?

I had never before considered why Jesus has come precisely in our time and stands at the door. Why did He not come earlier? But this was His plan, not mine.

Precisely in our time, He decided to give me something special that had not been given to those who lived before me. And now He Himself has come and stands at the door. He offers Himself for a special relationship with Him. He teaches me as He has never taught anyone before. Why now, all of a sudden? Simply because there is no time left. The door of grace is about to close. Then it will be far too late to learn anything. There are now so many temptations, and they have taken such deep root in the church that they have become the normal way of life among God’s people. But it must not be this way. God will not share His throne with sinners. For this reason, Christ Himself decided to take the battle of the last days into His own hands, for He understands that without His presence I will not stand. He never loses; therefore, it is not I, but He within me and through me, Who fights and gains the victory. This is His plan for the last days. He stands at the door, not so that I may decide whether I need this or not, but so that He may enter and teach me to fight and overcome. He gave me freedom of choice, but not so that I would perish. He suffers when He sees me dying spiritually, and He takes no pleasure in such an attitude toward Himself. He does not go away offended if I delay my decision, but continues to stand and knock—to knock loudly and call out. He leaves only those who have decided once and for all not to open the door to Him and have become firmly established in that decision.

Homework 243

1. In the light of our lesson, please read Revelation 3:20–21; 3:8, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12; 3:3; Revelation 17:14; 13:13–17; Matthew 24:21–25; Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 5:27; 12:1; Revelation 15:8; and Isaiah 60:1–2.

2. What did you understand from this lesson?

3. What caused God to decide to send Christ into the world in precisely this way before the close of earth’s history?

4. What advantage does the personal presence of Christ in my home give me?

5. Where exactly does Jesus desire to enter?

6. Why, in the message to Laodicea, did the Lord limit His actions according to my choice?

7. If Jesus has entered my home, does this mean that He will now live there forever, or is His remaining there subject to certain conditions?

8. Do you think your door is open to Christ?

9. What will happen to those who do not hear the Guest’s voice or do not open the door to Him?

10. Why did the Lord choose precisely this plan?