He [Jesus Christ] was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

— Romans 4:25

30 And having brought them out, he was saying, “Sirs, what is necessary of me to do, that I may be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

— Acts 16:30-31

13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.

— Ephesians 1:13-14

14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.

19 Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

— Revelation 3:14, 19-22

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace and mercy to you from Jesus Christ.

The gospel is not about inviting or asking Jesus to come into our lives or hearts. The proper response to the gospel is simply to believe in Christ and His work, that He died for our sins and rose again. We are not saved by begging, inviting or persuading Christ to come into our lives. The moment we believe Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again, we receive eternal life as a totally free gift. At that moment, we are placed into union with Christ and the promised Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. Whenever a person trusts in Christ as Savior, God the Holy Spirit comes to live in his or her life, but the Bible does not teach us to ask Jesus to live in us. He does not come because we ask. He comes because we believe.

The true gospel message is to believe in the Lord Jesus. Revelation 3:20 says that whoever opens the door to the Lord Jesus when He knocks, the Lord Jesus will come in to dine with him. This verse is often quoted in support of having the unsaved ones ask Jesus to come into their hearts for salvation. This verse was not addressed to unbelievers and the words “ask” and “hearts” are absent. This verse was written to Christians in the church of Laodicea. Audaciously, these believers had excluded Christ from their church meetings. As believers, they needed to reopen the door of fellowship to Jesus Christ.