14Blessed are those who wash their robes,a so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. 15But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Some translations say; (washed their robes) while others say; (doing His commandments).
The Greek words are; HOIPLUNONTESTASSTOLAS (washed their robes) or
HOIPOIOUNTESTASENTOLAS (do His commandments). As you can see, a slight misspelling changes the translation but it's true meaning has not changed. If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ then he washes your sin away and He washes your robe. And the same is true for the believer, you are doing His commandments.
"But on the outside ".......
“The verse does not intend to teach that in the eternal state all manner of wicked men will be living just outside the heavenly city. It simply describes the future with the imagery of the present.” (Mounce)
I have to admit, it took a couple times reading this quote before I understood it.
It describes what it will be like in heaven (in the future) with the unrepentant sinners of the present on the outside.
Imagine Noah's Ark, for the one hundred years it took him to build it, he was the ridicule of the people around him, he was laughed at and scorned. I can envision people partying, getting drunk and saying...lets go party and laugh and tease the crazy man building a boat!
Then at the moment the flood waters started to rise, they clamored to get in!
Moral of the story, will you be on the inside or the outside?
Blessings, David
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