Revelation 21:27, commentary and pictures

Nothing defiled or false will ever enter the holy city in any way, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Not one transgressor of God's law or cherisher of sin will be admitted, for even one unconfessed and unrepented sin closes the gates. A name is written there when a person repents, believes in Jesus, obeys God's law, and receives Christ's righteousness as his own. That name remains until the investigative judgment, where it is retained if sin is confessed and forsaken through Christ as Advocate, but blotted out if unrepented wickedness is found. Therefore character unlike Christ must be perfected in this life, with every defect overcome and the whole being sanctified for immortal life.

City's Setting and Glory

The closing chapters belong to the last events of this earth's history, made known by Christ himself to John on the Isle of Patmos and given from God as solemn warning to call minds in these last days. They are to be read carefully and acted upon as work long overdue, and their lesson reminds of the things which will be so that Satan does not gain a great victory by keeping minds confused now when the perils of the last days are upon us. The verse requires deep and thorough individual work, thorough humbling of the soul before God by those in positions of responsibility, earnest seeking of the Lord with heart and mind and soul that will entirely change the present condition, deep searching of heart and cleansing of the soul temple, and diligent cultivation of the soil of the individual heart so that fruit appears in life proportionate to light given. It prompts a solemn review of standing before God, whether the name is written in the books of heaven including the Lamb's book of life, and the review of Daniel and Revelation is to lead each person to examine life, work, and loyalty to God, in which observance of the seventh-day Sabbath is presented as the test of loyalty and a sign of obedience.

The verse belongs to the time at the close of the thousand years after Christ's second advent, when the holy city descends from heaven. Then the holy city comes down from heaven and settles on the earth where the saints stand. It is the New Jerusalem where the glory of the Redeemer is the brightness of heaven and the Lamb is the light of the city, the glory before which angels veil their faces, and God and the Lamb lighten the city where the saved nations walk. In that city with always-open gates and no night, nothing defiling and no worker of abomination or lie will ever enter, but only those written in the Lamb's book of life, while right to the tree of life and entrance through the gates into the city belongs to those who do His commandments, and the saved nations walk in the light of the city with the kings of the earth bringing their glory and honor into it.

It is the city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God, more attractive than the most beautiful earthly city, with broad streets paved with gold, and no defiling thing enters into it. Its beauty will remain unmarred in the earth made new, untouched by anything that could mar it, with nothing to taint or destroy it or cause disease or death. There is no tempter or possibility of wrongdoing in the future life, because its inhabitants have endured the testing of evil and are no longer susceptible to it. The heavenly city is wholly free from sin, and those who enter are prepared through forming perfect characters, with Christ walking with them to teach and guide them, and no tempting devil or taint of sin there. Entering through the gates into the city means choosing Christ's side and working with Him with all ability to overcome the temptations of the enemy, laboring unitedly and heartily for victory at every step to gain eternal life, and those who enter gain beauty of character that welcomes them in and gives right to the tree of life, where there is no more death, no more sin, no more temptation, no devil and no Lucifer, where the saved see the King in His beauty, with earthly history closing in only a short while before entrance is given.

The holy city is reserved for the redeemed, while the wicked remain outside with every mean and abominable thing. People who persist in sin and take pleasure in unrighteousness will perish outside the city of God, among all that is abominable and every abominable thing, and they will not enter the city. After the wicked are raised, they retain their former desire to conquer and gather to attack the city, but they are excluded from its glory.

The verse shows the loftier worship of the church above, into which no defilement, nothing impure or unholy, can enter. Heaven is pure and holy and perfect, where every being has perfect reverence for God and His holiness. The house of God on earth is the gate of heaven to the humble, believing soul, and its song of praise, prayer, and words spoken by Christ's representatives and ministers are God's appointed agencies to prepare a people for that church above and that pure, heavenly worship. Those who place the sacred and eternal on a level with common things, with uncultivated ideas of true worship and true reverence, can never appreciate that pure and holy heaven and be prepared to join with the worshipers in the heavenly courts above.

Exclusion From the City

Nothing defiled or defiling, nothing abominable, and nothing false will in any way enter the holy city, and those who defile, work abomination, or make a lie cannot enter, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Those who enter are God's loyal people who have shown loyalty on earth, kept God's commandments and the faith and testimony of Jesus, owned the crucified Christ as Saviour, sought the heavenly home prepared by God in faith, and obeyed Christ's principles in daily life in preparation for continuing higher education there. Entry is through the strait gate and requires agonizing effort, and defilement through sin bars entry, yet those who have sinned need not despair, for if they repent, forsake sin, and turn to God they can receive mercy and abundant pardon.

Lying lips are an abomination, and no liar, falsifier, swindler, adulterer, cruel-minded person, hypocrite, or deceiver will enter or see His face. This includes falsely claiming to have given everything to God, pretending to give while withholding what was pledged, crooked dealing and taking advantage of others for gain through knowledge or skill, changing God's truth into a lie, and loving skepticism and falsehood in a poisoned spiritual atmosphere where truth is distorted, miscolored, and falsely reported. Moral impurity also bars entrance, with self-abuse as a most degrading sin polluting the whole character, so that those practicing it will find no place unless they break it off and repent before God, for to continue in such character while claiming victory is itself living a lie continually and being shut out. Those who enter instead partake of the divine nature, escape world corruption through lust, purify their souls by obeying the truth, and live the heavenly order here below, to be changed at Christ's coming from mortal corruptible bodies to immortal glorified bodies for higher nature and wider nobler service; such practices require change and conformity of the whole person to Christ's will, and those preparing for future immortal life must not remain where falsehood prevails.

No transgressor of God's law will be admitted, for one who breaks even the least commandment and teaches others to break it is a rebel against God's government, sinning and leading others in disobedience, and has no place in the kingdom. Entrance is impossible while trampling the law because everybody else does, and requires paying regard to God's requirements, vindicating His law, coming out to be separate in obedience, taking position on Christ's side, and standing with those who keep the commandments as distinct from those who do not, which alone elevates and refines a person to become a member of the royal heavenly family accepted by God. The Sabbath set at the end of six working days is a time to stop and consider whether the week has brought spiritual gain or loss, as preparation for that pure kingdom which admits no transgressor.

No sinner in sins may enter the courts of heaven, and at the judgment the exclusion is absolute with not one sinner entering. Even one blot or one unconfessed and unrepented sin closes the gates, and having received light and knowledge is not enough without applying it to self and following the Lord with undivided heart. People defiled by continuing in sin will not enter even if they profess to be Christians, for their guilt remains and their characters become fixed when probation ends, calling for cleansing from all filthiness and resistance to sin; those whose sinful ways remain unchanged, who reject mercy, warnings, commandments, and self-denial, who continue in impurity and guilt, and who boastfully refuse to confess need of forgiveness shut themselves out and lose everlasting life, though infinite pains have been taken to bring sinners into right relation. Its inhabitants must have lives shaped by Christ and be sanctified and fit for God's praise, for Satan was the one sinner in heaven, and after he and his followers were overcome in the war there, no other sinner could enter.

Selfishness, unrighteousness, unholy ambition, pride, envy, jealousy, criticism, deceit, vainglory, and conduct that harms others defile and bar entry, and a character must be developed that can be trusted to enter heaven without rebelling. Those who cherish pride and envy with their deception, accusations, and enmity, and do not repent, will be shut out and must be freed from all evil; those who cling to envy, jealousy, criticism, or deceit would continue criticizing others and coveting their crowns, so they cannot live there. These traits must be expelled, put to death, and overcome now in this life, for God cannot take to heaven those who remain fretful, censorious, complaining and selfish, who would mar its peaceful happiness and have no part with God's people and no home there, and exclusion is certain unless they change. This requires a decisive change from selfishness, covetousness, fraud, and injustice, which is an abomination dishonoring Christ, to practiced righteousness and heaven's principles, learning Christ's meekness and purity, becoming peacemakers, putting away sin, and cultivating the Spirit's virtues.

No quarrelsome, faultfinding, criticizing person will enter, for wicked words spoken about the supposed faults of God's servants who are doing their best to spread truth and advance His work are written in the heavenly books of record. Unless those who speak them repent, confess their sins where they are, humble their hearts before God, and are converted, they will at last find themselves outside the city. Entrance requires putting away a quarrelsome disposition, refusing to retaliate or speak unadvisedly, turning a deaf ear to criticism of God's children, answering provocation and irritation with silence, keeping the eye fixed on Jesus, and being converted. Even sins counted small can keep people out, for dishonesty is sin regardless of how much is gained or how wealthy or poor the person is, and a claim to serve God does not make an ungodly character pure. Continued indulgence in petty sins trains people in wrongdoing and distorts their sense of sin, every transgression being recorded for judgment; unjust business dealings that hurt and wrong others reveal character unfit for heaven, and those who disregard God's law and choose falsehood instead of truth, holiness, and righteousness will stand at its gates with no passport or changed sentiments to fit them for the kingdom and cannot reverse the choices made.

Worldly-policy religion has no place in the city, and only the religion bearing God's stamp belongs there. Sacrificing principle and using worldly methods to achieve desires cannot make an unrighteous act holy, and those who persist in unrighteous conduct must change or the gates will be closed against them. False hope cannot bring anyone in, for hypocrites, unbelievers, idol-worshipers, the impure, and those remaining impure are outside, and entry belongs to genuine piety and real religious experience rather than ability, self-righteousness, or carelessness; since sin deceives and leads to loss of confidence in God and the eternal reward, eternal life in Jesus must be earnestly sought and lived for in preparation. Heaven admits only the redeemed cleansed from every sinful tendency, whose blood removes every imperfection so that through divine grace they overcome Satan and stand without fault. The heavenly record preserves every deed, word, motive, secret thought and act, faithfulness and unfaithfulness, neglected warnings, and unused opportunities of those who fear God and honor His name, and the books are opened with each judged according to works, so that secret thoughts and acts are exposed and an unrepented account of evil excludes. Those records reveal whether tenderness, love, courtesy, and compassion or selfishness and covetousness have been shown, and whether entrusted means and opportunities have been faithfully used; while those who corrupt their ways and remain ungodly perish, the obedient who keep the truth, are made clean through the Lamb's blood, stand in righteousness and truth beyond temptation, and are cleansed from impure and selfish principles will be welcomed inside.

Habits That Defile

Revelation 21:27 excludes from heaven everything that defiles, and tobacco is such a defilement that enslavement to it bars hope of admission while it continues. It contaminates the body and weakens its powers, defiles the lips, pollutes the breath with stench and pollutes everything around, stupefies the mind and deepens appetite. The outward habit reveals an inward love of uncleanness, making the soul unfit for a pure and holy God who will accept nothing defiling in character. No profession of entire sanctification can excuse the practice, for the one who belongs to Christ through His atoning blood, whose body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and whose powers and property belong to the Lord, will not remain enslaved nor spend entrusted means to gratify an appetite with no foundation in nature. It must be given up with the will placed on God's side in order to be reconciled to God and prepared to enter His kingdom.

Gluttony and intemperance that destroy through appetite leave no place among the worthy and exclude from God's city and the immortal inheritance. The use of liquor, tobacco, tea, and coffee is defiling practice that must be overcome by God's converting power. Victory over slavery to appetite and passion through moral self-control enables a person to stand before God with the name written in heaven's books. Those who seek a place in the city free from impurity must fight temptation and reflect Christ, teaching true living by example as well as instruction.

Indulgence of animal passions corrupts body and mind and pollutes the life so that even those regarded as good, who pray, weep, and hold positions of influence, will not enter the heavenly city if they remain polluted. Lustful earthly thoughts, words, and actions, unlawful desires and corrupt imaginings, lying, violence, sexual immorality, and destruction of domestic peace are defiling and bar entrance unless broken off, repented of before God, and cleansed by Christ's blood. Probation gives time to bring thoughts and actions into line with God's Word, to be changed in character, to practice the commandments, love God and neighbor, live righteously, and by grace bring thoughts, passions, and affections under His rule. Such intemperance can damage nerves and brain, and minds and bodies must be preserved in best condition for service; entrance requires being refined, spiritualized, cleansed, and purified through strength drawn from Jesus alone. Self-abuse is the most degrading sin polluting the whole character, and continuance in it while falsely claiming victory is itself a continual lie that shuts out from the city.

The purity required for the inheritance includes physical as well as moral cleanliness, with turning from the excesses and pollutions of the age and cleansing of flesh and spirit to be ready for immortal life. Genuine sanctification renounces sinful pursuits and gratifications of the world and lives in purity consistent with the gospel rather than clinging to practices that pollute and enslave. The body as God's temple must be studied and preserved from harm and defilement, and neglect of intelligent care gives opportunity for defilement. Keeping habits of life pure and clean prepares for entrance into the city of God, and orderly clean habits taught in the home train children for the purity of heaven.

Perverted nature and sinful indulgence of appetite cannot be carried into heaven but will shut out unless overcome now in Jesus' name alone through His grace. Entrance requires present fitting up for the society of heaven, with character brought to the standard of holiness and every thought and habit brought into harmony with the will of God. This is done by becoming partakers of the divine nature and escaping worldly corruption, following the example of Him who overcame in man's behalf in the wilderness temptation. Bad habits resist efforts to change, yet persistent energetic struggle can conquer them. Probation is given to remove defects of character and cultivate integrity, firmness, and perseverance, fitting for heaven to do good, resist evil, and bear adversity, and he that endures unto the end in that victory shall be saved with right to the tree of life.

Names Written in Life

The book holds the names of all who have entered God's service and belong to Him as His people. They are vitally united to Him like branches to a vine, and as His church they are to represent His character in self-devoted saving work through sanctification by truth. Their worth is not measured by wealth, learning, rank, social standing, or worldly honor, but by oneness with Christ, so that even a humble sincere person who cherishes given light is precious to God whatever the station or ability. To refuse such companionship because of lack of worldly status brings divine rebuke.

Names are inscribed when persons truly enter covenant relation with God, break bondage and chain of service to sin, and are born again into His family. This takes place at baptism after renouncing the world and receiving Christ into the soul temple, when Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, infinite and omniscient powers, are present to receive candidates. The converted student thus enrolled is placed under solemn obligation to renounce evil, live under heaven's authority and jurisdiction, and cleave to Christ through earnest prayer. Neglecting that devotion and refusing that service forfeits the Great Teacher's favor and leaves the person vulnerable as the sport of Satan's wiles, while the education bringing close relation to the Teacher sent from God is true education.

A name is recorded when through repentance, faith in Jesus, and obedience to God's perfect law Christ's righteousness is credited and imputed and becomes one's own. Those who trust fully and only in Jesus who suffered and died as their only hope, who receive Him and believe on His name, are given power to become sons of God, children and members of the royal family. Though unworthy in themselves their worthiness is in Christ, who covers them with His own righteousness, pardons and cleanses them by the Lamb's blood, and blots their sins from the book of remembrance. When people repent God accepts them and writes their names there, connecting that writing with entry to see heaven's glories, so each must urgently inquire whether it is well with the soul and whether the name is written, since unbelief leaves no excuse.

Names written when persons become children of God remain until the investigative judgment, when each individual record is examined by Him who knows every work. If unrepented wicked deeds are found, if the professed believer becomes self-confident or breaks even the least precept and misrepresents Jesus, or continues in impurity and deceit without repentance, the name is blotted out as that of a worker of iniquity and the sins stand against him with exclusion from the holy city. If the soul is self-distrustful, God-fearing, and penitent though harassed by doubts and temptations, Jesus the Judge who knows every temptation, circumstance, weakness, and infirmity acts as Advocate, pleads Calvary, claims him as His own, confesses his name before the Father and holy angels, remembers sins no more, and retains the name. Those who confess and forsake and put away sin may have sins blotted out and names retained, being cleansed and made white in the Lamb's blood to walk in God's ways and keep His commandments.

Having a name in church books or joining the church is quite another thing from having it in the Lamb's book, for not all names on church records are registered there. Many apparently sincere believers only enlist outwardly and enter names on the record without knitting the soul to the Savior, without the inner work of grace, living connection, earnest prayer, and constant watchfulness, so they serve unhappily with hard labor and are in peril of total darkness. Church membership, profession, or pleasing self without submitting self-will to God's will, cleansing the heart, reverencing the city's statutes, conversion, deep grace, living principles, and Christlike purity does not qualify, and may make one a stumbling block leading others to ruin. Yet standing with God is not decided by a church's keeping or casting out, for one cast out may be registered and entitled to the Lord's pasture, sought and folded by the true Shepherd.

Registration is the greatest honor and privilege any mortal can receive, far outweighing everything of worldly attraction, and even the least prominent place there is enough, calling for humility rather than self-exaltation in awareness of weakness. It is a secure title like a registered deed of real estate that remains secure though rough hands tear the paper held in hand, so however wickedly men handle names here the worthies are safe from wrath and demonic rage unto immortality according to works. Those who know their names are there can serve daily with gladness, steady active faith, gratitude, and rejoicing in belonging to God and in the blessed hope of the Saviour's return. Those written will enter the city to be greeted with Christ's welcome and hear His benediction inviting the blessed of the Father to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation, commending the good and faithful servant, while earthly wealth, pleasure, status, learning, and power cannot satisfy or save apart from it.

The names belong to faithful servants who follow the Holy Spirit, resist Satan's deceptions, and do work righteously, faithfully, and with integrity for God's glory rather than recognition, fame, wages, or wealth. Such obedience enrolls the name and is sustained by holding confidence in Christ to the end in partaking of the divine nature. Keeping that title requires diligence to make calling and election sure, working the short time left for time and eternity, coming into harmony with brethren in a kind conciliatory spirit without retaliation, and readily confessing and forsaking faults so mistakes and sins go beforehand to judgment and are blotted out. At the fast-approaching close of probation, when the faithful are admitted and the unfaithful shut out, keeping the name registered demands earnest determined effort to beat back the foe in the whole armor of righteousness and conquer in warfare against sin through overcoming grace, gathering as thankful conquerors with no cold formal ones around the great white throne swelling the song to God and the Lamb.

Only those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes will have names registered there when Christ rises to put on vengeance and decides readiness for the near end and His coming. Erroneous ideas, faults, and objectionable traits of character must be given up. The person must be clothed with Christ's righteousness, with garments suited to the King's palace securing admittance.

Those written belong to God though hidden, unrecognized, rejected, and condemned by the world, yet known, valued, adopted as His own and as heirs to an imperishable inheritance. Race, nationality, birth, or social station does not decide, for all of every race who believe, obey, give the heart to God, and are cleansed by His blood are one in Christ and made fit for the society of the redeemed and angels. Even the tiniest least celebrated faithful glorify Him, and Christ's eyes as flame penetrate fast-closed dungeons and every difficulty and danger to hunt out, note, and sympathize with the hidden persecuted He knows by name, detecting every dark deed against them at His coming which will not tarry. Laying hold of unpopular truth at cost of friendship with world-loving relatives is no real sacrifice in exchange for lasting honors and unfading treasure for sin exchanged for righteousness.

Those written include faithful careworn mothers at home whose often unnoticed loving care, daily burdens, kind speech, busy happy training of children to resist evil, and missionary endurance are watched by angels and recorded in heaven though the world never knows the name. Light and glory from God's throne rests upon her, her position is more exalted than a king upon his throne, and her past mistakes are not to be paraded. They include little children who die, who rest quietly with troubles ended until the Lifegiver calls them from the dusty bed immortal at the resurrection of the just, for the Lord loves little children who try to do right and promises them the kingdom. Only good obedient patient children are admitted, since one fretful disobedient child would spoil heaven's harmony, and the Lord sees them, smiles when they do right and overcome wrong feeling, writes right doing in His book and marks wrong, calling those with no black mark left to receive gold wreath and harp where none are sick or tempted but always happy among fruit and flowers. Angels watch children with deepest interest to see what character develops, record acts, and seek to win them to Jesus that names may be written, which requires giving the heart to God through Jesus in seriousness and sobriety.

Having a name registered there means having a character pure and holy like Christ's, clean, untainted, and uncorrupted in influence as laborers together with God. It means being divested of selfishness, hiding self in Jesus, unflinching in fidelity, rendering to Caesar and God their due, fully imbued with truth, resisting vice and dishonesty, and living in harmony with Scripture in simplicity and modesty as members of the royal family. Christ's righteousness is the wedding garment suited to the palace, in contrast to a name written in sand, giving assured rest to those who trust God. Those so recorded will be spotless with untarnished name, live among angels, be made immortal, and lead others to become God's children, for faith in truth alone without Christlikeness will not save and each must ask if the name is written.

Those written are Christ's followers whose lasting gain makes earthly loss no true sacrifice, adopted into God's family as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Their names remain forever unto everlasting endless life among those admitted to the kingdom. Having the name means rescue from evil out of Satan's family into God's by repentance and faith, with iniquity caused to pass away and clothing in Christ's robe, though every rescue repeats the controversy and excites Satan's accusing resistance to Christ's right to His blood-bought brands plucked from the burning. Christ as Advocate pleads Calvary, rebukes Satan, and will not permit one penitent claiming protection to pass under the enemy's power, so all keeping His robe stand chosen faithful true with angels beside them now and at last around the throne. The saved admitted are overcomers reflecting His image and nations keeping truth with right to the tree of life, delivered and hidden through the time of trouble when threatened with starvation or violence, eternally secure with sins transferred to sin's originator, for transgressors persisting in unrighteousness cannot enter since their presence would make another rebellion possible.

True purposes and acts of right doing are recorded, while living for selfish gratification and vain things stands against glorifying God, and those aiming at His glory receive His peace. In the final judgment character, conduct, and motives are weighed, and to be found wanting in love and obedience is fearful loss, raising whether the name will be found in God's book. No one is saved against the will; each must prize salvation, submit in the Lord's appointed way, and make peace without delay while in health by entire consecration, humble repentance, faith in Jesus, and obedient life pleasing to God, not mere seasonal denial. With the crisis before us each must act as if the soul is at stake, seeking forgiveness and assurance today, living for Christ day by day as a victor for this one certain day under pardon promises, realizing purchase by the Son's blood. This requires giving self without reserve as faithful devoted soldiers, turning with full purpose, becoming humble Christians of worthy character by faithful obedience, keeping separate from secret societies and worldly parties that separate from faith and godliness as Satan's work and temptation, and loving God and raising the standard even among drinking, gambling, and swearing, for death by disaster itself does not answer whether the name remains and whether Christ was accepted in preparation.

Character Fitted for Heaven

Those who enter the city must be pure before they enter, for nothing defiling can enter the heavenly mansions. This purity must be formed in this life, and it is inward as well as outward, with those who pass through the gates clothed in both before they are taken to the prepared mansions. It is not merely freedom from outward impurity or sensual sin, but includes purity of hidden motives and purposes, freedom from pride and self-seeking, and a humble unselfish childlike spirit produced as Christ dwells within and thought and conduct become pure and refined. Modesty and virtue guard this purity, and only those who cherish sacred purity can join the sinless angels where sin has no place, enduring the final review, abiding the day of God, and being received into heaven, for only the pure, clean, and holy can enter.

Nothing unlike Christ or tainted by sin will enter, and character must be perfected in this life in preparation for immortal life. Those who enter have obeyed the truth and practiced heaven's principles in this life, and their lives demonstrate that they will bring in no deceptive schemes or rebellion and will not introduce a new rebellion. This requires overcoming every failure, fault, error, defect, and sin and standing right before God on the platform of eternal truth, loving God and keeping His commandments, with lives preaching that requirement to the world. When the Spirit cleanses the soul temple Christ comes in and dwells there, purifying souls through love and obedience to the truth, strengthening one another, avoiding self-exaltation, accusation, and harshness, and training to be faultless without spot or wrinkle, for a character still spotted by cherished faults has no place in the pure holy kingdom.

Entrance belongs to those who have studied to know God's will and yielded their lives to His control, learning the terms of entrance from His Word. They put away everything that defiles body and spirit and bring life, spirit, and character into conformity with God's will, with genuine faith working through love and cleansing the life from sin and love for Jesus shown by keeping His commandments. They show Christlike character in all dealings and obey heaven's law in every particular, bearing the mark of His government, keeping His everlasting covenant, and cherishing pure principles rooted in truth, with character formed in Christ and conduct governed by God's law, since learning, influence, or strength cannot secure eternal life without loyalty and practical obedience. Preaching truth while living corruptly does not make truth effective and dishonors God, for honoring Him in theory alone is not enough, and the hope of the glories awaiting the redeemed should lead believers to seek eternal life and obey the commandments to be numbered among the redeemed.

Entrance requires sanctification of the whole being, purity like Christ's purity, and perfect conformity to God's will, for nothing defiling and no lying can enter. God requires His blood-bought people to be holy, to walk perfect before Him, and to glorify Him in body and spirit, which is provided through Christ in whom believers are complete, who redeemed them from all iniquity to purify them and make them zealous of good works, and through abiding union with Him that controls the will and produces Christlike sympathy and goodness. The natural unsanctified heart is not fitted to enter or enjoy heaven until the grace of Christ subdues controlling propensities and refines character, and without the new birth putting evil out of life no one can enter the kingdom or be welcomed among holy angels. In true conversion the soul is born again with a new spirit taking possession, a new life begun, Christ revealed in character, faith growing into knowledge, the Word understood, and the believer becoming a living part of Christ the Vine, so that people must repent, be converted, and be sanctified in soul, body, and spirit, with parents converted themselves and laboring for their children's conversion without shifting responsibility, for Christ welcomes only those prepared and there will never be another rebellion.

Those whose characters have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb will receive an abundant entrance, for heaven is holy and entry into the society of the pure and holy requires freedom from sin. Only Christ's atoning blood cleanses from sin, and the present life is the time to prepare for that society, since no cleansing or further probation comes after death. His blood removes every sinful tendency and imperfection from the redeemed, who overcome Satan through divine grace, deny self, and stand without fault before God. For those professing His name and claiming to keep the commandments this requires reconversion from neglect of His requirements, worldly customs, and selfish influence to a willing faithful genuine self-sacrificing spirit and the missionary work demanded.

Human life is preparation for the life to come, a period in which characters that will win entrance may be formed, and the character formed day by day decides destiny. Preparation requires the day-by-day perfecting of Christian character until reflecting the image of Jesus, purifying the soul by obedience, and becoming tried, proved, and kept by God. The time of probation is given to remove defects of character and cultivate integrity, firmness, and perseverance, fitting people for heaven and enabling them to do good, resist evil, and bear adversity, with true happiness requiring making God's will one's own and being sanctified in body, soul, and spirit. Mercy opens the gates while justice requires freedom from character defects that would disrupt heaven's peace, so those who are saints in heaven must first become saints on earth, and those who refuse the conditions of God's Word would bring unsanctified ideas into the heavenly family and start another rebellion.

Preparation includes teaching children from earliest childhood to know Christ and follow His example so they may stand among the pure before God's throne. Children must be taught to leave everything impure and gather only what is pure and lovely in a crooked and perverse generation, like lilies keeping purity in white sand, following Christ as the Pattern with more of Jesus and much less of self, with parents giving that example since thinking oneself doing all right is not enough. Students must put God's Word into practice and learn to love God wholly and neighbor as self, avoiding carelessness in word or deed, sinful practices, unclean habits, and falsehood that endanger the soul, while households are to be taught that only those without spot or wrinkle enter and be sanctified to God. Children must be trained in obedience and parents must fulfill home responsibilities so characters are fitted for heaven, working for one another and determinedly bringing up youth to have the crown of life as overcomers, with angels assisting in schools and the Holy Spirit working with human effort as fathers and mothers take hold of the work.

Fitting up requires falling on the Rock and being broken, with self crucified, the will wholly sanctified to God, and no one entering while self remains alive. Those who enter return to first love, are at peace among themselves, are united to Christ and therefore to one another, are not only Bible readers but Bible believers, and are faithful in little duties, repairing waste places and breaches and helping those in need, while the fierce spirit rising when displeased with differences and dissensions is Satan's spirit, not Christ's, and keeps a person out. They are getting an experience in purity here during probation, forming tastes and habits like the pure society of heavenly beings through faithfulness in humble duties of cleanliness, order, and obedience, for coarse unclean unlike tastes cannot expect to join that company. Religious standing cannot be trusted when self-sufficiency and self-confidence remain unchanged, for entrance requires a heart surrendered, purged, cleansed, refined, and purified, transformed by the gospel that gives new life and power, cleanses the heart, removes idols, and makes faithful fellow workers fit for holiness. Only those who purify souls through obedience to the truth, humble themselves as little children, learn of Christ, practice truth in righteousness, become tried and proved under God's keeping power, and seek and receive Christ's righteousness will be taken to Himself, rejoicing now with eternal life awaiting them, while those turning away from that righteousness and refusing given light cannot claim His promises.

A cultivated character defect closes the gate, for those entering among the redeemed will have no character defect and a defect cultivated rather than overcome makes a person imperfect. Unovercome defects exclude from heaven, so daily grace is needed to overcome them and grow in purity and holiness, and wrong habits cannot be carried in but unless overcome will shut people out, though persistent energetic struggle can conquer habits that resist change. Purity of heart and life, not wealth or social position, qualifies for entrance, and no one whose character refuses conformity to the divine likeness can enter, cutting off happiness, hope, peace, and joy that could have been theirs. Unrighteousness, selfishness, and unholy ambition defile, while entry belongs to those whose hearts and actions are made holy and whose characters are changed, passing the final review without spot or wrinkle through accepting Christ's grace that makes strong to resist temptation and at last receives them as sons and daughters eternally blessed with life measuring with God's life.

Only the good, holy, obedient, and patient will be saved and enter to dwell with holy sinless angels, for heaven is pure and holy and no sin or impurity can enter its pearly gates. Entering requires holiness and purity of life fitting and preparing a person to live there, turning from all sin, complying with God's conditions, and separating from the unclean and the world to become His sons and daughters, members of the royal family, reflecting His purity and holiness. Those persisting in selfishness, rejecting warnings, and refusing self-denial and sacrifice could not endure its purity, so the warning calls for examining life and thorough preparation through confession and genuine repentance. Goodness and right doing cannot come from human strength but must be asked from God whose grace influences the heart and makes it right, which even children can receive as little Christians loving and serving God, while present fitting up brings character to holiness with every thought and habit in harmony with God's will, overcoming perverted nature and sinful indulgence of appetite now in Jesus' name through His grace, partaking of the divine nature, escaping worldly corruption, following His wilderness example, and enduring to the end to be saved with right to the tree of life. Those entering must be refined, spiritualized, cleansed, and purified from lustful earthly thoughts, words, and actions through strength drawn from Jesus alone.

Present Call to Prepare

The closing chapters belong to the present time to be read carefully and acted upon, for the work they call for is long overdue and requires deep and thorough individual work now. Those in positions of responsibility must thoroughly humble the soul before God, and every person must earnestly seek the Lord with heart and mind and soul in a way that will entirely change the present condition. There must be deep searching of heart and cleansing of the soul temple, with diligent cultivation of the soil of the individual heart so that fruit appears in the life of every teacher and worker in proportion to the light given.

Nothing defiling, abominable, or false can enter the holy city, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and obeying Christ's principles in daily life prepares people for that entrance where higher education will continue. Nothing unclean can enter the kingdom of heaven, and therefore orderly, clean habits in the home train children for the purity of heaven. The hope of the glories awaiting the redeemed in the city of God should lead believers to seek eternal life and obey God's commandments so they may be numbered among the redeemed.

With the great crisis before us, everyone must act as if his own soul is at stake, asking how to save the soul for which Christ died and how to be holy as Christ is holy. It is time to seek forgiveness of sins and assurance that one's name is written there, realizing that he is not his own but bought with the blood of the Son of God. This is done by living for Christ by the day, seeking to be a victor for this one day because another day is not certain, and confessing sins today under the promises of pardon. A home in Christ's kingdom belongs only to those whose names are registered in the Lamb's book of life, and if the name is there all will be well, but keeping that title requires diligence to make calling and election sure and to make no mistake about it.

The short time left in this world is to be used to work for time and for eternity, doing all possible to come into harmony with brethren with a kind, conciliatory spirit without retaliation, and being ready and anxious to confess faults and forsake them so that mistakes and sins go beforehand to judgment and are blotted out. Entrance to heaven depends on having the name stand registered in the Lamb's book of life at the fast-approaching close of probation, with the faithful admitted and the unfaithful shut out, and keeping the name registered requires earnest and determined effort now to beat back the terrible foe. This requires putting on the whole armor of righteousness and conquering in the warfare against sin through overcoming grace, and those admitted will gather around the great white throne as conquerors, every soul in earnest and every heart full of thanksgiving for the marvelous love of God, swelling with a loud voice the song of the redeemed to God and to the Lamb, with no cold, formal ones among them.

God's pure kingdom admits no transgressor, and the Sabbath set at the end of the six working days is a time to stop and consider whether the week has brought spiritual gain or loss, as preparation for that kingdom. The verse prompts a solemn review of one's standing before God, whether one's name is written in the books of heaven including the Lamb's book of life, with the review of Daniel and Revelation leading each person to examine life, work, and loyalty to God. In that review observance of the seventh-day Sabbath stands as the test of loyalty and a sign of obedience.