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 desires take the water of life without price."
(Revelation 22:17)
The idea of "invitation" is prominent in evangelical vocabularies. However, rather than seeing it as the call of Christ in the gospel, invitation has become a portion of a worship service right after the sermon where interested people can indicate a decision for Christ or whatever the preacher may call for. Yet the Bible knows nothing of such a practice; it was added in the 19th century to accommodate revivalism that swept churches in the northeast. Instead, the real invitation is found in the gospel; it is declared whenever the gospel is rightly spoken, calling sinners to Christ.
The clearest example of this is found in verse 17. "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come"." Here we find the Holy Spirit and the Church—(shown to be the bride in 19:7-9; 21:9-21)—in concert by calling sinners to Christ.
Consider that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness to Jesus Christ. In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus spoke to His disciples concerning the Spirit's ministry as well as their own in concert with the Spirit: "He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning" (John 15:26-27). The Spirit's aim is to point people to Christ. So too, the aim of the Church throughout the ages must join with the Spirit by His power in pointing people to Christ. Proclaiming Christ's worthiness and sufficiency, the Spirit and the bride call upon those who will hear, "Come."
There is no simpler invitation than what we find in this text. As Jesus Christ has been proclaimed as the Lamb of God slain to redeem sinners, then the call to sinners is "Come." Come to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain for you. Come to Jesus Christ, the sin-bearer, mediator, and Lord. Come to Jesus Christ, cast yourself upon His mercies, depend upon His sacrificial death and life-giving resurrection. Do not come to an institution or an imagination or a religious mantra. Come to Christ!
(Phil A. Newton)
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