LESSON FIVE. CHAPTERS 2-3

In chapters 2 and 3 we see recorded the messages sent through John to the seven churches. The seven churches addressed existed first in Asia Minor during the time that John wrote (1:4). But certain "flags" in the text notify us that these seven ancient churches were typical and representative of the churches as they would exist in the Lord's Day. The "flags" that indicate we are looking at typical churches are: (1) the time frame of John's vision, the Lord's Day (1:10), (2) the number of churches addressed, seven, (3) the meaningful names of the churches, (4) the notice at the end of Revelation (22:16) that the book of Revelation is "for the churches" in general, (5) the fact that two of these churches are identified in the end-time events of chapter 11 (v. 4 "two lampstands" that stand, Philadelphia and Smyrna), (6) the fact that the consequences threatened by the Lord to the sinning churches are linked to His coming (2:5, 2:16, 2:25, 3:3, 3:11) and (7) the promise to the church in Philadelphia to keep them from the hour of testing is meaningful to the church facing that hour of testing.

Each message is addressed "to the angel of the church in ________." The word for angel is also the word for messenger. Although some insist that each church has a resident angelic being who is being addressed, it seems very unlikely that this is the case.¹⁸ Others propose that the messenger of the church is the pastor.¹⁹ Another position proposes that the "angel" of the church is a personification of that individual church body; that each church is a messenger of God to the world. Each church is responsible for the message that their church body carries to the world. But it appears that the Lord is addressing generically the person designated to deliver messages from the Lord to each local church body. This last messenger might be the pastor of the local church or another responsible person in the church.²⁰

 Each church's attention is called to a particular feature of the Son of Man, which presents an encouragement or correction to the experiences of that church. The message to Smyrna is that she will suffer and die, so the feature of the Son that directs the message is, "the first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life" (2:8-11). To the church in Thyatira which receives a message critical of their moral conduct, the message is directed through a picture that emphasizes sonship, discernment and moral stand.

 Each church is informed that the Son knows their "deeds" or circumstances. This repeated remark seems targeted toward those who do not believe the Lord cares about what they are doing.

 Each church is encouraged to "overcome" the situation with which they are confronted, and offered an appropriate promise. Although it is clear everywhere in Scriptures that the ability to overcome grows from the foundation of faith,²¹ this admonition is an encouragement to the behavior that grows from faith.

Five of the churches are told to repent; two churches, Philadelphia and Smyrna, are not criticized. These two churches are addressed with remarks appropriate to believing Jewish congregations; the other five churches are not addressed in such limiting terms.

In each church "he who has an ear..." is told to listen to what the Spirit says to all the churches. The behavior or experience of any church might become the experience of another. None is exempt from paying attention to the Spirit.

The attention of this church is called to the fact that the Son is intimately involved with all the churches. Although five churches are exhibiting some conduct that is unfaithful to the Lord, He is nonetheless "walking among" them and "holding" their "stars." The Son's love for His churches is not turned aside by their sin (cf. 3:19).

Their strengths.

This church is commended for their toil, perseverance and handling of evil men and false apostles. The Lord also commends them for hating "the deeds of the Nicolaitans" which He also hates. But this specific commendation is mentioned only after He corrects the Ephesians for their failure to love. They are expected to hate sin; they are commanded to love sinners. (Refer to the discussion of the Nicolaitans in the letter to Pergamum.)

Their problem.

The nature of the problem in Ephesus is apparent from: (1) the statement, “you left your first love,” (2) the correction, “do the first works,” and (3) the warning, “I will move your lampstand.” “You left your first love” paints a picture suggesting the separation of divorce. The love relationship of Christ for the church is illustrated best as a marriage. The church is the bride of Christ (Rev. 19:7; 21:9). Paul taught this church that when he spoke about the relationship of husband and wife he was speaking about Christ and the church (Eph. 5:22-32). Membership in the body of Christ is strikingly similar to marriage. In becoming members in the church Christians had been baptized together into one body. In Christian marriage the Lord had decreed that the two had become one flesh. The Lord Jesus, the One who regards the church as his bride, is saying to those who are responsible to put His kind of love on display, that they are exhibiting a picture of desertion. Marriage in both the family and church sense in Ephesus is failing. The lover is leaving the one loved. At the very least the love commanded in Ephesus has become desertion, movement away from the fellowship that should be found in both the family and the church.

But something other than desertion marks the love problem of Ephesus. The admonition to do the deeds they did at first says that love is more than togetherness. Love is the living enactment of Christ’s positive deeds of love. The Lord Jesus had taught the disciples that their love for one another, loving as He loved, would be the evidence to the world that they followed Him (John 13:35). He had told Peter that the obligation of Peter’s love for the Lord Jesus would be to “Shepherd My sheep” (John 21:16). Indeed, they had been taught that the ultimate judgment of their love for Jesus would be determined by how they treated the least of His brothers (Matt. 25:40). They had been warned that in the time just preceding His coming that the increase in lawlessness would cause the love of many Christians to grow cold (Matt. 24:12). The Christians in Ephesus needed to learn from the Lord who remained with and "walked among" the sinning churches. Like their Lord they needed to hold each other with the gracious deeds first learned from Jesus.

The possible consequence.

If they will not repent, the Lord, at His coming, will move their lampstand out of its place. This warning is a play on the word move that describes their problem. Their love was suffering because they were moving in the direction of desertion. If they will not repent and move toward each other, then the Lord, at His coming will put them in a place where they can again learn to love each other. We are reminded here of God getting Israel’s attention by moving them into captivity.

Promise to him who overcomes.

For those who engage in the sacrificial love of Christ that shines the marriage light of the church, the Lord promises access to the life offered to the first couple. The Lord provides for the life that He calls for in His church. (The paradox of the altar: when we die for each other--we live!)

Does " the shoe fit?".

As Nathan said to David (2 Sam. 12:7), “You are the man!” We, the saints living at the end of the twentieth century, the evangelical, “Biblical” churches, are guilty of literal and spiritual adultery. We demonstrate less than first love through divorce, competing denominations, racially divided churches, transient membership, transient leadership and the “meet my needs” mentality. First century writers commented on the love present in the churches; twenty-first century writers remark on the lack of it. The churches today illustrate leaving their first love by their treatment of two very closely related brides: the bride of their marriage and the local church, the bride of Christ. Marriage to our brides and commitment to His bride are surely at the lowest point ever.

Building trust and understanding between saints so that we function together well as a team requires time and commitment, both in our marriages or in our churches. The apostle Paul originally taught the Ephesians the importance of every member to the growth of the body (Eph. 4:16). The condition of marriages in the church is that which indicates the condition of the church. We, like the Lord Jesus, must love our bride and His bride. If we are not willing to understand that such love is the means whereby we are called to shine His light, then the Lord Jesus will move our lampstand in a way we never planned.

The attention of this church is called to the fact that the Lord is the one who transcends time and conquered death. He was dead, but now He lives.

Their circumstances.

This church is apparently composed of converted Jews. The Lord's message acknowledges suffering and poverty, and addresses the concern that exists because of unconverted Jews in Smyrna who claim that they, not Christian Jews, are the true Jews.²³ Christian Jews are not also Jews, they are the only Jews. In the eyes of the "...first and last..." those who claim to be Jews and yet do not follow the Lord Jesus are guilty of blasphemy, and their synagogues are "...of Satan" (2:9).

The coming testing.

The Lord informs them that conditions are going to get worse before they get better. The Smyrnans are going to experience prison, testing, tribulation²⁴ and death at the hands of the devil. The Smyrnans may be tempted to regard unbelieving Jews as their persecutors, but the Lord wants them to understand that the real enemy is the devil. But they are not to be afraid because, like their Lord, they are to ultimately receive the "crown of life. In the face of the coming dark days they are to remain faithful."

To him who overcomes.

The Lord promises that the one who remains faithful until death is not subject to the ultimate death (cf. 20:14).

The shoe that doesn't fit

One of the clearest messages from the New Testament is that following Jesus means suffering and death. In the upper room discourse Jesus said, "...if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you..." (John 15:20). Jesus warned , "...an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God..." (John 16:2), and "...in the world you have tribulation..." (John 16:33). Paul wrote to Timothy, "...indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." (2 Tim. 3:12).

Therefore, if the "shoe" of suffering does not fit, a red flag should go up and a tough question should be asked: "Why am I not suffering?" "Is it just possible that I have engaged in some form of compromise with the world to avoid suffering?"

Its not only possible, its probable, even likely. Oil and water will never mix. The world will never tolerate the message of the cross without resistance. If we are living comfortably in the world without persecution, then someone has compromised.

The Lord begins His message to Pergamum by pointing out that He is "...the One who has the sharp two-edged sword..." (2:12). This sword was seen coming out of the mouth of the Son of Man in John's initial vision (1:16), and is presented in the same way again to Pergamum when the Lord warns them (2:16).²⁵ The truth that the Word is the Christians' only offensive weapon of warfare is immediately in view. And, as we find in each message, this feature in view relates directly to the problems in Pergamum.

Their circumstances

Pergamum also apparently needs to know that the Lord understands that they live where Satan's throne is. This notice comes, not because Pergamum was uniquely or exclusively the place of Satan's throne,²⁶ but because Pergamum had focused upon Satan's rule as some justification for the attitude or behavior the Lord addresses in Pergamum.

The Lord assures Pergamum that He is not unaware of the fact that they held fast His name and His faith when one of their brothers was killed. But in this acknowledgment, the Lord focuses their attention on Antipas who was successfully "...My witness, My faithful one...," even through his death and the rule of Satan.

Thus, before speaking to the problems in Pergamum, the Lord has addressed potential excuses (presence of Satan, death of Antipas) and emphasized that the very things He desires of the saints in Pergamum were successfully exhibited in Antipas through his death and the presence of Satan.

Their problems

The Lord now speaks directly to the problems in Pergamum, noting that they had in their ranks those who were holding "... the teaching of Balaam..." and "...the teaching of the Nicolaitans" (2:14-15).

In the Old Testament we read about Balaam, a Midianite prophet, who led Balak, an enemy king who feared Israel, to offer Midianite women to the men of Israel.²⁷ This led the men of Israel to sin against the Lord by eating things sacrificed to idols and committing acts of immorality (Num. 25:1 ff.). Israel's conquest of the land was for a time stopped because the men of God had their needs met from the altar of the enemy rather than the altar of God.

The teaching of Balaam that had once lured the people of God to compromise and fraternize with the enemy rather than conquer them was again alive in Pergamum. Idolatry and immorality would be the ultimate outcome of such a teaching.

The teaching of the Nicolaitans is difficult to define with certainty, but also involves compromise in the face of the spiritual battle.²⁸ The immediate context here suggests that this area of compromise involved supporting the world's military warfare as a valid means of accomplishing the Great Commission. The name Pergamum means citadel or fortress. The Lord had introduced this message with the notice that He possessed the "sharp two-edged sword;" His word is the offensive weapon of warfare. The term, Nicolaitan, means "conquer people," and may have been coined because it was descriptive or characteristic of this teaching that supported military conquest. War from the Lord with the sword of His mouth is the warning issued if they will not repent of these teachings.

The promises to overcomers

Our understanding of both teachings is enhanced by the fact that the two promises to overcomers appear to correspond to the two false teachings. Whereas the teaching of Balaam led to eating things sacrificed to idols, the promise to overcomers is "hidden manna," holy food. Manna was the food miraculously given by God from heaven to Israel during their time in the wilderness, some of which had been placed inside the Ark. The promise to those in Pergamum is that if they stopped eating from the altar of the world they would be fed from the Ark of God. Whereas the teaching of the Nicolaitans involved waging war the world's way, the promise to overcomers is the "white stone," a token awarded to gladiators who had been granted retirement from the arena.²⁹ If the saints of Pergamum will retire from the world's method of fighting they will receive the appropriate reward, with a new name that reflects their new condition.

Where did Pergamum go wrong?

The death of Antipas was apparently the fertile ground in which the doctrines of compromise and militant defense could grow. It became more apparent than ever before that Satan ruled the hearts of those who could kill a brother such as Antipas. How else would Christianity survive and the Great Commission be accomplished in such a hostile environment? The methods of the Nicolaitans or Balaam's gestures toward compromise seemed to be possible answers.

But the Lord Jesus disagreed. The saints needed to recognize that their only weapon of warfare was His Word, the "sharp two-edged sword," "...the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."³⁰ They needed to hear that dying as a martyr, as demonstrated by Antipas, was indeed the effective, faithful witness of the crucified Lord Jesus. Yes, the saints are called into a battle where they are expected to conquer a people; but the battle is for the hearts of unbelievers and the only weapon is the sword of the Spirit wielded by sacrificial hands. They had no business picking up the weapons of the world or adopting its methods to protect their physical lives.

Earlier examples...

When the Lord Jesus was arrested Peter naturally believed that it was his responsibility to defend Jesus from His enemies. Never, ever, had there been, or would there be a case of such injustice as this; no threatened child, spouse or nation would call for intervention more than this.³¹ So, he drew the sword he was carrying and struck at Malchus, the slave of the High Priest, cutting off his ear.³² But Jesus corrected Peter saying, "Put the sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"³³ The Lord Jesus placed emphasis upon the necessity of His sacrifice,³⁴ and described the use of the sword as self-destructive.

At the trial before Pilate, the Lord Jesus explained that the nature of His kingdom was such that the sword had no value to His servants in defending/promoting His kingdom. Indeed, Jesus is a king, and His servants have a responsibility to His kingdom. But, since His kingdom is not of this world, His servants are not fighting (John 18:36).

The book of Acts shows first generation Christians in immediate conflict with Jewish Palestine and the Roman Empire, wielding the power of the Word with sacrificial hands. We see the apostles jailed and flogged (Acts 5:41), Stephen stoned while preaching the Word (Acts 7:54-60), Christians dragged from houses and imprisoned (Acts 8:3), James slain by Herod (Acts 12:1-2), and Paul stoned, arrested and imprisoned. But nowhere do we see the saints arming themselves with other than the Word.

Paul taught the Ephesian church to take up the armor of God and sword of the Spirit because our struggle is "...not against flesh and blood...." (Eph. 6:12). He reminded the Corinthian church that "...though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh..." (2 Cor. 10:3-4). The apostle demonstrated this conviction by preaching the Word right into prison and finally to his death.

How does the shoe fit today?

If we believe that the Word is the sword of the Spirit, and we war not according to the flesh, then why do we war according to the flesh? Let's be honest; we, evangelical Christians, believe in and support "...war according to the flesh...." We support personal ownership of weapons, a strong military and the use of weapons to defend against aggression. My grandfather was a veteran of World War I, my father was a veteran of World War II, and I am a veteran of the Vietnam "conflict." War has enjoyed Christian participation for many generations because Christians believe that war is necessary and "works."

Just like Peter at the arrest of Jesus, when the bad guys come to unjustly get the good guy, we whip out our swords to give God a little help with His enemies. After all, this must be right because God had Joshua and David take the promised land from their enemies by use of the military. This is the way it has been done for such a long time, and so many good men have supported Christian use of or participation in the military, it must be right--even expected and required!

Never mind...

Never mind that the Lord Jesus said to put away the sword. Never mind that His kingdom is not of this world. Never mind the Great Commission, loving, praying for, and evangelizing the enemy. Never mind turning the other cheek. Never mind taking up our cross and following Jesus to death. Never mind the warning against trying to save your lives. Never mind the example of the apostles and the early church. Never mind the Lord's view of Smyrna or Pergamum. Never mind that the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Never mind "not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit." Never mind that the best illustration of that which is central to God's rule is the sacrificed Lamb. If it wasn't for our weapons of mass destruction and our willingness to use them then Hitler would have killed every living Jew, Japan would have an empire in the Pacific or Stalin's communism would have ruled the world. The world wouldn't be safe for democracy, capitalism and Christianity. And we all know that the world has to be safe from tyranny in order for Christianity to succeed!

So, we support and participate in the world's military so we don't become victims of Satan's treachery like those Christians who were killed before the church became large in number and learned how to really fight. After all, how would we Christians ever be regarded if we refused to fight unjust aggression with the real weapons of the world, and relied instead upon the Word of God wielded by sacrificed lives?

If we let down our fleshy guard or put down the world's weapons even for a minute we might end up like Antipas, or the early church, or Peter, or Paul, or James, or Stephen, or... Jesus.

As with the other churches, the opening picture of the Lord to Thyatira focuses their attention on a truth about the Son which corrects and/or encourages the saints. Relationship to God, moral discernment and consequential actions are immediately in view.

The one who speaks is "...the Son of God..." (2:18). The Son of Man who speaks to them is the Son of God. In this phrase they are reminded of the deity of their Lord, and their own new relationship as adopted sons of God. Their relationship to God, their fundamental identity as sons, has powerful implications for all else in their lives. Sons ought to look like their Father. Sons ought to be fed at their Father's table. Sons ought to be learning to see things Dad's way and mimic His actions. Sons should delight in the company of their Father and enjoy being taught by their Father.

The Son has eyes like a flame of fire, vision which burns through the chaff of the world and sees the truth. His point of reference for what He sees is the glory of God (John 17:1-4), the sacrificial nature of the Lamb. The Thyatirans ought to have Son's eyes. As sons of God they have been called out of the world (2 Cor. 6:14-18) and equipped to glorify God. They have the Spirit of God and the mind of Christ.³⁵ With Son's eyes they should be able to find the path of sacrifice.

The Son has feet like burnished bronze. This is the metal in which incense was burned at the altar. The feet, portraying movement and moral stand, are strong, sure and beautiful (Rom. 10:15). The Son's feet are consistent with the Son's eyes. The feet move in accordance to the eyes' discernment. The Thyatirans, as adopted sons of God (Gal. 3:26; 4:1 ff.), ought also to have beautiful feet, moving up the path of sacrifice apparent to their eyes. As bond-servants of God they should be faithful to Him, standing and moving in response to His will and their new identity.

Holy relationship ("Son of God") should result in holy vision; holy vision ("eyes like a flame of fire") should result in holy activity ("feet like burnished bronze"). The Son of God who became the son of man, reminds these sons of men what it means to be the adopted sons of God.

Good deeds, but...

The Thyatirans have an impressive list of spiritual fruit. Love leads the list. They were not like those Ephesians who had left their first love. And their love operated with faith in serving with perseverance. The Lord even comments that there is growth in this fruit since they first believed.

"But...!" The Lord says, 'you're exhibiting spiritual fruit, but...!' No amount of love, faith, service or perseverance has given them a license to sin. The Lamb who had died so that Thyatirans could be called sons and serve God, sees that these bond-servants are admiring and following an age-old enemy of God. They had been "...created in Christ Jesus for good works..." that they should "...walk in them..." (Eph. 2:10). "But" these sons, confused about their proper identity, have strayed to another authority.

Following Jezebel

The sons in Thyatira ought to be exhibiting sonship, but an improper relationship is apparent instead. They are improperly identified with "Jezebel," a graphic personification of the immoral world.³⁶ In the time of Elijah Israel knew Jezebel as the Sidonian idol-worshipper married to the wicked king Ahab. Functioning like a prophetess she had taught idolatry to Israel while murdering the prophets of God and inspiring her husband to evil. The striking contrast introduced by the phrase, Son of God, and the name, Jezebel,³⁷ points to the depth of the crisis in Thyatira. The sons of God are seeing and acting like servants of Jezebel. They tolerate the world's values, being taught and led by them to such an extent that they have become prostituted³⁸ to them. With their natural senses influenced by Jezebel's values, they are unable to discern proper moral behavior. The authority of sonship has capitulated to the authority of the world. 

The Lord, "not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), has given even Jezebel time to repent, but she wants to continue in her prostitution. This harlot (Rev. 17) believes that she is secure while she seeks her own glory (Rev 18:7).

Jezebel and her followers will suffer. Her comfortable bed of immorality will become a bed of suffering and death when the world is cast into "great tribulation" (2:22 cf. 18:4). Bond-servants of Jesus who refuse to get out of Jezebel's bed, will share her bed in suffering. The Lord is preparing a graphic lesson to teach that He is actively aware and responding appropriately to the inner motivations and deeds of each life.³⁹ The Thyatirans should remember the apostle Paul's lesson of sowing and reaping, "...for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap..." (Gal. 6:7).

The Depth of Satan

As the Lord speaks to those who are not improperly united with "Jezebel", He characterizes the teaching that links His bond-servants to the world as "the depth of Satan" (2:24).⁴⁰ This phrase He uses is a phrase that the Thyatirans had heard before, easily familiar to all bond-servants as a designation of sin at its darkest point. The brethren in Thyatira had apparently heard some obviously sinful conduct referred to as "the depth of Satan,"⁴¹ but had failed completely to recognize the sinful nature of their own illicit relationship with the world as such. So, the Lord links this familiar means of describing sin to their own conduct.⁴² The faithful of Thyatira who had not yet joined in following the world's authority needed to see such conduct for exactly what it is in the eyes of the Lord, "the depth of Satan."

Encouraging the minority

Some of the saints in Thyatira are not following the world system. The Lord will not add to the burden these saints experience while living in the midst of compromised brethren. Their sole responsibility is to hold fast until He comes. The heart anchored to the coming Lord endures the present storm. 

Overcoming, here equated with keeping the deeds of the Son, will result in authority over the nations of the world. Those who walk as sons will reign with the authority of the Son. Here again we notice the paradox inherent in Christianity. We see the stark contrast between those caught in the deeds of Jezebel and those keeping the deeds of the Son. To those who follow what seems to be authority, seeking the authority of the world, there will be suffering and humiliation. To those who submit themselves to the deeds of the Son, the humiliating life of the cross, there results authority.

 While the faithful saints walk according to the cross in the dark world the Son promises that in overcoming they will be given "the morning star." The Lord here makes reference to the bright star⁴³ that appears in the morning sky. The light of this star is characteristic of and signals the approaching greater light of the new day.⁴⁴ The greater light of the new day "govern(s) the day".⁴⁵ Thus, to be given the morning star is a promise to inherit the governing-light characteristic of the sun (the Son). Identifying with the Son, having the vision of the Son, results in governing like the Son. Authority is inherent in morality.

Comparing the problems of Thyatira with Ephesus suggests that strength in one Spiritual fruit should caution saints to possible weakness in another. Ephesus tests and rejects false apostles but is failing to love. Thyatira is commended for love but is following corrupt Jezebel. Love must not loose sight of God's glory; moral discernment can only be effective through love.

The Evangelical Identity Crisis

The message to the Church in Thyatira is a message to the rank and file evangelical church in America. While our mouths sing and say, "Jesus is Lord," our eyes and our feet say, "Jezebel is Lord." A split personality has resulted from a monumental identity crisis. Having failed to comprehend our new identity as sons of God we have adopted the viewpoint of Jezebel and prostituted ourselves to her leadership.

Defining Success

To the Thyatirans the Lord defines success, "overcoming," as keeping His deeds to the end (v. 26). The deeds of Jesus were deeds that led to the cross. To the world He was a fool and a looser who should have used His power to stay off the cross and out of trouble. To the world, according to every measure of success, He was a failure.

Didn't He realize that you can "get out the message" of sacrifice without sacrificing yourself? Didn't He believe that given enough time the world would discover its problems and get right? Didn't He recognize that real power is at the point of a sword or in the weight of our gold? Didn't He see the power of accumulated wealth to "do lots of good" in the hands of the right people? Didn't He understand the power of education, the lessons from the sciences, to deliver mankind from sin? Didn't He understand the power of pleasure to persuade to a right point of view?

No! With all these "powerful" tools easily within reach, Jesus choose the power of sacrifice to succeed. He didn't teach Peter how to make a larger profit through fishing, He told him to 'follow Me and die' (John 21:19). He didn't teach Paul how to plan for retirement, He taught him how to get along with humble means (Phil. 4:12) so that he "could accomplish all things through Christ" while chained in prison. To accomplish the deeds He was given to do (John 17:4) Jesus fixed His eyes on the glory of the Father and His feet on the road to the cross.

But something else is going on in His churches today. Is success equivalent with overcoming and keeping the deeds of Jesus? Just as Samuel asked King Saul to explain the "bleating of the sheep and lowing of the oxen" (1 Samuel 15:14) when all the spoils of battle should have been burned and left behind, so the evangelical church today is faced with explaining the engines of the motorhomes warming-up while the great commissioners are parked in front of the television listening to Jezebel telling jokes.

The marching orders

Our identity crisis as sons is nowhere more apparent than in our inability to identify and obey our marching orders. We know that "all the nations" are the target. We know we are to "make disciples" who follow the Lord Jesus. We are just having trouble recognizing and executing the orders that tell us how we fight the battle.

Somewhere along the way two marching orders at the heart of the battle plans were lost. The Lord Jesus and the early church repeatedly taught and obeyed these marching orders that are now nearly unknown to the church today. Lost to us today (except in "Bible studies") is (1) the necessity and power of the sacrificed life of the believer, and (2) the necessity to turn away from the world and its false power. The apostle Paul emphasizes these two points (Romans 12:1-2) as necessary outgrowths of our redemption in Christ (Romans 1-11). We are "to present (our) bodies a living and holy sacrifice" and "not be conformed to this world." By retaining the power-tools of the world to accomplish great commission objectives we are marching to the drum-beat of sanctified compromise.

The Son has both "seven Spirits of God" and "seven stars." Seven is always the number of wholeness, totality and completion. The spirits of the Son are "...of God...," not of the world. The Lord Jesus has a "star" corresponding to each "spirit." Each conviction has a corresponding messenger. The emphasis here is upon consistency of action with spirit, wholeness in name with wholeness in behavior. The fruits match the roots.

Their strength--in name only.

The saints in Sardis value the name Christian. If anyone asks them, they are followers of Jesus. They believe in the Name and they want to be known by that name..

The ancient city of Sardis in Asia Minor was typical of this end-time church. Sardis was geographically positioned "...on a hill so steep that its defenses seemed impregnable."⁴⁶ The name Sardis was tantamount to security. But the city was captured by her enemies more than once while the occupants slept, while they were relying on their impregnable position.

The problem with a name

This church is "dead." They are resting on their "name" and position in Christ. Four times the Lord uses the word "name" in this brief message.⁴⁷ They are relying on the name "Christian," like the Jews of old relied upon their national identity, the ark and the temple (Jer. 7:4). Their "position" in Christ has bred a smug and false sense of security that quenches the prompting of the Spirit. They have lost sight of the fact that they have been "...created in Christ Jesus for good works..." (Eph. 2:10), the good work of the great commission. They are viewed as dead and asleep.

Although the work of Christ for their salvation had been finished, the work of the saints in Sardis for Christ is not finished. As the Son corrects them for their half-done job, He refers to God as "...My God...." He does not say "...our God...," He says My God. Clearly, here, is the implication that their unfinished actions issued from a different god. The remedy is to repent and remember "how"⁴⁸ they "received and heard." Just as Ephesus is called to "...do the deeds they did at first..." (2:5), Sardis is admonished to return to the earlier experience they had in Christ.

The possible consequences.

If they will not wake up, the coming of the Lord will be an unpleasant surprise to them, like the coming of a thief.⁴⁹ This same analogy was referred to by the apostle Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians.

The promise not to erase righteous names. ⁵⁰

The Son delivers promises to the righteous saints in Sardis, but one promise is loaded with a negative implication, and meant to be heard by everyone in Sardis. Yes, there are clean saints in Sardis who can look forward to walking with the Lord. They have a name that they are alive, and they are alive. Yes, the names of some saints match their behavior. Yes, He will confess their righteous names before the Father. And in addition, He will not erase their names from the book of life. He does not say He will guard their names, or preserve their names. He says instead, in a voice loud enough to be heard by the dead and sleeping saints, "...I will not erase..." the names of the righteous ones. All in Sardis are to take note that perseverance in the faith is the only right basis of confidence that they have a secure place in the book of life. They should all confess Him in the way that gives visible evidence of losing their lives and following Him (Matt. 10:32-33, 38-39).

Does "the shoe fit?"

The evangelical Christian at the end of the twentieth-century is secure in the name of Jesus. Our salvation is certain because we believe in the finished work of Jesus at the cross. Any number of solid Bible verses quoted from pulpits and in tracts assure us that we are saved and safe from hell. Jesus is safely "in our hearts."

 In fact, we are so safe, and we understand so correctly that our works do not save us, that we have gone to sleep in the arms of the world. If we hear a call for holy behavior, we purge that call in the fire of "...our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment..." (Is. 64:6). We "don't have to go to church to be saved," so we don't go. We "don't have to do good works to be saved," so we don't do them, unless we feel like it, or its convenient, or it fits in with our schedules. We don't really have to tell anyone about Jesus, so we don't. Somehow we have come to believe that our sleepy, dead state of inactivity, the witness of "our lives," will silently and quite miraculously do the job of spreading the good news.

Never mind...

Never mind the Great Commission. Never mind that there is little or no spiritual fruit in our lives. Spiritual fruit can't be that important. Jesus must not have been serious when He said, "...he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit..," or " "...every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [the Father] takes away...," or "...by this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples ..." (John 15:1-8). Never mind that the assurance of salvation is always to be found in spiritual fruit and never alone in some confession of faith. Jesus must have been talking about something other than our lives not matching our confession when He said, "Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven " (Matt. 7:21). Never mind the purpose or contents of John's first epistle (1 John). We should just read 1 John 5:13 as a reference to our confession of faith rather than all the things, the living evidences of salvation, that John referred to in that epistle.⁵¹

 The Lord is calling for modern Sardis to understand that a fish on the trunk should mean a fisher-of-men inside the car, not a bad odor at the wheel.

The Lord wants Philadelphia to notice first that the Son (and son) is "...he who is holy, who is true...." Holy and true together emphasize set apart, distinct and true to the standard.

 To this church the Son shows His kingly power to grant access or shut out. The one who has the key of David is the one in authority, the one who runs the affairs of the house of David. He alone determines who will come into or go out of the house of David. This is apparent from nearly identical language in the prophecy of Isaiah concerning Shebna and Eliakim (Is. 22:22).

Their strengths.

This church has an open door⁵² of access to the Lord, (their fellowship has not been hindered by sin) because they have a little⁵³ power, have kept His word and not denied His name.

 Again, as in Smyrna, we are dealing with a church composed of Jewish converts (cf. v. 9). Apparently their unbelieving brethren have shut them out of the synagogues and proclaimed that they are thereby shut out from fellowship with God. They have been characterized by their Jewish brethren as unholy, failing to measure up to the standard and definition of a true Jew. This would account for the son's characteristics applied to this church, "holy...true," and the Lord's words about the "open door. "

Their faithfulness encouraged.

To the faithful Jews the Lord characterizes the synagogue from which they have been excluded as "the synagogue of Satan." He affirms that the Jewish converts of Philadelphia are true Jews by asserting that other unconverted Jews "lie" if they claim to be Jews. The time will come when such false Jews will acknowledge the identity of those who are loved by the true Messiah.

 They are promised that because they "have kept the word" (during their experience of being forcefully excluded by former brethren), the Son will keep them from the hour of testing that will come upon the enemies of the saints ("those who dwell upon the earth").⁵⁴ The Lord does not say how He will keep them from the "hour," but we would expect that it would be consistent with how they have been kept from the evil one.⁵⁵

An exhortation.

The Lord reminds them that He is coming quickly, to encourage them to "hold fast." The consequence of not holding fast might be someone taking their "crown." The "crown" is a reference to the crown of victory awarded to those who finish and win the race, the crown they will receive when they see the Lord.

Promise to him who overcomes.

To these saints who had been shut out of their synagogue, and whose identity had been called into question, the Lord promises permanence ("pillar") in the place where God dwells, and sure identity with God, "name." They will bear "...the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God...and My new name...."

"Amen" is affirmation with zeal. "Faithful and true witness" says that the Son in His life accurately brings forth the truth of Life. The "Beginning" of the creation refers to the fact that He is the one with authority over creation.⁵⁶ There is an obvious contrast between the name of this church and the role of Christ as the one with authority over creation.

Their problem.

This church lacks the distinct definition and zeal (not "hot or cold") that should attend their faith in Jesus. They consider themselves rich because they are saturated with the world's goods. The expensive clothing that they wear has replaced the fine linen of righteousness required for the bride of Christ.⁵⁷ Although their wealth has enabled them to afford the latest in medical technology, the Lord finds them spiritually sick, unable to recognize truth. He is consequently sickened by their unfaithful witness to the point of "vomiting them out." This church needs to be brought back into right relationship with their Lord and "things."

 The church in Laodicea is not commended for anything.

The solution.

These Christians who have loved buying the things of the world need to "buy from... [Jesus]... gold refined by fire." The Lord here calls for the Laodiceans to pursue the life of sacrifice and purity rather than the life of pleasure and ease. They need to obtain from Him that which will heal their impaired ability to see.

 The zeal that the "Amen" has, the valid witness of truth and a proper understanding of their relationship to the creation (things) is the "gold," "clothes" and "salve" needed for their new direction.

 The call to repent is accompanied by the reminder that the Lord's love for them means discipline for them if their path does not change.

 The Lord portrays himself as outside of the fellowship of this church, at the door knocking. He wants fellowship with them. Will they put the world's goods out and let the Lord come in?

Promise to him who overcomes.

To those disciples who will zealously seek the fellowship of Jesus' life, the Lord will grant the fellowship and rest⁵⁸ of His throne.

Does "the shoe fit?"

The evangelical church in America is clearly the church in Laodicea. The catchy phrase that describes the heart and confidence of American Christians is "...its the economy stupid!" A quick inventory of the evangelical household, or the church parking lot on any Sunday morning, reveals that consumers are to be found in the worship service. But these consumers are sanctified. Leather-bound Bibles are carefully laid out on the coffee tables of their homes where pictures of sacred scenes from the life of Jesus adorn the walls. Fish symbols prominently mark the trunks of the various "necessary" means of transportation. A donkey conveyed the Lord of Creation into the Holy City, but the economy here is better than Jerusalem in the first century. Clearly Laodicea has the advantage of money. It is not necessary here to wait for "pie in the sky by-and-by," there's a chicken in every pot and luke-warm hands folded in thanks for every delicacy.

 A strong economy and fine entertainment, what else could we ever desire?

Five churches are criticized, two are not.