Writing on how Revelation chapter seven applies to Christian life today, British theologian Ian Paul suggests that
The perennial question for anyone thinking seriously about the Christian life and our place in the world has two parts to it. First, we need to think about the world we are in, and try to make sense of it. Secondly, we need to ask what kind of ‘church’ we are to be—what kind of people God has called us to be in this kind of world.
Many ask this question at an individual level (‘What has God called me to be and to do in my world, in my context?’) but scripture always appears to address this question in corporate or communal terms: what kind of people is God calling the followers of Jesus to be, and therefore what does that mean for me as an individual?[1]
The question he poses is an important one. In the New Testament, the author of the letter we know as 2 Peter anticipates some kind of global destructive end-of-world event, and then writes these beautiful lines:
Since [the world as we know it is] to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming …
Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace … [and] grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:11, 14, 18).
The Book of Revelation, the biblical canon’s complex capstone, has plenty to say on how to live faithfully in the end-times. This is where doctrine meets action; where ideology meets praxis. Today, I want to draw attention to nine ethical principles drawn from the teaching of the Book of Revelation, along with practical applications for our lives today.[2]
1. Embrace the meaning of the victory of the Lamb
Central to Revelation is the Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain, yet who rose from the dead and is victorious (Rev 5:6–10; 12:11).
Jesus is worshipped as “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev 1:5–6; 19:16). Jesus is worshipped in the same way as Jewish people of Jesus’s day worshipped God. Revelation clearly states that the victory of Jesus is the victory of God.
Victory does not come through violence or suppression, or through human intelligence alone, but by suffering and faithfulness. God calls us to pursue this cruciform radical way of life, the way of Jesus.
So be prepared to “lose” for the sake of Christ. Sacrifice time, comfort and reputation for obedience, service and love. Practice forgiveness, peace, and restorative justice rather than retaliation. Support those who suffer for truth. Practice humble acts of service. Share the good news of the wisdom and love of God in the story of Jesus. Live with certainty and joy, confident of your hope of victory through Jesus.
Regularly examine competing allegiances in your life such as unhealthy career ambition, social status, and political ideology. Ask yourself, “If I were pushed, where would my loyalty lie?” Reorient your heart to pledge your first loyalty to Jesus Christ and his kingdom.
In the social sphere, when public policies or cultural pressures demand allegiance (such as patriotism, nationalism, or party lines), Christians are called to speak the truth. Support causes that honour human dignity over party loyalty. The kingdom of God transcends nation, race, and ideology.
2. Worship God alone
The heavenly scenes in Revelation 4-5 show continuous worship of the Creator and the Lamb. The condemnation of “Babylon” highlights the idolatry embedded in our economic and social world (wealth, power, luxury). Idols are not mere statues but anything in our lives that takes God’s place. Identify what captures your heart. Perhaps it is material comfort, reputation, social media, or financial security.
And what about our worship? How could our regular gatherings focus more on the worship of God? Am I giving to God the first-fruits of my time and money? Economic systems often elevate profit as an idol. Consumerism, exploitation, and environmental harm are signs of idolatry. Support business ethics, environmental sustainability, and fair wages.
3. Hope of new creation
Revelation promises a renewal of the heavens and the earth (Rev 21:1–5), where God will wipe away every tear, and death is no more. The vision of the New Jerusalem gives us hope of wrongs righted and a permanent end to suffering and war.
Let hope energize your ethics. When discouraged by brokenness, return to the promises. Stand firm and trust God. Work for justice and peace as echoes of the new creation. Support environmental care, reconciliation between peoples, restoration of broken systems. All of these anticipate the fullness of God’s kingdom.
4. Cultivate a life of holiness
Here I’m talking about reflecting God’s character, shaped by the way of Jesus. Revelation commands God’s people to “come out Babylon” so they will not share in her sins. There is no impurity, no moral compromise, in the New Jerusalem (Rev 18:4; 21:27). We are called to pursue that vision, that way of being in the world, here and now.
Holiness is the foundation of Christian discipleship. Confess your sins to God; turn away from the choices that you know will not please God. Choose integrity even when it is costly. Practice purity in speech, relationships, and motives. Reject systemic corruption. Support fairness and transparency in public life. Push back against prejudice, injustice, abuse of power.
5. Tell the truth
Revelation identifies deception as the work of the “dragon” and false prophets (Rev 12:9; 13:11–18). The saints conquer “by the word of their testimony” and by refusing the mark of the Beast (Rev 12:11; 14:9–12)
Cultivate honesty in all parts of your life: your finances, your speech, the promises you make. Beware of half-truths and convenience-driven distortions. Resist fake news, propaganda, and hate speech. Support transparency in government and media. Speak truth to power.
Cultivate a prophetic voice in your social world for justice, peace, inclusion. Hold the powerful accountable to justice. Support refugee rights, racial justice, freedom of speech, care for the environment.
6. Practise justice and compassion
Revelation’s judgments are righteous: God avenges blood of the saints; justice is done. The redeemed are called to serve God day and night (Rev 7:15), to do God’s will. Mercy and truth are paired in heavenly worship (Rev 15:3-4). The Christian life is not private ethics only but involves compassion and justice outwardly.
Cultivate compassion in your immediate circles—listen to the marginalized; show generosity. Support policies and organizations seeking to reduce poverty, combat injustice, protect human rights; rebuild relationships across racial, economic divisions.
7. No compromise with empire
“Babylon” in Revelation represents the corrupt powers of empire – economic exploitation, moral decay, and false religion. The “Beast” demands the loyalty, worship, and allegiance due to God alone (Rev 13, 17–18). Christians are called to live counter‐culturally, resisting social and economic pressures that conflict with the principles of God’s kingdom.
Notice where your life is shaped by consumer culture or nationalistic pride rather than the kingdom of God. Resist impulses to conform. Critically assess economic systems, political policies, and corporate practices. Advocate for the poor, for new immigrants and asylum seekers, against exploitative trade and corrupt power structures.
8. Endure hardship with patience
In the letters to the churches (e.g., Smyrna, Pergamum), Revelation calls for patient endurance even under persecution. Revelation 2:10 and 14:12 stress the people of God to perseverance.
Cultivate a vibrant faith that lasts under pressure to compromise. Rekindle the flame that once burned bright. Keep going in your faith when the going gets tough. When facing hardship – such as loss of health, relationships – don’t give in to bitterness or faithlessness. Maintain spiritual disciplines that will sustain and grow you: prayer, Scripture reading, participation in your community of faith.
Stand with those who suffer, such as religious minorities, oppressed groups. Advocate for justice. Support agencies that give relief to marginalised people and amplify their suppressed voices.
9. Conform to God’s word
Avoid selective listening and cultivate humble obedience, listening for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Revelation repeatedly says, “he who has ears, let him hear” (Rev 2–3), and those who keep the words of the prophecy of this book are blessed (Rev 22:7).
Read Scripture; allow convictions to lead to action. Obey commands you don’t like (calls for justice, radical love, and humility). Resist cultural reinterpretations that undermine the clear teaching of Scripture. It may be difficult, but God gives us grace.
Participate actively in your local church. Do what you can. Live in accountability, mutual encouragement, shared worship. Ask yourself, “What would Jesus do if he were me?” Together, let us be a visible sign of God’s reconciling work: diversity in class, ethnicity, and culture, generous in service, a blessing to the neighbourhood, working with others for the common good.
Conclusion
Revelation confronts us with this tension: we live now under the rule of Christ, but in a world still wounded, waiting for the new creation. We are living between the “Already” and the “Not Yet.” Our ethics should honour both dimensions: acting now in holiness, witness and justice, and trusting that final victory belongs to Jesus.
Sermon 826 copyright © 2025 Rod Benson. Preached at North Rocks Community Church, Sydney, Australia, on Sunday 14 September 2025. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Christian Standard Bible (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020).
References
[1] Ian Paul, “What kind of ‘church’ does God want us to be?” Psephizo, 12 Sep 2025, available here.
[2] I have not used it for this sermon, but J. Scott Duvall has an excellent chapter on discipleship and Christian ethics in his new book, A Theology of Revelation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2025), 411-436.
Image source: Psephizo
iDigress 