The Letters To The Seven Churches
A Study Of Revelation 1:9 - 3:22
Compiled and Written by Sandy Simpson

Introduction: Revelation 1:9-20

• It is important to know to whom the Revelation was written and for what purpose:

Rev. 1:1 "... what will shortly take place ..."

• Remember that "shortly" to the Lord is different than it is for us, and it is Jesus talking.  A thousand years is as one day to the Lord.  This verse is used by Preterists to try to prove that everything in Revelation happened shortly after it was delivered to the churches in the first century.  The problem with this view is that Jesus has not returned bodily to rule and reign in His millennial Kingdom, the saints have not been "caught up" to meet the Lord in the air, the dead saints have not come back to life, nor have a number of other prophesies been fulfilled.  The letters to the churches did prophesy things that happened in the first century, but the precept we find in them are also appropriate to the church throughout history, and especially the last days church as it will see the final fulfillment of all the prophesies of Revelation.

Rev. 1:11 "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
Rev. 1:19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

• (1) John saw it. In another sense it is already “seen”. Prophesy is often written as if it has already come to pass, it is a done deal, such as this prophesy in Isaiah about the Messiah.

Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

• (2) What is “now" -- these letters were to the seven churches, actual first century churches.
• (3) “What will take place later”-- these letters are also to all other churches and Christians through the ages giving them precepts.
• (4) “What will take place later”-- these letters were alerting Christians what would take place, not only at the time of the seven actual churches, but at the time of the end before the day of the Lord.  Some of these prophesies were partially fulfilled in the time of the seven churches in Asia Minor.  Some of them have a dual fulfillment in the last days, and some are yet to be fulfilled in the last days.
• Everything written in Revelation after this statement was a prophesy of things to come that are already set in heaven, to actual churches in Asia Minor, and to every other church and Christian since that time. This includes the letters to the seven churches, not just the rest of Revelation. In fact, since this part comes first it is very important. The letters include praise, exhortation, rebuke, warnings and blessings for the churches. They also include blessings and warnings for individual Christians. Why?  “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” This is repeated seven times. Individual Christians are to hear what God is saying to the churches. "To him who overcomes” is also repeated seven times. Individual Christians must overcome. How do they overcome?

1Jo 5:4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
1Jo 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

• I will go into that later.

Rev. 1:9  I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

• The mother of James and John, who wrote Revelation, was the one who asked Jesus if her sons could sit on His left and right in glory. Jesus then taught them about humility and servant authority. He also indicated that they had prophesied their own fate as James was killed with the sword by Herod and John was imprisoned, persecuted. John Gill says:

 
Ignatius says: {w}, John efugadeueto, "was banished to Patmos": by Domitian emperor of Rome, as Irenaeus says {x}, at the latter end of his reign, about the year 95 or 96; and, as Tertullian {y} after he had been cast into a vessel of flaming oil, where he got no hurt: and this banishment was not for any immorality, and capital sin he had committed, but “for the word of God”; for believing in Christ, the essential Word of God, and for professing and bearing record of him, both in preaching and writing.”

• So here is John imprisoned not for a real crime, but for spreading the gospel. John has plenty reason to be depressed and angry. What do we see John doing?

Rev. 1:10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

• He is worshipping God on the Lord’s Day! Not only that, but he is in close communion and relationship with the Lord through the Spirit. This is worship.
• Next an extraordinary thing happens. This does not happen often, even in the Old Testament, but John is given a Revelation directly, and from Jesus Christ Himself. Some Bibles have many of the next verses in red, as well as all the letters to the churches because they are direct words of Jesus.

Rev. 1:11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."

• This scroll containing ALL of Revelation was sent to the seven churches. It was information they desperately needed to know and pass on to future generations.

Rev. 1:12-16 I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man", dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

• What would be your reaction if you saw this being? John may not have even recognized Jesus, and if he did he was probably amazed at what he saw. He was so afraid and overwhelmed that he fell down as if he were dead.

Rev. 1:17a When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.

• This is one of the main verses used by those practicing “slain in the spirit”. But as we can see from the context, there is nothing like “slain in the spirit” here. First, John fell down of his own accord in obvious fear, worship, overwhelmed by His glory. No one touched him at all. Secondly, when Jesus does touch John He says:

Rev. 1:17a-18 Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

• Do not be afraid. Get up. Write what I tell you to write. You are not dead because I, Jesus Christ, conquered death by rising from the dead and now I stand here with the keys to death. This is an exact opposite picture from “slain in the spirit” where people are put into trance states and encouraged to lay on the floor writhing, screaming, moaning, crying, laughing, oinking like pigs, crowing like roosters, mooing like cows. When Jesus Christ really appears it is for a purpose, not so we can lie on our backs.
• We as Christians have this promise that Jesus Christ has conquered death and His promises to us are true and faithful.

Rev. 1:19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

• Already discussed that what is contained in this scroll is a record of what has been known and planned by God from eternity, what was at the time of the seven churches, and what will take place later. Everything that applies to the seven candlesticks applies to the Church today.

Rev. 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

• The seven stars which John saw in Christ's right hand, represent the angels, or pastors of the seven churches of Asia, and in them all the pastors and ministers of the churches in all the periods of time until Christ's second coming. The ministers of the Gospel mentioned here are not only compared to "stars", but likewise to "angels", which also means "messengers", as ministers are sent forth by Christ with the message of the Gospel and as the angels are Christ's ministering spirits, so are the preachers of the Gospel the ministers of Christ, that wait upon him and serve him in the ministry of the word to the Church.
• The candlesticks represent the seven churches, of Asia, and in them all the churches of Christ, possibly also in successive ages, to the end of time; the reasons why these are signified by "candlesticks", and that they are prophetic of the churches of Christ in the several periods of time, until he comes again, is because the whole book is a prophecy, a revelation of things that were shortly to come to pass, and it would be very strange, and very unsuitable to its title, should the three first chapters contain nothing prophetic in them.
• I believe that the letters to all the churches contain valuable blessings and warnings for the church today. It is highly likely that, someday when we see the full picture, we will know that these letters were written to (1) the real churches of that time (2) represent a prophetic picture of the church through history and (3) are meant to be studied as a whole to glean what Christ meant for Christians and the Church throughout the ages and especially the end of the age. The most important point is (3). This is key to understanding the seven letters.
• This is why we are doing this study. The letters to the seven churches contain a road map that is particularly important today as we approach the end of the age.  A few more points need to be made before we go on.

Rev. 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes,

• These two phrases are repeated seven times in the seven letters. Whenever something is repeated even twice it is for added impact. But seven times?  This is another key to understanding the seven letters.
• (1) We need to listen, to hear, to comprehend what God is saying to the churches. What He is saying to the churches is not just for the churches but for the individual Christian.
• (2) “Let him hear” to the individual, “To him who overcomes” to the individual. The messages to the churches are not just for churches, but primarily for individual Christians. We will see that truth become more evident as we go on.  This is the third key to the seven letters.
• (3) “Overcomes” This is a concept not taught too much in Christianity today. That is a terrible mistake. The Bible is full of verses that not only shower all the blessings of salvation on those who continue in faith believing, endure to the end, persevere, overcome ... but also of dire warnings to those who fall away because they will be cut off, removed from the tree. If you doubt this take a look ahead to the first letter:

Rev. 2:4-5 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

• This is to a church.  Jesus says “if you do not repent I can take you out.” He not only says this to churches but to individuals. They can be cut off because of lack of continuing in faith.

Rom. 11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

• This was to Gentile Christians.  They can also fall away because of their own lack of faith.

Heb. 6:4-6 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Mark 14:27 "You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "`I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.

• As long as God gives you life in this world you can repent and return to Jesus.  You can invite Him into your life so He can feed you with the Bread of Life.  He then must be allowed to be the Lord of your life. But there does come a time when the Spirit stops striving with man, and that is if they fall away from the faith and do not repent.

2 Pet. 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,
1 Cor. 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

• This is not a popular doctrine but when you look at Scripture you find that professing Christians must remain in faith or they can fall away and lose what they had. This is another subject, but I need to touch on it because it comes up often in the letters to the seven churches.

Rev. 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Rev. 3: 15-16 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

• The Bible is full of promises to those who believe, trust and obey and dire warnings for those who do not believe, disobey without repentance, continue in habitual sin. Unbelief is actually only one of the sins that can send a person to hell.

Re 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.

• We must take the blessings as well as the warnings from the lips of Jesus and the Apostles. This is true grace teaching, not some “easy believism”. But always keep in mind that we cannot be saved by works, only by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Then balance that with the fact that we must “overcome”. It is repeated seven times!
• How are we to overcome? Go back again to what we said at the start.

1Jo 5:4-5 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

·  This is the main key to understanding the seven letters!

·  There is an old song that goes “Faith is the victory that overcomes the world”. Faith is a part of the salvation process. We must believe. We cannot do what Jesus has done for us. Salvation is “by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.” The grace is from the through Jesus Christ alone. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins. We must have faith and believe.  Faith is an act of the will.

·  God does not "gift" Christians their faith like He "gifted" them salvation through grace, nor does He force them to believe. Then what about the following verse?

Eph. 2:8-9   For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no-one can boast.

• What is the gift here?  It is grace.  Some claim this is saying that God gives us a gift of faith.  That is not what this verse is saying in my opinion.  This verse is addressing grace versus works, not faith versus works.  This is confirmed by another parallel passage in Romans.  Remember, faith is not a work, it is an act of the will - believing in Jesus Christ no matter what happens even if it is contrary to our understanding.  Faith is believing even in someone or something that is unseen.

Ro 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

·  We accept by faith the grace of Jesus Christ.  Works then are works of the spirit, not the sinful flesh.

·  We know that faith without works is dead.  But works can never replace grace. Works can never earn salvation. That is the point of the Eph. 2:8-9 verse, not pitting faith against works.  This is the only verse that those who claim that faith is a gift from God can really hang their hat on.  However, there are many verses that talk about grace being a gift.

Ro 5:15   But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Ro 5:17   For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Eph 3:7   I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.

• God is the author (prince, leader, example, object) of our faith and the perfector (finisher, example of perfection, awarder of the prize) of that faith.

Heb. 12:2   Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 12:2   Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (KJV)
Heb 12:2   looking stedfastly on Jesus the leader and completer of faith: who, in view of the joy lying before him, endured the cross, having despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Darby)
Heb 12:2   looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.  (NRSV)
Heb 12:2   simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself-- where He still sits--at the right hand of the throne of God.  (WEY)

• The NIV makes it sound like perhaps God has simply gifted us our faith and does everything to bring it to perfection, leaving us with no responsibility of our own.  I do not think this verse, in context, is saying that.  I believe the point of this passage is obviously steadfast faith: fixing our eyes on Jesus, who is the object of our faith and the one who will bring our faith to perfection and award us the eternal prize, if we continue to fix our eyes on Him.  This makes faith a two way process, a cyclical process.  As we trust God He increases our faith so we can trust Him more deeply and He can further increase and perfect our faith.  If we do not fix our eyes on Christ, our faith will not increase and may shrink back. Ultimately, wandering from the truth, our faith can be destroyed.

Heb 10:38   But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
2Ti 2:18   who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

• Written to Christians!  God will strengthen and test the faith of anyone who believes in Him.

Jas 1:3   because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

• He may even help us with our unbelief.

Mark 9:21-24   Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "`If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

• Yet there are many verses about the responsibility of Christians to build themselves up and stand firm in faith.

Jude 1:20   But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
2Pe 1:5   For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
1Pe 5:9   Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Heb 11:6   And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Heb 4:14   Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

• Those He predestined and foreknew to be the elect He will continue to help and they will overcome by grace through faith in Christ. Those who once believed but do not overcome, losing their faith in the grace of the person of Jesus Christ, will fall away and be eternally lost.

Heb. 6:4-6   It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Lu 8:13   Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

• The Luke 8:13 reference is a key thought.  Christians have the Word of God and the Spirit to guide them but they are not omniscient or omnipresent like God.  They do not know the final outcome.  Only God does.  Their salvation assurance in this life comes from His promise to save those who believe in His grace through Jesus Christ. A person who calls himself a Christian must believe.

Ac 16:31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."
Ro 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

• Not only that but the word “believe” is in the continuous tense in the Greek in many places, meaning we must keep, hold on, continue, persevere, overcome in our faith. We must overcome with a faith that continues to trust in the true biblical Jesus Christ alone for our ultimate salvation. I believe that an overcoming faith is the main point of the letters to the seven churches.
• I want to pull some 34 precepts out of these letters. I do not call them “laws” because we are no longer under the Law of Moses, but the Law of Christ which is grace. However, these are precepts that Christ Himself gave to the churches. If we follow them we will never lose our faith, never be deceived, never give up.

EPHESUS

Rev. 2:1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands

• Each letter starts with a mention of the One who is sending the message. Each time Jesus describes Himself in a different way that is appropriate to the church He is addressing.  Each time it has particular significance for that church and their situation. If Jesus walks among the lampstands He has power and authority over them and they have His help to overcome false teaching. They also have immediate access to Him in relationship. But they also are right at hand and can be removed immediately if they do not come back to their first love.
• History of Ephesus.  The city of Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia, and the greatest city. The temple of the demon god Artemis was located there and it was home to many magic arts and mystery cults.  As a great center it was sought by the Apostle Paul, who founded the church and labored there more than three years (Ac 18:19 19:1), and afterwards addressed to it the Epistle to the Ephesians.  Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos also labored there.  At a later period Paul placed Timothy there and addressed two epistles to him.  All early church tradition declares that John, from about A.D. 70, made this city his home until his death.  There is not now standing a single house upon the site of the ancient city, though the ruins are of the most imposing character.  The Turkish village of Agasalouk, upon the Smyrna and Aidan R. R., is about two miles distant.

Rev. 2:2-3 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

• Precept 1: Deeds Prove Our Faith. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works (Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 11:6)  But as Christians we must have the fruits that come from faith in the grace of Jesus Christ (Gal. 5:22-25) and deeds (James 2:26).  (1) God plants the tree.  (2) The branches either bear fruit or are pruned.

Gal. 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

• Mt. 21-19 talks about the cursed tree and John 15:2 says that Christians must bear fruit or be cut off.

James 2:26 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

• (1) Faith produces fruit.  (2) Works cannot replace grace.  (3) The fruit of faith is works of thanksgiving and praise to God by His will, not our own

• Precept 2: Work Hard. Christians work hard spreading the gospel.

Rom. 16:12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
1 Cor. 4:12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
2 Cor. 6:5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
1 Thes. 5:12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.

• They help those less fortunate such as widows and orphans.

1 Tim. 5:3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

• We are to pursue righteousness (Rom. 9:30, 1 Tim. 6:11, 1 Tim. 2:22) because our Father is righteous.

Ps. 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

• There are dire consequences for those who do not take care of these but steal from them (Mal. 3:5).

Mal. 3:5 "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud labourers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.

• We see this happen a lot today with TV evangelists. When a famous televangelist was being sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering, mail fraud, conspiracy, and interstate transportation of stolen property the judge said to him "You've picked the last flake of flesh from the carcass of the widow you defrauded." May we never be judged in this life that way, but a greater judgment is coming.

• Precept 3: Persevere. God will help us persevere as we continue to trust and obey.

James 1:3-4 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

• But we must also put out an effort to persevere.

1 Tim. 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

• "Watch your life" means what we are and do.  "Doctrine" means what we believe.  "Save yourself" and "hearers" means living and teaching sound doctrine, one of which is salvation by grave alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Heb. 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

• All the promises to the churches are ours, if we make the effort.

2 Pet. 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Precept 4: Discern. We are commanded as Christians to test the spirits.  We test with the Word and its doctrines, by long term lasting fruit, and by whether or not there is Christ-centered teaching and lifestyle.

1 Jn. 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

• We must discern false teachers and false prophets.  They are distinguised by laying error alongside truth.

2 Pet. 2:1-2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

• "Error is never taught in an obvious way because it might be exposed and found out.  But it is always dressed up in pretty clothes so that it looks good and attractive on the outside so that it can seem truer than truth itself. -Irenaeus (translated to simplified English)

Mt. 7:15  Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

• We are to rebuke them.

Titus 1:9-13 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith

• Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN), in raising funds at the end of 1999, told viewers that if they sent in a donation of $2000. they would be debt free by the year 2000 and their whole household would be saved.  TBN through the TV is "ruining whole households ... for the sake of dishonest gain."  People like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and many others have been rebuked repeatedly for their false doctrines and false prophesies, but they will not repent,  They have no accountability.  In fact they turn around and curse those Christians who rebuke them.
• If they are unrepentant and do not follow the Word of God ...

Is. 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

• Then we are to mark and avoid them.

Rom. 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

• The word "divisions" here is a different word from the word "hairetikos" which means "heretic" or  "a divisive follower of false doctrines".  If they do not repent, we are to reject them as heretics after they have been admonished a couple of times.

Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

• Have no fellowship with their works but expose them.

Eph. 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

• We need to name names so that we can warn others about heretics specifically, just as Paul warned the churches about certain men.  We must separate ourselves from them.

2 Cor. 6:17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.

• "Neither when we have chiosen our way can we keep company with those who go the other way.  There must come with the decision for truth a corresponding protest against error." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
• Keep away from them.

2 Thes. 3:6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.
2 Thes. 3:14-15 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

• Turn away from them.

2 Tim. 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

• Don’t even let them in our house.

2 Jn. 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.

• There is not only one way into our homes through the front door.  The TV, books, videos, audio tapes and the Internet are other ways we can welcome heresy into our homes.
• But, though we do not allow these influences in our lives, we continue to pray for those who are deceived.  We must continue to try to reach out to them in mercy, praying for them, trying to pull them from the fire, but being careful not to stain our own clothes (Jude 1:23).

Jude 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

• Precept 5: Don’t Grow Weary. We must run and not grow weary and God will help us.

Isa 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

• We need to look up to the examples of those who have persevered through oppression and persecution so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.

Heb 12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

• We must finish the race to receive the prize of the crown of righteousness, of our final salvation.

2 Tim. 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Gal. 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Rev. 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

• Precept 6: Don’t Forsake Your First Love. When you love a person you give yourself to them heart and soul. But like in marriage, sometimes we forget how much zeal we had in our love for each other when we were first married. The Ephesians had left that love, being together in one mind, sharing together, and their zeal for the bridegroom, Christ. We must not forsake meeting together in fellowship and love.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

• We must also not forsake the Lord because He may ultimately forsake us.

Jer 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

• We are commanded by Jesus to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. But loving God is of first importance. We cannot love our neighbor without the new nature and the help of the Holy Spirit. But we must not lose our love for God.

Lu 10:27 He answered: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

• Never let someone tell you that you cannot experience God';s love unless you empty your mind.  We must use every facility the Lord has given us to love Him.
• Precept 7: Be Objective - See Yourself From God‘s Perspective.

Rev. 2:5a Remember the height from which you have fallen!

• In diving sometimes you can dive down deep so quickly that you don't realize how much your ears hurt.  One Palaun man dove down to me when I was scuba diving and touched me at 50 feet.  But on his way up he gat a squeeze in his rotten tooth and was in terrible pain until they could get him to the dentist many hours away.  He did not realize how deep he had gone.  Public figures like politicians often start out honest but sooner or later they become corrupt and dishonest.  We need to take an abjective look at ourselves and see where we are.  Have we fallen as Christians?
• Sometimes it helps us to step back out of our situation and try to look at it from another angle, or at a distance.  The Bible, the Word of God is the most effective mirror we can hold up to reflect our true selves.  The Holy Spirit will use that mirror to reveal to us our sins and encourage us in our weakness.  Here Jesus is trying to get the churches to see things from His perspective. They have fallen down from the height of their zeal and love for God. Sometimes we need to wake up because we are asleep.

Eph 5:14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

• Later we see Jesus telling the churches and Christians to wake up before they die.

Re 3:2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

Rev. 2:5b Repent and do the things you did at first.

• Precept 8: Repent! Repentance should be the continual lifestyle of the Christian. This is speaking to the Church, to Christians!  Repentance is not only confession but also a turning from sin.  It isn't just saying "I'm sorry" but "next time I won't do it again".

Ac 26:20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

• "Repent and turn to God" is saying sorry and turning to God, and "proving repentance by deeds" is turning away from further sin in that area.

Ac 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

• Revival comes after repentance.

Ps 147:6 The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

• Repentance is humbling ourselves before the Lord.  If we have fallen, the Lord can lift us up if we go down on our knees in humility before Him.

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

• Then we need to confess our sins.

Ro 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Jas 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

• We need to pray to the Lord and repent, and He has promised forgiveness of sins.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
2Ch 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Rev. 2:5c If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

• This is a dire warning. God can judge sinners and send them to hell, and he can also remove even a local church, even one of the founding local churches. Loss of love, then, is very serious. Later Jesus says that He may just spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. Jesus said that in the end times the love of most would grow cold.

Mt 24:12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

Rev. 2:6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

• The New Bible Dictionary tells us that the Nicolaitans were a group who named themselves after a man by the name of Nicolaus of Antioch. They compromised their Christianity by leading Christians to take part in pagan rituals and to eat food sacrificed to idols without embarrassing them in the close knit society of the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was a town with large temples to the fertility goddess of Anatolia later known by the names of Artemis in Greek and Diana in Latin. This group also allowed its followers to practice immorality, and have more than one wife as well as sleep with temple prostitutes. The word Nicolaitan is a Greek form of the Hebrew word for Balaam who led the Israelites away from God in the same way. Later this group became what is known as the Christian Gnostics. This is one of the groups that is attacked by Peter in 2 Peter 2:15, Jude in Jude 11 and John in Rev. 2:6, 15 and possibly 2:20-23.

• Precept 9: Don’t Compromise With The World, The Flesh, and the Devil. What we learn from this is that God hates anything that takes people back to their old sin nature. We as Christians cannot compromise with the world in the worship of pagan gods or in sexual immorality. God said in the Ten Commandments that we are to worship no other God but Him and not commit adultery. There are many false teachers out there today who are teaching Gnostic doctrines that feed the flesh and take Christians away from their true worship of God. They are led to worship power, signs and wonders, and those who do them. They are given fleshly experiences that stir up their natural sinful desires. But I have never seen more sexual and relationship problems as I have seen in Pentecostal and charismatic churches. This is because they have stirred up the flesh. In the Toronto “Blessing” churches in England they are even having strip shows in the church, pastors having sex with women in the church calling it the “anointing”, and many other disgusting things. This is the end result of Gnostic teaching that says that we can only experience God fully through our emotions, not by knowing Him with our mind. God has been very clear when speaking to Christians about sexual sin.

1Co 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

• The following underlined traits have been noted as a result of the false counterfeit New Age revivals in the church today out of Brownsville, Toronto, Benny Hinn Ministries, Kenneth Copeland Ministries and many others on TBN.

Gal. 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• God hates compromise.

Eph 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

• God wants us to have an uncompromising faith in Him and live an uncompromising life of holiness. If we sin we must confess our sins and turn from our wicked ways.

Rev. 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

• The promises for those that overcome are available to all Christians because he says we must hear what the Spirit says to the churches, not just Ephesus. If they overcome hardships, if they endure, if they do not give up their first love, He gives a promise appropriate to them. They will eat of the Tree of Life, no longer of food dedicated to false idols. The Tree of Life, no longer in Eden, is in the paradise of God. They will never die, never go through hardship again. In Ps. 3:18 the Messiah is also called the Tree of Life. He is the author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; and because of his fruit, the blessings of life and grace, that are in him, of which believers may eat by faith, they will never suffer or die again.

SMYRNA

Rev. 2:8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

• The church in Smyrna.  The history of its planting is unknown, but it was probably founded by some of the evangelists under Paul's supervision.  During the second century the church was prominent, and it has never ceased to exist. When I visited the city in 1889, I was told that there were more than 70,000 professing Christians in the place. The city, so old that its beginnings are unknown, is still the second in commercial importance of the Turkish empire.
• The church at Smyrna was likely headed by Polycarp, an apostle of John. He is what we call today a pre-Nicean father, one who was discipled by one of the original Apostles. Irenaeus who knew him, says he was appointed bishop of Smyrna by the apostles. Here he suffered martyrdom, and was buried. This church, and its pastor Polycarp may also represent the state of the church under the persecutions of the Roman emperors. The word Smyrna means "myrrh", which has a bitter taste, is expressive of afflictions, persecutions, and deaths, the people of God in this interval endured. And yet myrrh also has a sweet smell, so were those saints, in their sufferings for Christ, well pleasing to him. That is probably why this is the only church that there is no warning to, nothing bad said about it.
• It is appropriate then that Jesus addresses Himself to them the same way He addressed Himself to John when he fell down as dead at His feet. He give them the assurance right from the start of the letter that He has already won the victory over death, and through Him all Christians can be assured that no matter if the are persecuted and even die for Jesus, they will live again with Him forever.
• Here is a record from history on what happened to the twelve disciples.  Only two did not die a martyr's death:
• John died of extreme old age in Ephesus, after being persecuted, thrown in a vat of flaming oil from which he miraculously came out of without any burns, and banished to Patmos.
• Judas Iscariot, after betraying his Lord, hanged himself.
• The rest died as martyrs in spreading the gospel.  Notice how far they had taken the gospel message before they died:
• Peter was crucified, head downward, during the persecution of Nero.
• Andrew died on a cross at Patrae, in Achaia, a Grecian Colony.
• James, the younger brother of the Savior, was thrown from a pinnacle of the Temple, and then beaten to death with a club.
• Bartholomew was flayed alive in Albanapolis, Armenia.
• James, the elder son of Zebedee, was beheaded at Jerusalem, by order of Herod.  He was the first martyred disciple.
• Thomas, the doubter, was run through the body with a lance at Coromandel, in the east Indies.
• Philip was hanged against a pillar at Heropolis (Abyssinia).
• Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows.
• Simon died on a cross in Persia (now Iran).

Rev. 2:9a I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich!

• Precept 10: Though Poor And Afflicted For Jesus, Realize You Are Rich  Smyrna was the poor yet rich church. Later on we will study Laodecia, which is the rich yet poor church. We see Laodecia typified today in the Word-Faith prosperity gospel movement.  In Jesus, though we are poor, we are rich because of His new life in us and because of our hope of glory.

2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Jas 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

• We testify to that wealth by our witness to them of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as did Paul.

2Co 6:10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Rev. 2:9b I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

• It is very likely that these so-called Jews were the ones who were persecuting the church at Smyrna. These Jews were not people of God. They may have been circumcised in the flesh but not in the heart.  True believers have first covenanted with Christ and allowed Him to be their Savior and Lord.

Ro 2:29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

• Circumcision is no longer a requirement for Gentile Christians.  We are no longer subject to the Law of Moses but rather we have freedom in and by the law of Christ, which is grace.

Ro 3:30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

• Yet they were persecuting the Christians at Smyrna. In fact it is reported by the early church fathers that these men stood by when Polycarp was martyred and shouted for him to be thrown to the lions. These false Jews were probably urging the Christians to be circumcised in the flesh, when Jesus the Apostles did not require that at all. This was called the “circumcision group” by Paul.

Tit 1:10-11 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teaching that for the sake of dishonest gain.

• Precept 11: Salvation Is Not By Works. It is not by works but by the grace of Jesus Christ. Trying to be saved by works was a very serious business and something that Paul warned against many times. Those promoting going back under the law of Moses by being circumcised or doing any other work, when Jesus had come and freed us from that law by grace, is another form of legalism, trying to get into heaven by works. The Roman Catholic church today teaches and promotes salvation by works with prayers to saints, the rosary, confession of sins to a priest, Hail Marries, penance, the Eucharist, the Sacraments, and so on.  We are saved only by grace through faith.

Eph. 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no-one can boast.
Ro 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

• The reference to the church as opposed to the synagogue of Satan may also reflect on the separation of the old system of the law and the new law of Christ in His church. The Christians had quit using the term synagogue and were using the term “Church”. But these Jews hung on to the law and the synagogue. As time went by they so opposed Christianity that they ended up doing the work of the enemy. This is true today of those that teach false doctrine. They end up becoming a synagogue of Satan.  Today there is no more Temple building.  The Temple today is the body of the believer, and His Church corporately.

• It is interesting how in the act of the death of Jesus Christ, He got rid of the divisions represented in the Temple and Tabernacle.  In the typology of the Temple there was a division between (1) God and man (2) priest and laity (3) Jew and Genitle (4) man and woman.  When Jesus died (1) the veil in front of the Holy of Holies was rent in two thus giving man access to God Himself (2) He made us all a "holy priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:5&9) (3) since the Temple today is the body of the believer there is no more inner and outer court separating Jew from Gentile -- we can all become children of God because of Jesus Christ (4) instead of only male priests, today men and women are now free to approach and serve God.

Rev. 2:10a Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.

• God even uses Satan sometimes to test believers.  Look to the story of Job for proof of that.

• Precept 12: Do Not Be Afraid, God Will Take Care Of You. God not only tells them not to be afraid but lets them know ahead of time that suffering is coming. We need not worry about tomorrow. It is all in God’s hands if we have placed our faith in Him.

Mt. 6: 31-34 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

• We don’t even need to worry about what we will do when persecution comes, when we are falsely accused, when we must stand up for our faith.  God will not allow us to perish eternally.  He may allow us to die, but not perish..  Those who stand firm to the end will be saved.

Luke 21:12-19 But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.

• The "Ten Days" was an amazing prophesy.  There are two ways in which it was fulfilled. Remember that to the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  Sometimes a day can signify a span of time.
• (1) It could be talking about the end of Domitian's persecution, which was stopped by the edict of the emperor Nerva. This was exactly ten years. In this book and in Daniel, years are signified by days.
• (2) It could also be talking about the ten persecutions under the Roman emperors; the "first" was under Nero, in the year 64 or 66; the "second" was under Domitian, about the year 93; the "third" was under Trojan, in the year 104; the "fourth" was under Hadrian, in the year 125; the "fifth" was under Marcus Antoninus, in the year 151; the "sixth" was under Septimius Severus, in the year 197; the "seventh" was under Maximinus, in the years 235, 236, 237; the "eighth" was under Decius, in the year 250; the "ninth" was under Valerianus, in the year 257; and the "tenth" was under Dioclesian, in the year 303.
• Persecution is coming soon to those who stand firm in the faith, not wavering, not running after signs and wonders, not going to hear false teachers, not believing false doctrine, not receiving a false spirit. We will be persecuted, not by the world, but by people who call themselves Christians but are not circumcised in their hearts just as the first century Christians were. The move toward persecution is beginning now with the call for "Joel’s Army" to arise and for those in the Third Wave to claim the earth and rid it of all those who are not “anointed”. But they have traded the anointing that comes from the Anointed One that as born again Christians we already share for a different “anointing”, one of the flesh and the devil. We will see that played out probably in our lifetime as the world church decides to rid itself of all those who oppose them. The world church is a synagogue of Satan.

Rev. 2:10b Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

• Precept 13: Be Faithful To The Point Of Death We know that we must have faith to be born again but do we realize that we need to be faithful even to the point of death? We need to continue in the faith once for all delivered to the saints.  We have great examples of martyrs who stood up for the Faith in the past.

• The Bohemian reformer John Hus was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters.  He died at the stake for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday.  As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus's last words were "What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood."  (Source Unknown)
• One winter night when the Roman emperor Licinius was persecuting Christians, his Thundering Legion was stationed at Sebaste.  Because 40 men in that company had declared themselves believers, they were sentenced to spend the night naked on a frozen pool.  A large fire was kindled in a house nearby, and food and a warm bath were prepared for any who would renounce their faith.  As daylight faded, 40 warriors continued to resist in spite of the bitter cold -- some walking quickly to and fro, some already sleeping that sleep which ends in death, and some standing lost in prayer.  These words arose to Heaven, "O Lord, 40 wrestlers have come forth to fight for Thee.  Grant that 40 wrestlers may gain the victory!"  Finally, one of them could endure the suffering no longer.  He left the others and went into the house where Sempronius and his men were on guard.  But still the petition went up from those able to speak, "O Lord, 40 wrestlers have come forth to fight for Thee.  Grant that 40 wrestlers may gain the victory!"  Their prayer was answered.  Sempronius, the centurion was touched by his comrades' bravery, and the Holy Spirit move upon his heart.  Declaring himself a Christian, he went to the frozen pond and took the place of the one defector.  When the long night ws over, 40 glorious spirits, Sempronius among them, have entered into the presence of Christ.  If severe testing of persecution arises, will you, will I , be faithful to Christ?  By HIs grace may we be able to say, "Let God be glorified, 'whether it be by life or by death'" - Phil. 1:20 (H.G.B., Our Daily Bread, November 14)
• Polycarp (A.D. 70-155) was bishop of Smyrna and a godly man.  He had known the apostle John personally.  When he was urged by the Roman proconsul to renounce CHrist, Polycarp said "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury.  How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?"  "I have respect for your age," said the official.  "Simply say 'Away with the atheists!' and be set free."  The aged Polycarp pointed to the pagan crowd and said, "Away with the atheists!"  He was burned at the stake and gave joyful testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ.  Here is the prayer he prayed as he was martyred, as recorded by the historian Eusebius:  "Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of You, I bless you that You have counted me worthy of this day and hour, that I might be in the number of the martyrs.  Among these may I be received before You today in a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as You have beforehand prepared and revealed.  Wherefore I also praise You also for everything; I bless You; I glorify You, through the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through whom, with Him, in the Holy Spirit, be glory unto You both now and for the ages to come.  Amen."  Eusebius adds: "When he had offered up his amen and finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire." (Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 214; Quoted in Closer Walk, July 1998, p. 22)

Jude 3-4 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

• Our continued faith in the true gospel, the true Savior, is evidenced through our faith, even in persecution and death. Some would call this works. James calls it evidence of faith. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, as the song says.

1Jo 5:4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Rev. 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

• Again the Lord gives the promise that as a faithful Christian you can only die once. After that the second death cannot touch you. This was a great promise to this church, many of whose Christians did suffer physical death because of their faith in Christ.  The second death will not hurt them.

PERGAMUM

Rev. 2:12 To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.

• Antipas, who is mentioned in Re 2:13; is thought, by some, to have been the first pastor/angel of that church. It is probable that during the writing of this letter that there was another pastor, possibly, according to the Apostolical Constitutions, Caius who is mentioned as the first bishop of it
• It was a rival of Ephesus in the temples to Zeus, Athena, Dionysos, in the great grove Nicephorium (the glory of the city). Next to this was the grove and temple of Asklepios, the god of healing, called the god of Pergamum, with a university for medical study. Pergamum was the first city in Asia (A.D. 29) with a temple for the worship of Augustus (Octavius Caesar). Hence in the Apocalypse Pergamum is a very center of emperor-worship "where Satan dwells".
• This church can also possibly represents the church from the time of Constantine, and onward, rising up to, and enjoying great power, riches, and honor. Pergamos signifies high and lofty; a royal city, things that were sublime and lofty, all high and lofty towers. Pergamos was built under a very high and steep mountain, upon the top of which a tower was erected, by the lords of the lesser Asia, which still continues. The church it represents had its principal seat at Rome, where Satan dwells Re 2:13; which signifies exalted likewise; and it introduces the man of sin, antichrist, the popes of Rome, who exalted themselves above all that is called God, princes, kings, and emperors; whom they excommunicated, dethroned, trod upon their necks, kicked off their crowns, and obliged them to hold their stirrups while they mounted their horses, with other haughty action, too many to name.
• Jesus states that he is the one with the sharp double edged sword. What is that?

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

• So the sword from the mouth of Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word.  The Bible is not a dead book. When it comes forth as truth it judges men’s thoughts and attitudes. This happens when we read the Word and learn from Jesus, the Word made flesh. It convicts us of our sinful thoughts and motives. Ultimately Jesus will also judge the nations for He is coming to rule and judge.

Re 19:15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron sceptre." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
Re 19:21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Rev. 2:13a I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name.

• The temples, the worship of the emperor as a God, Pergamum was an evil place. Yet the Christians there remained true to Jesus’ name.

• Precept 14: Remain True To The Name Of Jesus. What does that mean? They still called themselves "Christians" (or "belonging to Christ, of Christ), followers and worshipers of Christ only, when their culture told them they had to worship Caesar as a god. This became very obvious when they did not attend certain festivals, or did not bow down to him if he came to visit. We are called to stand up for the name of Jesus. If we call ourselves “Christians” that is something we must be prepared to defend and die for if necessary.  Do we stand against the sin in our cultures? Do we offer God the sacrifice of praise, not just in church, but in life?

Col 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Heb 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.

Rev. 2:13b You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.

• Precept 15: Don’t Renounce The Faith: They had the truths of the Gospel in their possession, which were dear and valuable to them. Even though there was danger of losing them, they held them fast, with great courage and strength even though there were a greater number against them and they were persecuted and ridiculed for their faith.

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
Jude 1:3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

• And this warning to those who do renounce their faith in Christ.

Mt 10:33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

• Antipas, the first pastor of the church was a shining example to the church because he was martyred for his faith. He is called the "faithful martyr" of Pergamos.
• He was bishop of Pergamos during the reign of Emporer Domitian in 83 A.D.  His name means "against all" which could represent that he was standing alone for the faith against the forces of evil, but more precisely and in keeping with apocalyptic prophesy, his name has come to represent "those against the pop" during the Reformation period, viewing the Seven Letters as a chronological prophesy of the church through the ages.  The residents of Pergamos were worshipping demons who had appeared to them and the demons told them that they could not live there or accept their sacrifices because the power of Antipas was casting them out.  Antipas was captured by idolaters of Pergamos and delivered to their conservative governor who tried to convince Antipas that the older things are more honorable than the new.  For this reason, the religion of the Greeks was more honorable that Christianity since it was older and grew better with the passing of time.  One the other hand, the faith of Christians is not to be honored since it started later and was accepted by fewer people.  Antipas countered this argument by using the example of Cain and Abel.  Even thought Cain was older than his brother Abel, Abel was accepted by God and Cain was not.  Cain, by killing his brother is hated and despised by all men who have lived thereafter, even though he was older, therefore the Greeks' impiety is hateful to the Christians who came later, even though it is older.  When the governor and the Greeks heard this they burnt with anger and the aged Antipas, after refusing to pinch some incense in the red hot copper bull-shaped altar of Caesar, was thrown into the same brazen altar alive and roasted.  While he was there, the sang fervently prayed to God, glorifying His great power and thanked Him for being worthy to suffer for His love. (Jay Atkinson, Revelations, pg. 309)
• After him many thousands of Christians died for their faith. I believe that his first century persecution mirrors what will happen in the last days. There is coming a world church that will persecute true Christians who hold to their faith and do not compromise with the whore of Babylon, the apostate world church.

Re 17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
Re 18:24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth."

• The Romish church is, even now, attempting to form a World Church, a United Religion.  The RCC had killed countless Christians who opposed her.

Rev. 2:14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.

• Even though this church was commended for not renouncing their faith in the very lap of Satanic worship, they had allowed false doctrines into their church.  What was outside the church had invaded the inside.
• Balaam was the prophet that Balak tried to get to curse Israel. Balaam wanted to summon up God to get Him to curse Israel, hoping to be paid for doing so, but God told Balaam to bless Israel each time he tried. Balaam later led many in Israel astray by urging them to immorality with the peoples around them, against God’s decrees. He told them that eating meat sacrificed to idols was just fine. Be aware that in Pergamum practically all the meat available in the marketplace was left over from sacrifices to idols. Balaam practiced sorcery for profit. Later God killed him. But his teachings lingered on.
• Some teach that immorality is fine for Christians.  You can just go ahead and get divorced and then later ask God to forgive you.  Some Third Wave teachers even order their followers to get a divorce.  They prophesy to them personally that God told them to get divorced.  I have seen this happen.  This kind of prophesy is a false prophesy, except in the case of adultery, which the Bible already gives us guidelines on.  But even in cases of adultery a couple should strive to repent, forgive and work things out if possible. Today many Christians are basically telling other Christians to "go ahead and sin".  God will forgive.  But repentance is not only asking forgiveness, being sorry, but a turing away from the sins of the "old self" and turing to obedience to God.
• Some of his methods of Baalam are still around today. Jude warned against false prophets.

Jude 1:11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.

• Precept 16: Don‘t Have Fellowship With Or Follow False Teachers. Today we have many false teachers that have gone the way of Cain, Balaam and Korah.
• This is an entire study unto itself, but in Jude’s time till today there are still those who try to bring sacrifices that God does not want, thus denying the blood of Jesus as Cain denied that the only forgiveness of sins was by a blood sacrifice and he disobeyed God‘s law. There are those who have rushed for profit like Balaam, trying to summon God and the Holy Spirit which is sorcery, thereby to make a lot of money. A case in point was were the fund raising tactics of R.W. Shambach for the Trinity Broadcasting Network under the approving eye of Paul Crouch.  He told the viewers that the Lord told him that if they sent in $2000. before the end of 1999 that God would pay off all their debts and their whole family would be saved by January 2000.  700 Club is also guilty of these kinds of tactics, using a "word of knowledge" scam to raise money by reading unsubstantiated testimonials on their program.  And there are those today who accuse true believers of not being Spirit-filled just like Korah accused Moses by stating that he and his friends were just as holy as Moses. This kind of spiritual elitism from hardline Pentecostals continues to intensify in the Third Wave.  The earth opened up and swallowed Korah and others who followed him.
• Don’t fellowship with or follow these people. Word-Faith teaches that we can get God to make us rich and healthy just by declaring it with our mouths. That is sorcery for profit, exactly what Balaam was doing. Churches that have allowed the Toronto “Blessing” or Brownsville “Revival” say they are worshipping God in wild meetings with ugly manifestations, occult techniques, drunkenness, slain in the spirit. This is the sin of Cain, bringing a sacrifice that God does not want, and is not consistent with His Word. God wants obedience more than sacrifice.
• I think of this verse with regards to Cain:

1Sa 15:22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

• Worship of God is always to be orderly and done with a clear mind.

1Co 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,
1Co 14:40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
Col 2:5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
Jas 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

• You can only think of Baalam when you think about the disorder that ensued with his donkey while he was hurrying to get some money for making a false prophesy.
• We also have many Third Wavers, Pentecostals and charismatics who have been accusing and continue to accuse born again Christians of not having the Holy Spirit, bragging about the “anointing” they have that is greater. That is the sin of Korah and it won’t be long before the judgment of God is going to fall on those who make these accusations. It is blasphemy against God, the Holy Spirit and His saints. Christians receive the Holy Spirit baptism and seal the moment they believe.

1Co 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
2Co 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Eph 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Ac 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• Don’t allow these false teachers and false prophets to “entice” you away from your pure devotion to Christ by promises of health, wealth, some kind of unbiblical anointing, or some testimony that you cannot prove or prophesy you cannot test.
• "Neither when we have chosen our way can we keep company with those who got he other way.  There must come with the decision for truth a corresponding protest against error." (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
• "I am not permitted to let my love be so merciful as to tolerate and endure false doctrine.  When faith and doctrine are concerned and endangered, neither love not patience are in order .. when these are concerned, neither toleration nor mercy are in order, but only anger, dispute, and destruction - to be sure, only with the Word of God as our weapon." (Martin Luther)

2Pe 2:18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Rev. 2:15 Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

• Again we see the Nicolaitans. Boy, do they get around. Christian Gnosticism is everywhere today and is also at the root of the counterfeit revivals. There is a direct link from the gnostic doctrines in Christian Science and New Thought through Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland to the current Third Wave. Mormonism is also from New Thought roots.  Christian Gnosticism holds that the material world is completely evil but the spirit is completely good. Therefore, you cannot understand truth with your mind but only with your "spirit". They then mistake the spirit for the emotions and say that you can only feel truth. “You sort of absorb it. Stop using your mind. It gets in the way.” But this is opposite to what the Bible says.

1Co 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
Mt 22:37 Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
Joh 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Rev. 2:16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

• Again we see the warning to repent. Remember that this is spoken to the churches and to Christians. We cannot forget that. We must repent of our sins and our allowing sin in our churches without rebuke. If we do not do this then the Lord will come and rebuke us with the Word. God helps us if we do repent when we are rebuked. The Lord will fight against our enemies with the Word of His mouth, and we can also use the Word to defend the faith and teach sound doctrine. But when it is we who are living in sin, the Word turns around and rebukes us. The Holy Spirit convicts us through the Scriptures of our sin. We must then repent and turn from our wicked ways. Then the Lord can bring times of refreshing.

Ac 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
2Ch 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

• Though this verse has been misused and it was written to Israel, the same precepts are true for God’s people, the Body of Christ today. Humble yourself, pray, seek His face, turn from your wicked ways, then God will forgive our sins. He is not promising to heal the entire U.S., unless the whole country repents as did Ninevah, for it is pagan and wayward beyond cure and unrepentant as a people. But He will heal our churches full of Christians who repent. Healing is also a picture of salvation.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

• “With His stripes you are healed” does not mean that every Christian is entitled to physical healing in this life. What this verse is talking about, which has been misused for many years by Pentecostals, is salvation. The healing of our souls, the renewing of our minds, the creation of a new nature.

Rev. 2:17a He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.

• All Christians who overcome the things we have been talking about will be given some of the hidden manna. This may be referring to Jesus who is the “Bread of life”, the “Bread of heaven”, the unseen source of nourishment for believers. Israel was fed with manna from above in the wilderness. Christians will feed on the hidden manna of the Word, Jesus Christ and will have eternal life.

John 6:48-50 I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.

Rev. 2:17b I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

• There are a number of interpretations for this promise. The important part is the “new name”. Believers will be given a new name that no one else will know except God. It is interesting that Jesus, speaking to these Christians who are being persecuted and living in the middle of Satanic worship, may be painting them a picture from the use of white stones in their time. White stones were used in various ways. The Grecians used them to mark good or lucky days, as they called them. Christ could be using this as an illustration to his people that overcome that happy days would come after that days of darkness and persecution. White stones were also given to the winners in the Olympic games, with their names upon them, and the value of the prize they won. This could be a symbol of the crown of life and glory given to them who are more than conquerors through Christ, with their right and title to it, and the excellency of it.

Ro 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

• We have the victory in Jesus as we trust and obey because of His love, even through His death.

THYATIRA

Rev. 2:18 To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

• Thyatira was about 40 miles from Pergamum and in a rural farm community. A church was formed here very likely by the Apostle Paul; Lydia was a native of Thyatira.
• Thyatira has been mentioned in Acts 16:14 as the home of Lydia, who was converted at Philippi'.  It is, likely that the church began when she and her household returned.  The three churches Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum were on the coast; the others were in the interior.  Thyatira was southeast of Pergamos, and northeast of Smyrna.  It is still a place of about 17,000 population', of whom nearly 3,000 professed to be Christians.  In the second century the city of Thyatira was overrun with the Cataphrygian heresy.  The Turks have now eight mosques in it, but there is not one Christian church or place of worship to be found in it.  Who was the angel, or pastor of this church at the writing of this epistle, is not certain.  Thyatira is the same as Thygatira, which signifies a "daughter".  Seleucus, the son of Nicanor, being at war with Lysimachus, and hearing that he had a daughter born, called this city Thygatira.  It was called Pelopia, and Semiramis previous to that; which is a very fit name for this church, and expresses the effeminacy of it, when the virgin Mary, whom the Romanists call the daughter of God, was more worshipped than her son; and was not only made a partner with him in the business of salvation.  That is why the corrupt Jezebel is mentioned with regard to this city.  There was once a she pope also but the RCC is also called the great whore, the mother of harlots, the woman who rides the beast.  Mr. Daubuz observes, that the first Christian of Thyatira was a woman, and that the false prophets which first enticed the Christians to apostasy in this church were women, as Maximilia, Quintilia, and Priscilla; to which I would add, that according to Epiphanius, that among those heretics, and which swallowed up this church, their bishops were women, and so were their presbyters, or elders; and Dr. Smith is of opinion, that the inhabitants of this place, when Heathen, were worshippers of the goddess Diana; so that, upon all accounts, the church here was a fit symbol of the church of Rome and it's worship of the female god posing as Mary.
• Since this church was singled out for much rebuke and condemnation, Jesus presents Himself as the one whose eyes are like fire and feet like bronze. Fire is often a picture of judgment in the Bible. But first Jesus commends those who are faithful.

Rev. 2:19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

• Precept 17: Practice Charity. We have already covered works or deeds that are the evidence of our faith. The Bible also talks much about love and charity.  Love is the only thing that truly lasts.  Faith and hope will no longer be necessary in the new heaven and earth, but love remains for eternity.

Mt. 22:37-39 Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'
1Co 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

• We also show our faith through love and compassion towards one another in the unity of the Spirit.

Phil. 2:1-2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

• We are even to go beyond love for our neighbor and our fellow believers. We must even love our enemies, those who curse us, those who persecute us.

Luke 6:27-28 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you.
Mt. 5:44-48 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

• Those who have gone astray into false doctrine and practice we must still pray for and attempt to pull them from the fire, being careful not to get our clothes stained by contact with them.  They must also be rebuked.  We should pray from them.

Jude 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Titus 1:10-14   For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.
1Jo 5:16   If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.

• Precept 18: Be A Servant. We discussed faith and remaining faithful which is also mentioned here. Jesus told us to be servants, and that the person who wanted to come out ahead would have to be a servant.

Mr 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

• Jesus demonstrated that to us by being the servant to all mankind by dying on the cross.

Phil. 2:5-10 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

• Being a servant also means that we have a Master. Our Master is Jesus Christ just as Christ was obedient to His Father. Even at the point of death it is crucial today to understand what Jesus prayed:

Lu 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

• He also taught us to pray:

Mt. 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

• This is worth repeating because today we have many false teachers who are teaching that you should never pray to God “Thy will be done” but instead speak positively and declare what you want God to do and it will be done. But this is false doctrine as Jesus Himself submitted to the will of the Father and taught us to do likewise. Benny Hinn said “Never, ever, ever go to the Lord and say, 'If it be thy will”. This is the mantra of Word-Faith preachers who teach their followers they can summon God as Balaam tried to do. Be a servant. Do the will of the Father, not your will. That is one of the main points of Christianity.

• Precept 19: Do More Than You Did At First. Our Christian life, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, must bear fruit, will bear fruit. We will grow and mature if we are submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit in our Christian life. If we have seen no growth we had better (1) check to see if we are really saved or (2) check to see if we are living in rebellion in our old sin nature. Either way we will lose if we do not repent. Growth should be evident as it was in the Thyatira church.

1Pe 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen.
Eph 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
Eph 4:13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ.

• If you aren’t growing then you have lost your connection to Christ.

Col 2:19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

• We will also bear fruit. Others will come to know Christ through our witness and ministry in the body of Christ.

Joh 15:8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples

• If we don’t bear fruit then we are worthless and are in danger of utter destruction.

John 15:2-6 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

• Some would say that this all sounds like works salvation, trying by deeds to be saved. It is just the opposite. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. Only Christ can save. One past moment of faith is the right start but not the whole picture. If we have faith that continues it will evidence itself in works and fruit, as James said.

Jas 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

Rev. 2:20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

• The original Jezebel was the wife of Ahab, king of Israel, in the time of Elijah. She not only corrupted the entire house of Ahab but also Israel, causing them to worship Baal and Ashteroth. It was so bad that Elijah thought he was the only faithful person left in Israel, but God kept 3000 faithful to Himself and encouraged Elijah with the knowledge. The descendants of Jezebel also corrupted Judah.
• Jezebel can also be seen to represent the Roman Catholic Church as it has been led astray by a demon that is posing as “Mary” the mother of Jesus in apparitions. Whether or not this was a prophesy of the Roman church, this is also a very specific teaching to the Christians at Thyatira. This Jezebel was apparently a woman in the Thyatira church. In the Syriac and other versions of the Bible it is translated “you tolerate your wife Jezebel”. She could have been a prominent woman in the church or even the pastor’s wife. This woman was allowed to falsely prophesy and get people to follow her into sexual immorality and detestable practices. She used false prophesy, pretending to speak directly for God, to persuade people to follow her in her sinful ways.
• We see this technique today everywhere. Many people are saying they are speaking directly for God who has spoken to them or appeared to them in dreams. Many are not afraid to claim that almost every word out of their mouths is the direct Word of God. These people are in need of rebuke but most people are afraid to stand up to them for fear of lawsuits or seeming intolerant or unloving. That is not what the Bible tells us to do as the body of Christ.  We must judge prophecy and test the spirits.

• Precept 20: Test The Spirits. These people and their words must be tested.

1Jo 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

• If they are found to be false prophesies that either do not come true or are against the precepts of Scripture, then we are to watch out for them.

Mt 7:15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

• We are to keep away from them.

Ro 16:17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

• We are to expose their lies and have nothing to do with them.

Eph. 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

• Don’t even let them in your house. Since the churches at the time this was written were house churches, then it also means to not let them in your church building or into your fellowship group.

2 John 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.

• We are to reject them after they have been rebuked a first and second time for false prophesy or false teaching.

Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

• We are to depart from their fellowship and God will receive us.

2 Cor. 6:17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

• Ultimately we turn them over to God and He will judge them.

Isa. 44:25 (God) foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,
Jer 23:32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.
Jer 27:15 `I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. `They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.'"

Rev. 2:21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.

• Notice the love of God. Even though this woman is leading many astray and pretending to speak for God when she is not, He still gives her time to repent. We should also allow false prophets to repent. If they are rebuked, they need to repent. If they do not repent and, very importantly, turn from their wicked ways, then God will judge them and we must avoid them. Benny Hinn and many other Third Wave leaders have repeatedly made false prophesies. Benny Hinn prophesied in 1994 that all the homosexuals would be dead by 1994 or 1995 at the latest. Of course this did not happen.  Yet Hinn has never repented of these false prophesies. They have taught a mountain of false doctrine. Hinn repented of some of his Word-Faith prosperity teachings. But he did not turn from his wicked ways and went right back to teaching these same false doctrines. Recently he had Kenneth Copeland and Rod Parsley on his TV show. They were teaching the most blatant Word-Faith lies and Hinn was agreeing with them all the way, adding his own heresy to the discussion. This is not repentance or turning away. It is false repentance in order to fool people into following him. Benny Hinn is a man to be avoided because God is going to judge him for his false prophesy and teachings.  We need to avoid him and warn others to stay away from him and all other who live in rebellion and unrepentance for their false teachings, false prophesies and false anointing.  God is gracious, the God of second chances - but there does come a time when He stops giving chances.

Rev. 2:22-23a So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead.

• To follow a false prophesy is to commit spiritual adultery.  It is also possible that the people of the church of Thiatyra were actually committing physical adultery with this woman.
• The judgment of God in this case was to cause her to be ill and all those who followed her to suffer with her. Even in this God was still giving them a chance to repent of “her” ways. Notice that apparently Jezebel is no longer being given a chance to repent, and her children will die for her sin. There is a time and place when the grace of God runs out. Many have died who once believed and refused to repent. Among many examples are Ananias and Saphira, Saul, Judas. There are ways to fall from grace. One is to depend on the law to save you, or salvation by works.

Ga 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

• Another is to reject Christ, or lose your faith in Christ, placing it in something or someone else, even a false Christ, a false gospel, a false Spirit.

Heb 6:4-6 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

• Another way, and one that concerns this passage, is to follow false teaching.

2Pe 3:17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.

• This was spoken to Christians!

Rev. 2:23b Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

• We must answer for our acts of both falsely prophesying or following those that do. This is serious business. It is something almost every letter in the NT talks about over and over again.

Heb 10:31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

• God does not look at the outward man but searches the heart.

1Sa 16:7b The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

• God knows in whom we are placing our faith. God knows the hearts of those who truly believe and obey Him. He also knows the hearts of those who profess to be Christians or perhaps even believed for awhile, but inwardly they were enticed away by seeking after power, prestige, a desire to look holy in the eyes of others, a longing to be entertained rather than follow Jesus and obey the Word of God.

Rev. 2:24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you):

• One of the evidences and hallmarks of witchcraft is “secret knowledge”. In witchcraft words have power, symbols have meaning, demons have names which if invoked supposedly gives the witch power over them.  Always beware of people who claim to have secret revelation knowledge that does not agree with Scripture, or claims to add to it.
• "It is a most ungodly and dangerous business to abandon the certain and revealed will of God in order to search into the hidden mysteries of God." (Martin Luther)
• Today we have a whole group of so-called “prophets” who claim that Christianity is entering a new phase. They claim that we are seeing "new things", a "new breed" and "new revelation" that goes beyond what is in Scripture. Beware of these false prophets like Paul Cain, Bob Jones, Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner. The Bible is clear about the authority of Scripture.

2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• The Bible is the last word against which everything else must be measured.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (KJV)
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

• Paul also instructed the church not to go beyond what was written in Scripture.

1Co 4:6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.

• We need to be taking the Word in daily so that we will not sin against God.

Ps 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.

• Fortunately there will still some Christians in Thyatira who did not follow Jezebel or her secret revelation teachings; her false prophesies that had no support in Scripture.

Rev. 2:25 Only hold on to what you have until I come.

• Don’t renounce the Faith. Remain true to the name of Jesus. Be faithful to the point of death Don’t grow weary. Persevere. And now ...

• Precept 21: Hold On Till He Comes. It is significant that Jesus is telling this first century church to hold on till He comes. Remember, this is Jesus talking not John, and John was in exile, imprisoned on Patmos. We now know that Jesus did not come then but that He is still coming. Therefore this challenge is true for us also. This is a teaching that is not taught often in church today but I believe, as we see harder times in the near future, persecution, tribulation, this teaching will come back to the light of day again. There are many verses about holding on in the Word, addressed to Christians.

Joh 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
1Co 15:2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Heb 3:6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Heb 3:14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
1Th 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.

Rev. 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations--

• To the repeated admonishment to overcome there is something added this time.

• Precept 22: Do God’s Will To The End. Our example is Jesus Christ. He always did the will of His Father in Heaven.

Joh 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me
Joh 14:31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
Joh 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Phil 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!

• Following Christ we must also do His will to the end.

Eph 6:6 Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
Heb 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
1Jo 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever.

• How can we know the will of God for our lives? It’s in the Word! All the precepts are there. There may not be exact instructions such as “turn right off of at State Street and then go to 222 Capitol Ave.” but the Holy Spirit will illuminate the important things you need to know from God’s Word. That’s how the Holy Spirit teaches Christians. Is it the will of God for you to witness to your neighbor? Already answered. What should you pray for? Already there. How do I explain to someone else the gospel message? Already there. The answers are there and if we are in the Word daily we will begin to hide the Word in our heart and will know the answers to these questions without even having to hunt for them in our Bibles.
• To the Christian who overcomes and does the will of God to the end, the Lord has promised that we will rule with Him. This is not a promise in this present age, but in the millennial Kingdom of God. Some teach that we are to take "Dominion" of this earth now. But we cannot do that until Christ physically returns. What will happen, however, is that many Christians will be deceived into joining an apostate world church that the antichrist will eventually use to bring himself to power and dominate the world for three and a half years. There is a list about all the New World Order global governance events in the year 2000 alone.  We will hear more and more of this in the coming years.
• This promise was given to Thyatira because they could look forward to a time when instead of suffering under Satan controlled prophets like Jezebel, they would have real authority and freedom under Christ someday in His millennial Kingdom. I think it is a real possibility that we will yearn for this promise to come true as we begin to feel the harsh dictates of self-proclaimed "apostles" and "prophets" in the apostate world church. It is already beginning to happen now. Oh, to have Christ as the faithful and just ruler of this world and to rule with Him!

Rev. 2: 27 `He will rule them with an iron sceptre; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'-- just as I have received authority from my Father.

• This verse is taken from a prophesy in Psalms 2:9. It proves that Jesus has not fulfilled all of Scriptural prophesy yet. He must still return to rule and judge the earth in the millennium. He will clean the earth of those who rebelled against Him, and defeat the Satanic forces and throw Satan into the Abyss for a thousand years. It will be a time of peace and rest such as the earth has never seen nor will ever see again. The first time Jesus came He came as the suffering Messiah and fulfilled all the Scriptural prophesies concerning that aspect of His plan. The second time He comes as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to rule and reign from the throne of David, fulfilling all those prophesies. The Jews made the mistake of thinking that He should fulfill the prophesies about His Kingship so they missed the prophesies about the Messiah who would come and die for the sins of the world. Because He suffered and died in submission to the Father, He was given all power and authority forever. He is forever King Of Kings, his name that is written on His body.

Rev. 2:28-29 I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

• Those who overcome will have Christ Himself forever because He is the morning star. They will share in His glory and dominion forever.

Re 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

• There is also another verse that mentions the “morning star” rising in our hearts. This is the hope of glory, the hope of an eternity with Christ. The day will dawn and the morning star will rise and we will never again endure the darkness.

2Pe 1:19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

SARDIS

Rev. 3:1a "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

• The city of Sardis, once the capital of the great kingdom of Lydia and the home of Croesus, the rich king, lay in the interior nearly a hundred miles east of Smyrna and Ephesus. Though it had lost its former greatness it was still a considerable city in the first century. The church there was planted, no doubt, by some of the companions of Paul. The former city has now ceased to exist, and only extensive ruins remain to testify of its greatness. Like the church at Ephesus, which had lost its first love, the Sardian church had "a name to live and was dead".
• The perfect number seven denotes fullness. Christ has the fullness of the Spirit whom he sends into the earth to do his work. The seven spirits of God surround the throne in Heaven. The seven stars are His messengers/angels on earth to the Church.  God is in control.  He rules.

Rev. 3:1b I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

• Precept 23: Get Your Heart Right With God. The church at Sardis looked good from the outside but was really dead on the inside. They had empty works. Salvation is not through works.

Eph. 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no-one can boast.

• Grace is a gift from God. No man can earn grace through works. True works come because of grace through faith. You cannot work your way into heaven. If your heart is not right, your works will not be right, and your heart is only made right by the grace of Jesus Christ through His death on the cross that we accept by faith. Simon the Sorcerer who was saved began to envy the Apostles for the miracles they were doing. His heart turned from faith to greed. When he asked the Apostles for the power to do miracles they rebuked Simon.

Ac 8:21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.

• God knows the heart. There are many who profess to be saved and obey Christ but inside their heart is not right with God. Outside they may be doing good things, saying some good things, even doing signs and wonders, joining in with the Church but God knows who His children are. We can depend on the Holy Spirit to convict through God’s Word, but we must respond to that convicting.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

• How can you get your heart right with God? Repent and believe.

Ac 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Mr 1:15   "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

• Then draw close to God and keep your heart on the right path. God will help you do this if you respond in faith.

Pr 23:19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.
Heb 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• Sardis was alive but dead.  Again, remember, this is talking to the Church, to Christians.

Rev. 3:2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God

• Precept 24: Wake Up! This admonition is given many places in Scripture. We need to wake up, be alert, and do not drift off to sleep as the Day of the Lord approaches.

Ro 13:11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
1Th 5:6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
Mt 24:44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Re 16:15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."

• Rev. 16:15 could be talking to the Jews only, but I believe it is also a picture for Christians. We must be spiritually awake and expecting the return of Christ otherwise He will surprise us and we may not be ready. The clothes are the white clothes, the clothes of righteousness that He gives us when we are saved. If we have taken off those clothes by losing our faith in Christ, then we will be shamefully exposed for who we really are … sinners. Remember that this verse is not talking to those who never had clothes in the first place. It is talking to those who had clothes. We can take those clothes off and exchange them for nakedness or the filthy rags of the world again, if we choose. God will not stop us. His Spirit will convict us to the end but there will come a day when Jesus will return and then it will be too late, just like it was too late for five of the ten virgins.

Mt. 25:10-13 "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. `Sir! Sir!' they said. `Open the door for us!' "But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

• Notice that here it does not say “I never knew you” like it does in the passage about some false miracle workers. It says “I don’t know you”. The virgins once had oil in their lamps but had let it run out. They were no longer looking for the coming of Christ, nor were they prepared. They had lost their faith. After it was too late they went running but it is clear that the Lord expects to find us faithful when He returns. However, when He returns He has said that there will be very few He will find with faith.  Many will turn away from the faith, there will be many unsaved, there will be a small flock, a remnant.

Lu. 18:8b However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

• So we are advised to strengthen what we have. Add to our faith before we are completely dead.

2 Pet. 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• May we be able to say with Paul:

2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Rev. 3:3a Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent

• Precept 25: Remember What You Have Received And Heard. We have received the message of the gospel and the teachings of Christ and the Apostles and we are to remember and hold on to them.

Jude 1:3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

• We have the great and wondrous gospel message and teachings that have been entrusted to us. We must contend for them in the face of the world, and against false teachers. However, if we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received and heard the gospel, we make the sacrifice of Christ of no value for us.

Heb 10:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,

• We must not only remember what we have heard but place our faith in Christ and keep it there.

1Jo 2:24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

• Precept 26: Obey. The old song says “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” True faith is evidenced by obedience to Christ.

Ro 1:5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
1Jo 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
1Jo 3:24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1Jo 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.
Rom 6: 12-15 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

• To Christians!
• The first obedience is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. When Jesus creates in us a new creation, a new man, a new self, we then must take up our cross and follow Christ, obeying His commands.
• The last word in the verse is “repent”. We have already covered that as Precept 8. It is interesting to note, however, that we must (1) remember what we have heard (2) obey it and (3) repent. Normally we hear this preached the other way; repent, obey, remember what we have heard. This shows that Christians need to live a life that is always repentant, first and last. We do not always obey. We tend to wander. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we need to repent. If we do not do this our hearts can become hardened.

Heb. 3:7-11 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, `Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, `They shall never enter my rest.'"

• To Jewish Christians!
• Let me say that if God gave every chance to Israel to follow Him and repent, you can be sure He will give you every chance to repent also. You can also be sure that if you continually harden your hearts as the generation of Jews who came out of Egypt, with the exception of Caleb, Joshua, Moses and Aaron, you also will never “enter His rest”. What is His rest? It can mean the peace that passes understanding. It can also mean eternal rest. Don’t harden your heart against God. Or else He may say to you someday:

Ps. 95:10b "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways."
Mt 25:12 "But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

• If we do not know the ways of the Lord it is because we do not have a relationship with Him and have not heard and obeyed His Word. If we have no relationship with God, then how can He know us and we Him? Don’t ruin your relationship with God because you have hardened your heart because you refuse to obey and repent.

Rev. 3:3b But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

• Here is the warning. If we are not awake we will not be ready for Christ when He returns. This is especially appropriate today because I believe we are living in the end times. We need to wake up spiritually and be ready. We need to be alert. We need to read the signs of the times and understand what the coming of Christ will be like. There are many Christians today who will be fooled by the antichrist and the false prophet because they will come and pretend to be Elijah and Christ returned. The false doctrine of Dominionism and Manifest Sons Of God has been accepted in many churches today. They believe that Christ will no longer return bodily to earth but will be “birthed” in His church, which will take over the world for Him. This is a false doctrine that is setting up large number of Christians to ultimately accept the false christ when he comes on the scene with all kinds of signs and wonders. This verse tells us to be awake, to know what time He will come. Jesus will come bodily and every eye will see Him in the world. He will not be birthed spiritually into some kind of world church. He will not come and try to bring all religions together. He will not come and put a seal or mark on people’s heads, with the exception of the 144,000 chosen of Israel. We already have the seal of God.

Eph 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

• Be alert and wake up because the greatest delusion ever seen on this earth is coming, and coming soon. Many will betray one another, and persecution will not be far behind.

Mt. 13:12-13 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Rev. 3:4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.

• There will always be a faithful remnant of Christians as salt and light to the world. God had reserved to Himself three thousand faithful during the time of Ahab and Jezebel in Israel even though Elijah thought he might be the only believer left. There is no great end time revival prophesied in the Bible, but rather a great time of apostasy and falling away. But God will always have His small flock who have entered by the narrow gate and have taken the narrow path.

Lu 12:32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Ro 11:5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
Mt 7:14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

• If you are on a wide road, you are on the wrong road!

• Precept 27: Don’t Get Your Clothes Dirty. Our new clothes are given to us when we first believe.

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

• We are changed into a new creation and our old clothes are washed in the blood and made clean.

Isa 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Re 7:14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

• But a Christian can soil those clothes again when he chooses to live in sin and out of fellowship and away from obedience to Christ.

Re 3:4a   Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.
Jude 21-23 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Isa 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

• So we must keep away from the dirtying effects of the world, the flesh and the devil and not give in to our sin nature. We must also realize that trying to save ourselves by works looks to God like filthy rags.  We must allow the Holy Spirit to work in our new nature convicting, rebuking, encouraging, teaching us. Remember that the consequences for Christians of getting our clothes soiled by the world and losing our faith are dire.

James 1:13-16 When tempted, no-one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.

• James was talking to the brethren, Christians.  Those who overcome will walk with Jesus forever, dressed in white wedding clothes; the clothing of righteousness provided by Jesus Christ through grace by faith in Him alone.  In the new heaven and earth there will be no more sin, sorrow or pain. We will be free forever of the pain and death that accompany sin.

Rev. 3:5-6 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

• We will be dressed in white. Our names will never be blotted out of the Book of Life. Jesus knows those who are His by name. He has known this since the beginning. He will no longer be ashamed of those who overcome. He is not ashamed of those now who have believed in Him and have been washed in His blood. If we remain in faith believing, if we are steadfast in proclaiming the reason for our hope in Him, He will also not be ashamed of us before the Father in eternity to come.

1Pe 3:15a   But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

• We would do well to remember Jesus' warning to those who do not acknowledge the name of Jesus before this adulterous and sinful generation.

Mr 8:38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

PHILADELPHIA

Rev. 3:7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no-one can shut, and what he shuts no-one can open.

• This city was in the interior, southeast of Sardis, and had never attained the eminence of most of the other seats of the Seven Churches. The church itself was poor. Yet this church and that of Smyrna alone escape rebuke from Jesus.
• Demetrius, ordained by John, may have been the pastor.  The chief opposition to the church was from Jews.  Twelve Philadelphian suffered martyrdom at the same time as Polycarp.  18,000 people are now in the modern city in Turkey.  Some 100-3000 Christians still remain there with 25 places of worship.  Note that only the churches Christ did not rebuke remain alive today.
• Jesus holds the key of David. The Davidic kingdom through Christ is also represented in the Church. Christ alone as the son of David and who will finally fulfill all the prophesies about the house of David when He returns, holds the key of David. Christ alone is the one who can admit someone to the Kingdom of God. What He opens no one can shut and vice versa. Christ will return not only to rule but to judge.

Rev. 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no-one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

• In Precept 1 we covered deeds. Our faith will evidence itself in deeds as it states in James.
• Jesus gives Christians an open door. This open door, among other things, is an open door to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth. Some scholars believe that the Philadelphian church represents the great worldwide missions movement that began in the early 1800’s and still continues, although much of that zeal has died. The gospel during the 19th century went all over the world. In any case, when God opens the door for ministry and the spread of the good news, no one can shut that door. Demons are defeated and angels rejoice.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lu 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Rev. 3:9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

• Here we have the same synagogue of Satan as mentioned before, those who claim to be of the flock but are not, probably teaching circumcision and leading people into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. But since the Philadelphians seem to have dealt with them already, removing them from their midst, Jesus promises that they will one day fall at the feet of those they have persecuted and acknowledge who are the true children of God. This promise may not happen in this life. If it does, perhaps some of them will turn from their wicked ways and be saved. But if not, then they will most likely do this on Judgment Day. This passage can also be talking about Jews. They have not acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, but someday I believe the Scripture indicates many  will. If and when that happens it will be a great day. We should pray for the salvation of the Jews. They still need to hear the gospel and acknowledge Christ as Lord because the Bible is very clear:

Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

Rev. 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

• Precept 28: Endure Patiently This is similar to other points like Precept 3 which was to persevere. But Jesus adds another aspect to this by saying that we need to endure patiently. Patient endurance is an endurance that is marked by peace and balance under pressure. There is a Scripture that embodies this concept and most of the other precepts as well.

2 Cor. 6:4-10 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

• Some other verses on patience.

Col 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
2Ti 3:10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
Heb 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

• The promise for those that endure patiently is that they will be kept from the hour of trial coming upon the earth. Christians who believe in a Pre-Tribulational Rapture cite this verse in the defense of their view that this indicates  that Jesus Christ will Rapture the church out of the Tribulation. But this can also just as easily mean that God will protect Christians while they are still here.  Remember that God kept the Philadelphians in His care.  Many escaped persecution but some also died as martyrs.  God has everything in His hands done according to His will.  There is probably more support for this second view, in my opinion, for two reasons. First because the word for “keep from” in this verse is the same as the one used in Jn. 17:15.

Jn. 17:15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (NIV)
Jn. 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. (AV)

• Second because that is what God has already done a number of times in history. He protected the Israelites from their enemies and Pharaoh. He did take them out of Egypt but not off the earth. He protected Noah and his family through the flood, but they were still on this planet. He protected Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but he did not remove them from the earth. He protected the early church, though it went through severe persecutions and tribulation. This last one happens to be our prime example because this letter is written to a church undergoing tribulation in the first century. I believe that the tribulation of the first century will be magnified and concluded under the antichrist. To say that Christians will not be on earth during that period is not entirely consistent with the way God has done things in the past. There are arguments and many other views and I won’t get into that here. You can view the different views of the Rapture/Second Coming here.  I happen to think that the Church today will go through the Tribulation (tribulation means "persecution") just like the early Church did. The reason we are forewarned of the antichrist and his number and all the other things in Revelation is that there will be Christians there and we need that information. I believe we as Christians will see the antichrist come first before Christ comes back to take his bride to Himself. In any case, we still must patiently wait for the coming of the Lord, and we can be assured that He will take care of His own in His own way.

Rev. 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no-one will take your crown.

• Again we have the admonition as in Precept 21 to hold on to what we have. This reminds us that there is something we must do as Christians. This is not a work, but an act of faith. Part of faith requires that we hold on, endure, persevere, overcome. Some teach that we need do nothing because God will complete the work He has begun in us. But let’s read the whole context of that verse.

Phil. 1:4-6 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

• Paul is stating His "confidence" and his prayer that as the Philippian church continues in the spread of the gospel that God will carry His good work in them to completion. This is true. God will do that for those who continue in faith and the works that come from faith, one of which is preaching the gospel. But this does not negate the need to hold on. We still have a choice as human beings. God does not force us to follow Him, nor does He complete a work in those who do not want it or have rebelled in some way against it. This does not mean He will not rebuke and search out those who are living in a lack of faith and disobedience. He will continue to do that until He comes. God knows who are His and who will respond to the "good work" of the Spirit.  But this also does not mean that people will respond to God’s work in their lives. Thus we have much Scripture that admonishes us to hold on during the tough times, through false teaching, through lying signs and wonders, through persecution. We must hold on so that God can complete His work in us.
• Notice that for those who hold on there awaits a crown of glory. We don’t know what this is exactly but Jesus promises this over and over again.

1Pe 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
1Co 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever.
2Ti 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

• Precept 29: Fight, Finish, Keep The Faith, Go For The Crown.  A crown is a symbol of victory and is something that was given at Olympic games to the winners. Those, as James says, who persevere and stand the test will receive that crown of victory. There may even be different crowns, such as the crown of righteousness, crown of life, crown of glory, or they may be talking about the same crown in different terms. In any case, it should be obvious that the crown goes to those who hold on, longing for the appearance of their Savior.

Rev. 3:12a Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it

• The overcoming Christian (“him” who overcomes, not the church who overcomes) will have a place of permanence, durability, strength and honor in the new heaven and earth. Since there is no temple in the new earth but it is all the temple of God's presence, this is a promise of eternal life that will never be taken away, and the victorious Christian will never leave that place. This was an especially coveted promise to the persecuted Christians at Philadelphia, since they were often removed from their homes to be put in prison, tortured or killed. This will never happen again to those who overcome.

Rev. 3:12b-13 I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

• Christians, like pillars of old, will have writing on them. First the name of Who they belong to. This is like when the priests in the OT wrote on their foreheads “holiness to the Lord.” Second the name of where they are citizens forever. Third I think that this is referring to the name of Christ that He has written on Himself that only He knows when He comes to defeat the antichrist.

Re 19:12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself.

• Another picture is also possible. Baptism is done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Perhaps this is a picture of a sort of baptism into the new creation of God, with three names written on the victorious Christian forever. The name of God, perhaps the name of the place which could represent the Holy Spirit since the Spirit is depicted as a river in the new earth, and the name of Jesus Christ.

LAODICEA

Rev. 3:14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.

• It is not known for sure who founded the Laodecian church.  In Col. 2 Epaphras is mentioned and could have been the pastor.  It is possible that the founder of this church was a companion of Paul.  Archippus was ordained by the apostles and could also have been the pastor.  Laodicea was situated in the valley of the Lycus, near Colosse and Hierapolis. All three of these churches are named by Paul in the Colossian letter, and an epistle, now probably lost, was sent to Laodicea. The city of Laodicea was very proud of its wealth in the latter part of the first century.  The site of the ancient city is uninhabited now, and of course the church has long since cease to exist.
• As with the other letters to the churches, this one may also be a prophesy concerning the end times church. Many see it that way, but if so I believe that it is overlapped by the Philedelphian church. There will always be a faithful few that God reserves for Himself in any era. But notice that, if this letter does speak of the end times church, there is no big revival or great awakening. Far from that, this church is lukewarm and yet prideful, thinking it is rich. In any case, there are many lessons for us to learn from this last church.
• Jesus is presented as the Amen.  The word "Amen" in Hebrew means "truly" or "true". He is also the Omega.  He will bring to a close this creation and all things. He is faithful and true. This is especially contrasted to the untruthfulness and unfaithfulness of the Laodecian church, and it is also a contrast to our day. He also presents Himself as the ruler of God’s creation. He is King of King, Lord of Lords. He will come and rule over His creation one last time, making things right the way they should be. Then He will begin again. Satan and His followers will suffer in hell for eternity.

Rev. 3:15-16 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

• There are deeds that the Lord requires of us linked to our faith. There are also deeds that are useless, even evil works. They are done by those who think they can buy their salvation with works.
• If Christians were hot, they would be zealous for the Lord, showing the works of the Father through their faith. If they are cold then the Holy Spirit might convict them of their sins and bring them to salvation. But they are lukewarm. They think they are Christians, they use Christian words, the do works that look like Christians works, they may even do miracles and signs and wonders. Because they consider themselves to be Christians, even rich spiritually, they can no longer respond to the conviction and teaching of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing left for Jesus to do but to judge them. This is like a last warning for the lukewarm church and Christians of today.

Rev. 3:17 You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

• Not only are Christians lukewarm in the church, but they think they are rich when they are really hopeless. This is a perfect picture of much of the Christian church today and those who profess to be Christians. Christians today think they are rich, both materially and spiritually. They think they have the best teaching, the best church buildings, the most educated pastors, the biggest mission programs, the ability to reach the ends of the world through TV and radio. But look at what goes out on Christian TV, for the most part ... "Prosperity" teachings telling people if they become Christians they are entitled to be rich and healthy and that God is at their beck and call for miracles, signs and wonders. All they need is a "point of contact" with some man who claims to be holy -- a "guru". All they have to do is have enough “seed faith”, put up a little cash, and they too can share the wealth. They not only think they are rich they preach prosperity. They also act like they are rich spiritually by professing to have a higher anointing and being able to pass it along to people who follow and hang around them.
• How does Jesus view this? Look at His words. They are actually "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked". They are worse off than the people they preach to. They expose themselves for what they are. The false doctrines and prophesy they spew out shows just how spiritually naked and blind they are. They are the blind leading the blind. They claim they do not need a thing, when they need everything. They need to be saved from their wretchedness. They need to have the Lord take pity on them for they are pitiful. They are spiritually poor and need to get back to the Word of God so that it can enrich their lives. They are blind to the truth of the gospel, the truth of who Jesus is, the truth of the true work of the Holy Spirit. They need to come back to the Light who is Jesus Christ. They need to let him heal their eyes with the salve of wisdom. They are walking around shamefully exposed for the frauds they are, or they will be if they continue. God wants to cloth them in clothes of righteousness, if they would only repent.
• It is easy to see the similarities to televangelists like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Oral Roberts, Rod Parsley, and others in this verse. It is harder to see these traits in ourselves. Are we any of these things? Do we think we are hot when we are lukewarm? Do we really understand what God is saying in His Word and wants us to “be” and “do” or are we fooling ourselves by thinking we are rich in the things of the Lord? If we are not digging for true riches in His Word we are probably fooling ourselves. If we are not zealous for the name of the Lord, for His truth, for sound doctrine, for righteousness, then we are probably lukewarm.

Rev. 3:18a I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich;

• It is possible that the gold, the white clothes and the salve represent the need of those professing to be Christians at Laodecia to actually be saved. The gold can represent purity, the clothes righteousness, the salve healing of blind eyes. However, this interpretation falls short because this is a letter written to a church with Christians, therefore we must assume they are already believers. There are many interpretations for this passage but let me give you a few ideas.

• Precept 30: Allow God’s Refinement When Testing Comes. Jesus will purify those who take His counsel. They will purchase the refinement of the Lord through testing, affliction and trials. Allow the Lord to make you spotless, to mold you into His image, instead of assuming you are already spiritually rich and miss the true gold.

Mal 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,
Pr 17:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
Pr 8:10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
Isa 48:10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Da 12:10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

Rev. 3:18b and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness;

• Precept 31: Clothe Yourself With The Fruit Of The Spirit. Since they already have wedding clothes, or at least some of them do, which are the garments of righteousness that only Jesus Christ can clothe us with, perhaps this is talking about the fruit of the Spirit. Instead of being naked with no visible fruit, we are to clothe ourselves in the fruit of the Spirit.

Col 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

• Notice the similarities in the above verse with the verse on the fruit of the Spirit, which expands on the list we just read.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Rev. 3:18c and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see.

• Again, blindness is also associated with spiritual blindness in the unsaved. I don’t believe that this is what this is talking about since it is addressed to the Church and Christians.

• Precept 32: Add To Your Faith. You have heard of blind faith. Open your eyes and increase your faith when you see all God has for you. Instead of going around blind to the things of God, add to your faith by putting on the fruit of the Spirit. Don’t forget how far you have come and don’t allow yourself to go back to being blind. Respond to the conviction and teaching of the Holy Spirit, the salve, the oil for your eyes, and allow Him to build you up in your faith. If you do this you will make your calling and election sure and you will never fall.

2 Pet. 1:5-11 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is short-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Rev. 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

• Jesus loves the Christians at Laodecia. It is important to remember this fact. The Lord continually knocks at our door, convicts us with His Spirit. When God disciplines us He is doing us a big favor. Hopefully we will respond by being earnest and repenting, instead of not being truthful and rebelling.

• Precept 33: Accept Rebuke And Discipline From God. If we accept His teaching us, whether through the good times or bad times, in encouragement and or rebuke, we will grow, endure and overcome.

Heb. 12:5-8 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

• Precept 34: Be Zealous For The Lord. The dictionary says that earnest means: ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain or do, zealous with sincerity; with hearty endeavor; heartfelt; fervent; hearty. The Laodecian church had lapsed into lukewarmness which is the opposite of zeal and earnestness. Christ is calling us to be truly fervent to follow and obey Jesus Christ and His commands, to allow Him to rebuke us, and to repent.

Ro 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.

• As to repentance, we already discussed the importance of repentance in Precept 8.

Rev. 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

• Now we come to a verse practically every Christian knows. We often use it in witnessing, and it has been used by evangelists in preaching the gospel for many years. The only problem is that it was not written to unbelievers but to believers. Jesus is waiting for us to respond to his rebuke and discipline with zealousness and a repentant heart. This is such a great picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believer.

Joh 16:8 When he comes, he (the Holy Spirit) will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

• Notice that we have something we must do. Hear His voice and open the door. The Holy Spirit will not shout at us or order us around. He will not break the door to our hearts down. We must listen and respond by letting Him in. We can keep Him locked out of our lives, even as Christians, by not listening to His call, His rebuke. We can leave the door shut to the Holy Spirit who wants to work in our new nature, instead responding to the sin nature. We need to be earnest and repent.

Ro 7:18   I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Ga 5:17   For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
2Pe 1:4   Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Eph. 4:22-24   You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
 Col. 3:9-10   Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Ga 6:8   The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

• Jesus wants to have a relationship with us, to come in, to eat with us, to fellowship with us. He wants to be there like a friend to help us through, to teach us, to guide us, to feed us with the Word. This is His desire. Is it our desire? How will we respond?

Rev. 3: 21-22 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

• It is interesting that when Jesus was on earth He told James, John and their mother that only the Father knew who would be seated next to Him on His throne. Now from heaven Christ, who overcame all temptation of the devil, all sin, gives this last wonderful promise. Those Christians who overcome will be always around the throne of Christ and will sit down with Him and always have access to Him forever. All those who have invited Christ to come in, have eaten of the Word, have had a relationship with Him, have obeyed His commands, have overcome will sit down around the throne of Christ.
• The end of the letters to the church reminds us of the same refrain. We need to open our ears to what Christ is telling us, His church, His body, His children. We need to hear what the Spirit tells us through these letters to the churches. We need to take it to heart, because without these words in these end times we will not make it. Life for those who profess to follow Christ is going to get much more difficult on many levels. In these letters we have been given the precepts we need to weather the same kind of difficult tribulation that the early church did. The only difference is that the coming tribulation will be the granddaddy of them all.

REVIEW OF PRECEPTS

Precept 1: Deeds Prove Our Faith.
Precept 2: Work Hard.
Precept 3: Persevere.
Precept 4: Discern.
Precept 5: Don’t Grow Weary.
Precept 6: Don’t Forsake Your First Love.
Precept 7: Be Objective - See Yourself From God‘s Perspective.
Precept 8: Repent!
Precept 9: Don’t Compromise With The World, The Flesh, and the Devil.
Precept 10: Though Poor And Afflicted For Jesus, Realize You Are Rich
Precept 11: Salvation Is Not By Works.
Precept 12: Do Not Be Afraid, God Will Take Care Of You.
Precept 13: Be Faithful To The Point Of Death
Precept 14: Remain True To The Name Of Jesus.
Precept 15: Don’t Renounce The Faith.
Precept 16: Don‘t Have Fellowship With Or Follow False Teachers.
Precept 17: Practice Charity.
Precept 18: Be A Servant.
Precept 19: Do More Than You Did At First.
Precept 20: Test The Spirits.
Precept 21: Hold On Till He Comes.
Precept 22: Do God’s Will To The End.
Precept 23: Get Your Heart Right With God.
Precept 24: Wake Up!
Precept 25: Remember What You Have Received And Heard.
Precept 26: Obey.
Precept 27: Don’t Get Your Clothes Dirty.
Precept 28: Endure Patiently
Precept 29: Fight, Finish, Keep The Faith, Go For The Crown.
Precept 30: Allow God’s Refinement When Testing Comes.
Precept 31: Clothe Yourself With The Fruit Of The Spirit.
Precept 32: Add To Your Faith.
Precept 33: Accept Rebuke And Discipline From God.
Precept 34: Be Zealous For The Lord.

Copywrite 1999 Sandy Simpson
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