Long afterward, when John had been brought into sympathy with Christ through the fellowship of His sufferings, the Lord Jesus revealed to him what is the condition of nearness to His kingdom. "To him that overcometh," Christ said, "will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." Revelation 3:21. The one who stands nearest to Christ will be he who has drunk most deeply of His spirit of self-sacrificing love,--love that "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, . . . seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil" (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5),--love that moves the disciple, as it moved our Lord, to give all, to live and labor and sacrifice even unto death, for the saving of humanity.

Lang tid efter, da Johannes var nået til overensstemmelse med Kristus gennem lidelsernes fællesskab, åbenbarede Herren Jesus ham, hvad der skal til for at stå hans rige nær. "Den, der sejrer," siger Kristus, "ham vil jeg lade sidde sammen med mig på min trone." Åb. 3,21. Den, der står Kristus nærmest, bliver den, der har tilegnet sig mest af hans selvopofrende kærligheds ånd, en kærlighed, som "ikke praler, ikke opblæses, ..... som ikke søger sit eget, ikke lader sig ophidse, ikke bærer nag" (1Kor. 13,4-5) en kærlighed, der bevæger disciplen til ligesom hans Herre at give alt, at leve og arbejde og ofre indtil selve døden for menneskehedens frelse.