Of all the topics one might think about in approaching Revelation, sin most likely would not be one of them. Yet, the subject is often mentioned throughout John’s letter to the Asian churches.

The topic of sin is sufficiently handled by all writers of the letters of the NT according to the particular matter at hand that they addressed. Some special, specific things are said by John near the end of the letter. The other statements are common with other NT writers.

This subject should remind us of the deadly results or consequences of sin. This is a must among things that must be dealt with by man during his life. The sooner it is handled, the less damage sin will cause the sinner and others. Solomon wrote, "One sinner destroys much good." (Eccl. 9:18.)

Here are some thoughts about sin from John’s Revelation.

"Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood." (1:5.)

"They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof. For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation." (5:9.)

"These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:14.)

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death." (12:11.)

". . . in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (13:8.)

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (19:8.)

Chapter 5 makes it clear that Jesus only can break the seals of the book of God. Only He can execute the will of God in redemption. Until Jesus came forth, John wept because no one was found to open the book. It would be sad indeed if no solution to the alienation between God and man had been given!

Jesus became the one-time offering for man’s sins. He is the One mediator between man and God. (1 Tim. 2:5.) In a book that says so much about the blood of martyrs, the emphasis for man’s salvation is not upon their blood, but rather the blood of Jesus. Man alone cannot atone for his own sins. Some religious groups actually teach that some sins are atoned by the shedding of the sinners’ blood in death.

Even though Jesus died for all, not everyone received forgiveness in Jesus’ blood. The followers of the red dragon, the sea beast and the earth beast did not seek such forgiveness. They worshipped other gods and tried to force the Christians to do so.

John wrote, "Let him that is athrist come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (22:17.)

Revelation tells us about the forgiveness of sins in the blood of Jesus.

Often we do not give much consideration to congregational sins, but such exists. Jesus had John to write to seven churches in Asia Minor. There were other churches in this area as well. Probably, the seven stands for all the churches since the number seven is used so often symbolically by John.

Philadelphia is the only congregation that the Lord did not have aught against. Good and bad were pointed out in each church; the good commended and the bad condemned.

Churches have sins in the sense that the whole body was generally involved. Some were claiming to be Jews (people of God), but were not. One church allowed the influence of the Nicolatians on them. One had become indifferent and left their first love. Others were living in sin at Sardis. (3:4.)

The shocking thing that John says that no other NT writer mentions is "the removal of their candlestick." Ephesus was so warned. (2:5.) God can remove an entire congregation from his fellowship if matters persist without repentance.

It is the responsibility of every member to be sincere, earnest, and humble in seeking to do right and obtain the cleansing of Jesus’ blood. If not, we endanger both ourselves and the church as a whole. Our continued spiritual growth toward maturity is especially important. Our zeal and readiness to hear and do what the Spirit says to the churches is crucial. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says" is said to each of the seven churches. This idea of both individual and congregational responsibility before God is stressed by John in chapters 2 & 3.

Repentance is demanded of both individuals and churches in order to receive God’s blessings. Repentance is the universal command of God to all people everywhere. (Acts 17:30.)

Under the sixth seal, an announcement of judgment was made. "For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand?" (6:17.) Seven categories of men are named upon whom this wrath would fall. They are the kings of the earth, great men, rich men, chief captains, mighty men, bondmen, and freemen. (6:15.) They cried to the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide their faces from Him that sits upon His throne. These had been involved in persecuting the Christians; beheading some and causing economic hardship for others. (6:8-9.)

These sinners included a cross-section of humanity in the first century. Since all have sinned, all would be included in this group except those who had obtained the cleansing of Jesus’ blood. The same is true today. Every person has done wrong against God and mankind; everyone must repent or perish. God is no respector of persons. The mighty and noble will be judged as well as the slaves and poor. These passages show the calamity and the fear among sinners when at last Jesus judges the world in righteousness.

This Roman world power is symbolically described as a harlot. She is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth and is located on seven mountains. (17:9, 18.) Many of the ancient nations as they grew in size, power and wealth became exceeding corrupt. Often God intervened due to His mercy for those being trampled by such nations. Babylon of old was judged of God. That nation became so corrupt that nations afterward that so sinned were called "Babylon." Rome in Revelation is Babylon the Great. We know that from the description given in both Daniel and Revelation. Daniel described four world empires to come after Daniel’s day. The fourth is Rome, as admitted by most biblical scholars.

"Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people." (Prov. 14:34.) There is especially true when a sinful nation dominates the majority of the world. The free nations have until recently been under constant fear of the thought of communism reaching world-wide proportions. Rome produced a corrupt world and fell under the corruption and condemnation of her own sins. Its fall threw the whole world into the Dark Ages for over 1000 years! This loss to mankind cannot be fully measured. Untold suffering resulted.

Daniel said, "God rules in the kingdoms of men and appoints over it whomsoever He wills." (Daniel 5:21.)

"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." (11:15.)

"And cast him (the red dragon, the old serpent) into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled." (20:3.)

Since the fall of Rome, the only world-wide kingdom permitted to exist is the kingdom of our Lord. God’s people would continue to suffer, but never on the scale under Babylon or Rome.

Satan is bound in a three-fold way: from possessing man’s body (demon possession), from man’s soul spiritually (we need not be overcome by sin and Satan since Jesus bound the strong man), and from using world political powers to persecute Christians.

"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." (21:4.)

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination or makes a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life." (21:27.)

Sin with all its pain and ugliness will be removed. Sin has caused so much death, destruction and sorrow in the world. But Jesus condemned sin in the flesh. (Romans 8:3.)

The only way for sin to be kept out of heaven is for those who have not crucified the flesh to be separated. The sinners’ condemnation is certain. "Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (20:14-15.)

Peter explained the longsuffering of God as God’s unwillingness that any should perish but that all should repent. John described Rome as having ample time, but refusing to repent. The seven additional thunders or warnings were not allowed to be given in John’s Revelation.

One of the most confusing verses in the Bible is found in Revelation 22:11. John wrote, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still." Rarely do we find such statements in the Bible. What does John mean by these words? Obviously, the time is at hand when this is recorded. (22:10.) The day of wrath and judgment is near. Rome had been given every opportunity to repent, but rejected them. Now the filthy may remain filthy and the unjust may remain unjust. It is too late for repentance. God’s judgment is near! We should know that there is a time-element in many of the doctrines of the Bible. They are not given without such a context and expectation of obedience when the command is given. When we prove ourselves to be disobedient, God’s judgment is near.