“Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong.”

“Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong.”

A few days ago, we were sharing lunch with some friends and one lady asked what we experience as we read the Bible.  It was a great way to open discussion about the Lord, and I was glad to be able to tell them that we are still learning new things all the time after 38 years in the Lord, and in our later years (70’s).
 
I have not formulated a detailed eschatological time-line, and much of the book of Revelation remains a mystery.  But recently, when reading through Revelation, the Lord opened up some very interesting things.  One was as I read through the very last chapter I came to:

Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” (Rev. 22:11) NASB

This verse contains some of the final instruction to John by the angel of the Lord, and as a stand-alone doctrine the angel says not to evangelize.  But that contradicts so much other Scripture that I knew that couldn’t be right.  Otherwise, why then would Christ’s gifts to the church in Ephesians 4 include evangelists – and what would you do with “The Great Commission”?
 
Further in the chapter I read:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
(Rev 22:17) NASB

In this last chapter of Revelation Jesus refers to His “coming soon" several times, and the Book ends with “Come, Lord Jesus.”  But that’s not this.  This invitation to “come” in verse 17 is to “the one who is thirsty” and “the one who wishes (to) take the water of life without cost”.
 
The Spirit and the Bride are saying “Come” (evangelizing), and at the same time the instruction is to:
“Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy . . .”

Throughout the OT and the NT the Lord has reiterated; “he that has ears to hear, let him hear” – not always those exact words, but the message is consistent.  And the lady who generated the conversation observed that Jesus says in John 6:

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

I’m reminded of the account of the “rich young ruler” in Matt 19:16-27.  Jesus said to him, “Come, follow me” having explained the cost; and the man walked sadly away.  Jesus didn’t try to stop him and convince him with more appealing arguments.  He let him go.  For whatever reason the young man did not have “ears to hear”.
 
I began to think about how this applies to what we call apologetics.  Most of what I have seen is ineffective.  People on either side win the debate, but make no spiritual gain.  One man at the table questioned -- if no apologetics, then how do you reach those with a logical mind-set?  Later, the Lord prompted me to look at Paul's message in Athens at Mars Hill:

“16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would this idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” 33 So Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. (Acts 17:16-34) NASB

Note what happened in verse 32.  When some began to sneer, Paul departed and others that “had ears to hear” followed him and believed.
The Holy Spirit gave Paul a specific and unique message for these people.  His “Come” message wasn’t a simple invitation to "come to Jesus", or a Bible tract, or memorized verses through “the roman road” methodology of evangelism.  His message of “Come” was authored and anointed by the Holy Spirit specifically for that encounter.  He was saying “Come”, but when they sneered, he discerned that they had not “ears to hear” and he walked away.  Others heard, received the message, followed, and believed.  Praise The Lord!
 
My previous negative perception of apologetics has stemmed from believers debating when the opposition has no ears to hear, and the Holy Spirit is not in it.  However, that does not invalidate the Holy Spirit’s use of apologetics in order to say, “Come”.
 
So, the lesson for me is that I am to give the message to “Come”, however that may be formulated by the Lord; and being assured of the message, I am not to get into disputations.  I am not to contend.
This is very freeing.
There is no striving.
The results are the Lord’s.
Thank you, Lord Jesus!!
And, Yes, Come Lord Jesus!!

In Christ,
Duncan