Opening the Heart's Door to the Divine Knock

When Christ stands outside knocking, it indicates that the heart's door is closed to His presence and the reviving power of the Holy SpiritDA 489.5+1. If the door remains shut, we are indeed not partaking of the spiritual feast of His righteousness or the life-giving influence of His Spirit1888 666.2+1.

The Meaning of the Knock

The True Witness, Jesus Christ, stands at the door of the soul-temple because He desires to communicate eternal life and save that which is lost Revelation 3:20DAR1909 407.3. Every warning, reproof, and entreaty found in the Word of God acts as a knock at the door of the heartDA 489.5. While He knocks, it reveals a state of lukewarmness and a perilous unconsciousness of our true spiritual poverty, misery, and blindness Revelation 3:14-18DA 489.5+1. If the door is not opened, the Holy Spirit is grieved and His impressions on the heart become weaker over time17MR 182.2+1.

Partaking of the Heavenly Banquet

To sup with Christ is to have a vital connection with Him, eating the "bread of life" and drinking the "water of salvation"SpM 167.1+1.

• The Spiritual Food: Eating His flesh and drinking His blood is a figure for believing His Word with the whole heart and practicing it1888 666.2+2.

• The Result of Communion: Those who open the door and "eat" of Christ receive His holy, sanctified character, which imbues their life with divine powerSpM 167.1+1.

• The Absence of Power: Without this indwelling presence, spiritual perceptions are not acute enough to discern the working of the Spirit of God, leading to jealousies, envyings, and divisions within the church1888 1697.3+1.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the agency through which the presence of Christ is brought into the soulGCB/GCDB 1895, page 493.5+1.

• Unity and Power: When church members are teachable and willing to learn, the Spirit of God cements their hearts together in unity1888 905.4+1.

• A Call to Revival: A revival of true godliness is the most urgent of all needs, and it comes only when we fulfill the conditions of confession and repentance to receive the Holy Spirit1SM 121.1.

• The Latter Rain: Receiving Christ into the heart is receiving the Holy Spirit, which is described as the outpouring of the "latter rain"GCB/GCDB 1893, page 360.2.

Restoration and Hope

Even though the Lord has a controversy with those who have compromised integrity, He still stands and knocks with long-suffering and forbearance1888 1476.1+1. We are invited to buy "gold tried in the fire" (faith and love) and "white raiment" (Christ's righteousness) so that our spiritual nakedness is not exposed Revelation 3:18RH August 7, 1894, par. 4. By an act of faith, we can open the door, allowing the Spirit to work in us to discard evil and become partakers of the divine nature 2 Peter 1:48MR 53.3+1. 🌟

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" Revelation 3:20.

Treating Christ as a stranger occurs because the din of worldly cares, spiritual pride, and a love for self-exaltation drown out His voice and make the heart less impressible1SAT 183.2+2. This tragic rejection of the Heavenly Merchantman is often mirrored in our earthly interactions, where our treatment of strangers reveals our true spiritual condition1SAT 46.3+1.

Why We Treat Christ as a Stranger

The primary reason we keep the door closed is a fear that Christ will be an expensive guest who requires the sacrifice of our selfish interests1NL 99.7.

• Worldly Distraction: The noise and "din of the world" prevent many from hearing the gentle knock of the Spirit1SAT 183.2.

• Spiritual Pride: A sense of self-sufficiency leads people to believe they are "rich and increased with goods," causing them to treat the Savior’s warnings as unnecessary interferenceRH January 1, 1889, par. 20+1.

• Unbelief: Many have encased themselves in an armor of unbelief and spiritual pride, refusing to recognize the One whose goings forth are from everlasting1888 395.1.

• Resistance to Change: There is a fear that letting Him in will require the performance of disagreeable duties or the surrendering of cherished sinsDG 167.4+1.

Lessons from Biblical Stranger Encounters

Our conduct toward the "stranger" is a test of our character and often determines our own destiny1SAT 46.3+1.

• Hospitality to Angels: Abraham and Lot both welcomed strangers into their homes with courtesy and urgencyST August 3, 1891, par. 2. In doing so, they entertained angels unawares and received blessings of deliverance and the promise of a son Hebrews 13:2ST August 3, 1891, par. 2.

• The Syrian General: Elisha’s treatment of Naaman, a stranger and a heathen, was designed to humble the man’s national and spiritual prideBHOTV6 136.1. By following the prophet's simple direction, Naaman learned that healing comes from God's power rather than human wealth or pompBHOTV6 136.1.

• The Jewish Rejection: The Jewish leaders, filled with spiritual pride, looked for a Messiah who would fulfill their selfish desires for powerSW March 28, 1905, par. 9. Because they interpreted prophecy through the lens of pride, they treated the Lord of Glory as a stranger and eventually crucified HimSW March 28, 1905, par. 9+1.

• The Warning of Sodom: Lot’s children and wife were so "stupefied with sorrow" and attached to their worldly home that they were loath to depart with the heavenly messengersPP 160.1. Those who linger or treat God’s warnings as an "idle tale" risk perishing in the coming ruinPP 160.1+1.

The Danger of Wrong Associations

While we are called to be hospitable, we are also warned against the dangers of unholy alliances with those who do not love God.

• Suretyship and Partnerships: We are cautioned against being "surety for a stranger," as pledging what belongs to our Heavenly Father to unbelievers can lead to spiritual and financial ruin Proverbs 11:15+11TT 71.1.

• Trusting Strangers over God: God’s people often err by trusting the advice and counsel of strangers rather than seeking the Lord, allowing the enemy to work through these agents to perplex the church1TT 71.1.

• Adulterous Departures: Turning away from God to serve "strange gods" or following the customs of the world is compared to a wife who takes strangers instead of her husbandEze 16:32+1.

Our Calling as "Strangers and Pilgrims"

True followers of Christ are described as "strangers and pilgrims" on this earth, meaning their citizenship is above and they do not dabble in the infatuations of the worldTM 131.1+1.

• Transformation: Those who were once "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel" and "strangers from the covenants of promise" are made near by the blood of Christ Ephesians 2:12-13AERS 113.4.

• A New Identity: Through the "law of naturalization" in the gospel, we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints Ephesians 2:19AERS 113.4.

• Reflecting the Light: As pilgrims, we are to abstain from fleshly lusts and lead honest lives so that those who sit in darkness may behold our good works and glorify God 1 Peter 2:11-12BTS August 1, 1907, par. 3+1.

If we continue to disregard the Savior's knock and treat Him as a stranger, there is a solemn danger that He will eventually bid us to "depart" as workers of iniquity, leaving us to be scattered among "nations whom we know not" Zechariah 7:13-14HST September 15, 1840, page 90.15. Seek the Lord while He may be found and open the door to the rich treasures of His grace Isaiah 55:71SM 111.1+1.