Revelation 3:18 Commentary and Bible Study

What beautiful words they are: ‘I counsel thee.’ This is not actually a scathing rebuke with a final command. It is pleading. The worst has been stated. This is an offensive style of Christian living: preferring the things of this world, helping myself to as much as I can; worshipping, but uncommitted, not serving the Lord. Yes, but there is still room, there is still scope for forgiveness because Christ pleads with us. We are not yet condemned. We may have been chastised in some way.But here, ‘I counsel thee to buy of me.’ That is an interest word, to buy. We say – correctly and biblically – ‘I do not buy anything of the Lord. Salvation is free. I must receive it as a gift. Even as a believer, forgiveness, strength, God’s blessings are free so why does Christ say, “Buy it of me?”‘ The sense here is this: ‘Exchange your love of ease and your lightweight Christian living. Bring this to me, and in exchange I will freely give you things that are infinitely more valuable.’ We lay at his feet our repentance, our emptiness, and all our past foolishness. It does not really purchase anything, because blessing and forgiveness must come to us freely, but nevertheless we carry out this exchange.What do we receive in return which is so wonderful? ‘Gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.’ This is an allusion to Laodicea. They thought they were rich, and some of the lukewarm Christians thought they were spiritually rich enough, but they needed gold tried in the fire.‘And white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.’ Not the black, shiny wool raiment of the locality, but white raiment representing real character. ‘That the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes [by praying to God for help] with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.’ Pray to God and he will give you the power to examine yourself, to see his standards and to love them. He will give you a true believer’s perspective, and you will see the promises and prove him.