Who can eat from the Tree of Life?

Geri7

Well-Known Member
Last night I was watching "Rejoice in the Lord" telecast from Pensacola Christian College and Dr. Joel Mullenix said "only those who are faithful here on earth for the Lord will be able to eat from the Tree of Life"! I was :shocked when I heard him say that since I thought everybody in heaven will have access to the tree! Does that mean back slidden Christians that lived for the world and have no rewards to show are forbidden the fruit and forbidden to enter into the gates of the city? Check out the ending of the verse.

Any thoughts/clarification on what this verse means? Perhaps there is a better translation from the Greek than the KJV?

Revelation 22:14 KJV

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
 

Any Minute

Tetelestai !!
Last night I was watching "Rejoice in the Lord" telecast from Pensacola Christian College and Dr. Joel Mullenix said "only those who are faithful here on earth for the Lord will be able to eat from the Tree of Life"! I was :shocked when I heard him say that since I thought everybody in heaven will have access to the tree! Does that mean back slidden Christians that lived for the world and have no rewards to show are forbidden the fruit and forbidden to enter into the gates of the city? Check out the ending of the verse.

Any thoughts/clarification on what this verse means? Perhaps there is a better translation from the Greek than the KJV?

Revelation 22:14 KJV

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

It depends on which text was used, most translations use “wash their robes” such as the NASB
New American Standard Bible
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

Many scholars believe this is a more accurate rendering and implied in that would be “and made them white in the blood of the lamb”.

Revelation 7:14
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

I’m certainly no scholar but to me this seems to be an acceptable and correct rendering. It places the focus on the object of our faith, Jesus.

Even with using the words “ do his commandments”, what greater commandment is there than to place our faith in Him alone, the author and finisher of our faith?

Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

John 6:28-29
…28Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" 29Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."




I'm not familiar with this teacher and can't comment on his statement with out the surrounding context. Did he say anything about backsliders or those who appear to have unfruitful lives?

If the context was a works based faith/salvation, then I would disagree.

But just the mention of a "faithful life" doesn't give much detail(though my ears would perk up too). After all it is by grace through faith. Only by faith in Christ and His finished work(that decision made in this life) will we be partakers of any of the promises and blessings of God.
 

Geri7

Well-Known Member
I'm not familiar with this teacher and can't comment on his statement with out the surrounding context. Did he say anything about backsliders or those who appear to have unfruitful lives?

If the context was a works based faith/salvation, then I would disagree.

But just the mention of a "faithful life" doesn't give much detail(though my ears would perk up too). After all it is by grace through faith. Only by faith in Christ and His finished work(that decision made in this life) will we be partakers of any of the promises and blessings of God.

The key words he said were "only those who are faithful will have the right to eat from the Tree of Life". And then he said "imagine Jesus knocking on our mansion door while holding a basket of fruit from the Tree of Life and wanting to talk exclusively one on one to those who are "faithful" and to sit down and partake from the fruit."

I got the impression from his statement he was implying those who were lazy and didn't do any work for the Lord in this life would be excluded from eating from that tree since the result of faithfulness are crown(s).

After the program, I looked up the verse he was referring to and it had me wondering and that is why I'm questioning this.

Thank you for your explanation with a better translation of "wash their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb" that makes better sense.
 

mbrown1219

Heaven's Stables
Salvation is by grace, holiness is by grace, and even our faith is a gift of God. We are overcomers by the blood of Jesus who paid our COMPLETE SIN DEBT once for all.

Certain works might result in rewards, but only those works which were done BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH US, as submitted servants!

:faint2:
 

Geri7

Well-Known Member
Salvation is by grace, holiness is by grace, and even our faith is a gift of God. We are overcomers by the blood of Jesus who paid our COMPLETE SIN DEBT once for all.

Certain works might result in rewards, but only those works which were done BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH US, as submitted servants!

:faint2:


I agree our works play no part whatsoever in our salvation, its all faith in the finished work of Jesus and confession of sins.
However, a saved person should have that desire to want to please Jesus by obeying and serving Him with our lives and producing fruit.

There are also many who say they are Born Again Christians and they go through the motions but show no evidence of fruit in their lives. They live for the world and you seriously have to question if they are genuinely saved because once you're truly saved you will want to worship the Lord, please Him and follow His commandments. Even a backslider who falls away, will have the Holy Spirit inside of them convicting and trying to draw them back to God. A backslider who is truly saved will be unhappy and miserable until he/she confesses their sins and gets right with Jesus and then fellowship is restored again.

Revelation 22:14 KJV
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
 

RandallB

Well-Known Member
agree.gif
with all above!

Scripture very carefully defines who an Overcomer is.

1 John 5:4-5
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Overcomers are therefore defined scripturally as those that have placed their faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

Many "Teachers" do try and define the Overcomers as those "Prepared Christians" or those who are "devoted members of the bride in waiting" or those "Christians who are Really Watching and are Really Ready". This is the same heresy that Nancy Missler is propagating with her Overcomers / Overcamers message where some Christians are not worthy to get the full treatment and will be left in the Outer Darkness based on their behavior.

I fully agree that the Bride should be looking forward to the imminent return of the Lord for His Bride. They should be using the time they have wisely to help others and do the work of the Lord while there is still time. And there are different Crowns / Rewards/ Blessings for members of the Bride who do earn them. But that is another long post subject.

Access to the Tree of Life is not the only Blessing promised to the Overcomers in Rev 2 & 3:

The Promises to Overcomers:
Rev. 2:7 eat of the tree of life,
Rev 2:10 given crown of life,
Rev 2:17 eat hidden mana & white stone/new name,
Rev 2:26 power over nations,
Rev 3:5 clothed white raiment,
Rev 3:12 made a pillar in God’s Temple
Rev 3:21 sit with Jesus on His throne.


Who Are The Overcomers? - Gracethrufaith

Rev 22:2 seems to indicate that the Millennial Mortals will also have access to the Tree of Life for healing purposes.

Revelation 22:2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.



As Any Minute pointed out it looks like there are a couple of Greek Text differences between the KJV and the NAS et al versions of Rev 22:14.

NAS
Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Blessed are they that do his commandments.(KJV)

The Revised Version adopts the reading, οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, "they that wash their robes," which is found in א, A, 1, 33, Vulgate, AEthiopic, Armenian, Primasius, and which is probably correct.

The reading of the Textus Receptus, ποιοῦντες τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, "they that do his commandments," is found in B, Syriac, Coptic, etc. The Vulgate adds, "in the blood of the Lamb," as in Revelation 7:14, which is, of course, the full meaning.

The free will of man is implied in the active form of the participle. That they may have right to the tree of life; in order that they may have authority over the tree of life; i.e. the right to partake of it. Ebrard makes this clause dependent (as a consequence) upon "do:" "They do them in order that they may have," etc. Others attach this clause to "blessed: They are blessed because they may have the right," etc. Both significations may well be implied. "The tree of life" is that described in ver. 2, and promised "to him that overcometh" in Revelation 2:7. And may enter in through the gates into the city; by the portals; that is, in the natural way of people who have a right to enter.

Only those that are written in the Lambs Book of Life may enter the gates of the city. Therefore the Overcomer must be equal to those that are thus written.
 

Geri7

Well-Known Member
agree.gif
with all above!

Scripture very carefully defines who an Overcomer is.



Overcomers are therefore defined scripturally as those that have placed their faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

Many "Teachers" do try and define the Overcomers as those "Prepared Christians" or those who are "devoted members of the bride in waiting" or those "Christians who are Really Watching and are Really Ready". This is the same heresy that Nancy Missler is propagating with her Overcomers / Overcamers message where some Christians are not worthy to get the full treatment and will be left in the Outer Darkness based on their behavior.

I fully agree that the Bride should be looking forward to the imminent return of the Lord for His Bride. They should be using the time they have wisely to help others and do the work of the Lord while there is still time. And there are different Crowns / Rewards/ Blessings for members of the Bride who do earn them. But that is another long post subject.

Access to the Tree of Life is not the only Blessing promised to the Overcomers in Rev 2 & 3:

The Promises to Overcomers:
Rev. 2:7 eat of the tree of life,
Rev 2:10 given crown of life,
Rev 2:17 eat hidden mana & white stone/new name,
Rev 2:26 power over nations,
Rev 3:5 clothed white raiment,
Rev 3:12 made a pillar in God’s Temple
Rev 3:21 sit with Jesus on His throne.


Who Are The Overcomers? - Gracethrufaith

Rev 22:2 seems to indicate that the Millennial Mortals will also have access to the Tree of Life for healing purposes.





As Any Minute pointed out it looks like there are a couple of Greek Text differences between the KJV and the NAS et al versions of Rev 22:14.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Blessed are they that do his commandments.(KJV)

The Revised Version adopts the reading, οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, "they that wash their robes," which is found in א, A, 1, 33, Vulgate, AEthiopic, Armenian, Primasius, and which is probably correct.

The reading of the Textus Receptus, ποιοῦντες τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, "they that do his commandments," is found in B, Syriac, Coptic, etc. The Vulgate adds, "in the blood of the Lamb," as in Revelation 7:14, which is, of course, the full meaning.

The free will of man is implied in the active form of the participle. That they may have right to the tree of life; in order that they may have authority over the tree of life; i.e. the right to partake of it. Ebrard makes this clause dependent (as a consequence) upon "do:" "They do them in order that they may have," etc. Others attach this clause to "blessed: They are blessed because they may have the right," etc. Both significations may well be implied. "The tree of life" is that described in ver. 2, and promised "to him that overcometh" in Revelation 2:7. And may enter in through the gates into the city; by the portals; that is, in the natural way of people who have a right to enter.

Only those that are written in the Lambs Book of Life may enter the gates of the city. Therefore the Overcomer must be equal to those that are thus written.


:thumbup Thank you RandallB for clarifying this further about the definition of an "Overcomer" vs the heresy that other teachers/preachers are promoting!
 

Any Minute

Tetelestai !!
Geri7, it is more clear to me what he was getting at now. I don't like how some teachers go about trying to call a saved believer to holiness and obedience by distorting the truth.

mbrown and RandallB brought out excellent points and I agree with both. I attended a church where the pastor tried teaching "outer darkness" for believers, only being able to look through the gate of Heaven or some other such nonsense.

He also believes the church is spiritual Israel-replacement theology-, held to the tenants of Calvinism- to what degree I never found out- and wasn't dispensational in his teaching. Usually along with that call to obedience, inevitably came a call to "tithe" in the manor of the OT.
 

Heistheway

Member
The previous responders dealt well with the spiritual portion of the question. The scientific answer is more vague, but also applicable. The creation man was eternal ONLY if connected to the Creator. Once that connection was broken, we became a decaying, terminal lifeform. The Tree of Life was a necessity to maintain that chemical life.

Once we are "made a new creation" our existence WILL be permanently connected to the Father, and nothing else will be required.
 

Sean1916

Member
"Last night I was watching "Rejoice in the Lord" telecast from Pensacola Christian College and Dr. Joel Mullenix said "only those who are faithful here on earth for the Lord will be able to eat from the Tree of Life"! I was :shocked when I heard him say that since I thought everybody in heaven will have access to the tree!"

(Assume I wont be hijacking post at this point)

I was :woah when you said Joel Mullenix. Is he handling the RITL telecast these days? But most importantly, if the hurricane heads into the Gulf of Mexico, will Joel's hair move if he walks outside?
 

Sean1916

Member
Okay, my comments were not very edifying. (Slaps his own hand and says "shame, shame shame") Its just that Joel Mullenix is very stiff and rigid in his appearance and persona. I recall watching it years ago when there was a Bob Taylor. After that someone named Jim Schettler (spelling?). I think Joel Mullenix has been there a while.
 

Noah Cotterill

Well-Known Member
I don't know why he made that distinction cause clearly anyone who is in heaven should eat from the tree of life. Thus it begs the question, how does he define faithful in this context? To me it wouldn't mean what I think, and that's a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

I don't know about him, but I will be eating from it. That's all that matters to me.
 

mattfivefour

Well-Known Member
The fruit of the Tree of Life is immortality. (Genesis 3:22) Other things are also referred to as a tree of life— wisdom (Proverbs 3:18); a fulfilled longing (Proverbs 13:12); the fruit of the righteous (Proverbs 11:30); and a soothing tongue (Proverbs 15:4); but these "trees of life" are allegorical for the purpose of demonstrating the importance of the thing which is the focus of the particular proverb.

To whom does the fruit of the literal Tree of Life pertain? The one who overcomes—literally in the Greek: the one who is victorious (Revelation 2:7); and the one who does God's commandments (Revelation 22:14) or the one who washes his or her robes in the blood of the Lamb (alternate text of Revelation 22:14). Those three things are not actually different. How do we overcome? By the blood of the Lamb ... which means we accept Christ's sacrifice as entirely necessary and completely sufficient for us by faith. (Revelation 12:11) What is God's commandment? That you believe on the one whom He has sent. (John 6:40) And to what extent are we to believe? To the end of our lives. (Revelation 2:10)
 
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