Is Revelation 22:19 Not Addressed to Believers?
J.C. Thibodaux
A standard argument that if often fallen back upon by Calvinists and eternal securists when scripture concerning apostasy is quoted. This argument can easily be demonstrated to be nonsensical. In the unconditional securist view, the shares in the holy city and tree of life are obviously just 'potential shares,' so God takes away from them parts in His kingdom that they don't actually possess yet. Right. The big problem with this argument is that this would put this on par with the unforgivable sin. The only unforgivable sin according to the scripture is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."
Matthew 12:31
Since God would be taking away any potential shares they (people who tamper with Revelation) had in His kingdom, this would mean that their sin would be unforgiveable (as even their potential to gain access to God's holy city, and hence be among the redeemed, is gone). Rest assured that there is only one unforgivable sin, and tampering with God's word is not it (though judging from this passage, it is definitely a very serious one). It is obvious from this evidence that the idea that the shares that God will take away are only potential is a silly and self-defeating argument, as it contradicts sound doctrine from the scripture and ends up stepping all over itself.
&nsbp; This argument is even worse for Calvinists; since they believe that the non-elect do not even have the potential to be saved. Why would Christ go to prepare a place for people who could not even potentially be saved? Besides that, it testifies to everyone who reads the book; and since it even mentions the removal of things that only the redeemed would possess, it follows that it is aimed primarily at the redeemed.
Bottom Line:
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If God were going to take only 'potential shares,' then the violating the warning of Revelation 22:19 would be unforgivable.
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Since only the redeemed possess the things that the warning speaks of, it must be primarily the redeemed that it is addressing.
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