This is the balance of the Christian life: God’s free grace is an unearned, undeserved gift, but at the same time, following Jesus in true discipleship is often very costly. It is because those who are truly saved always become true disciples that the Bible sometimes makes it sound as though salvation must be earned through good works.
We see salvation by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone in verse 17 – everyone who acknowledges his thirst, everyone who wishes to come to Christ for the living water He promised to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10, 14) is welcome. No one will be turned away, regardless of what he or she might have done or left undone.
But at the same time, those who come to Christ as Savior must also bow the knee to Him as Lord. Those who accept His gracious pardon must swear allegiance to Him and demonstrate their loyalty and faithfulness. As verse 14 says, they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14), so they must not soil them again with the sorts of deeds mentioned in verse 15. They must not commit treason, rejecting their Lord’s commands in order to please themselves.
In short, for the Christian, life is no longer about ourselves – it’s about Jesus. As verse 16 says, He is the root of David, the One Who brought all human beings into existence. He is also the offspring of David – the fulfillment of all the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, the rightful ruler of all the kings of earth (Revelation 1:5). And He is the morning star – the One Whose coming heralds a whole new world that is even now coming into view, a world in which God’s perfect law of love is always practiced, a world in which there is no place for selfish sin.
It is this Jesus Who welcomes all of us today. Will we come to Him?
Revelation 22:14-17 (NAS)
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.”
17 And 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.
