Paradise: The Future Home of His Church
Romans 6
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
There is an unprecedented level of love that Jesus Christ, in His exalted glory, clearly reveals for His Body, the church. These seven letters show that great love, His complete knowledge of His church, His correction, and above all His great plans for the church’s future. He corrects because He will judge and reward nothing but faithfulness. There is a consciousness all through these letters of the impending tribulation and a desire to help His Saints escape that dark hour and be found ready for the Rapture of His espoused bride. In every letter, He ends with a promise for the overcomers. The very word overcomer carries a dire warning of troubles to face and a glorious victory for facing those troubles and challenges with triumph.
Every one of the seven churches has had a counterpart in every hour of the church dispensation. Often, the Smyrna churches were hidden away in mountains or meeting in secret in the cities. The Thyatira churches were loving the woman Jezebel and reveling in the careless living she championed. The faithful of the Lord Jesus Christ were, in many cases, serving Christ in spite of rejection and suffering the hatred of those that compromise. There has always been a remnant in spite of all hellish actions on the part of the enemy within and the enemy without. The Lord of the church walked among His pilgrim people, whether it was in a cave, a dungeon, or a cathedral. These letters represent the most current and absolute facts about His relationship to His church in the entire Word of God.
“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Revelation 3:1-3
Church historians believe that the Sardis church represents the church of the reformation. Of course, that would only reflect the major events of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other reformation leaders. It was during this period that smaller groups, mostly rejected and persecuted, were the real Biblical churches walking in fundamental Christianity. We will see references to those groups in Revelation 3:4. The churches of the reformation never truly turned from many of the doctrines and questionable teachings of the dark ages. There was almost no prophetic preaching that included this Book of Revelation and this great hope of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Replacement theology that relegated Israel to the ashes was still believed and preached by many. Post-millennialism or A-millennialism was the major doctrine of the reformation churches. Justification was a major step forward, but New Testament Evangelism and Spirit-filled churches were still left for future progress. This period covered the years 1517-1790.
The Lord said, “Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead.” This statement could not describe the above truth better. The Lord pleaded, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain.” He makes great references to the Rapture, “…thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” There have been Sardis churches all throughout the church age and there are a multitude of these churches at present. He will shortly come upon them as a thief.
Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:4-6
Here are those remnant saints that refused to be bound by the doctrines of men. These are saints of God, which have not defiled their garments. These are the Rapture-ready saints “…and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” If you will take a look at the elders in chapter four after the rapture, you will see the faithful company. These seven letters show that the great Lord of the church maintains perfect control. He knows our thoughts afar off and His judgment is perfect. History reflects a pilgrim church far out of the mainstream, but faithful to the Word of God.
Two books that every Christian should read are Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and The Pilgrim Church. There are powerful records of that pilgrim church where literally millions of saints have been killed for their faith. The Anabaptist Christians existed over hundreds of years and covered several different periods of these churches. The Waldensians and Albigenses were some of God’s choice saints. There were thousands of lesser groups that filled communities with revival and then filled the same communities with their blood of martyrdom. There were a host of such saints whose names will not be honored until that marvelous day of reckoning. Every overcomer will be greatly rewarded and will be the hero of our future.
Do not miss the great promise to the church of Sardis. Remember that the seven letters contained many promises, all of them are really for all of His church. He said to those faithful to Him and that are overcomers of the flesh, the world, and the devil, “But I will confess His name before my Father and before His angels.” That has to be the highest honor in the world.
Matthew 5
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” Revelation 3:7-9
This church is the perfect model and type of the church age existing from the end of the eighteenth century (approximately A.D. 1790) until the Rapture. The open door of evangelism, missions, and the general spiritual atmosphere has been phenomenal. The early church periods, typified in Ephesus and Smyrna, have been the only periods with which to compare. The dark ages snuffed out the light and, by God’s grace, the world witnessed a marvelous reoccurrence of revival. It is clear from Scripture and the history of this period that the move could have been more expansive and supernatural. He stated, “For thou hast a little strength.” Both periods that include the Ephesus and Smyrna churches as well as the Philadelphia churches have faced many difficult periods of false religious, false prophets, and satanic attacks. Every one of the struggles has been duly recorded, and the false crowd will be required to worship before the feet of Jesus. Most of our church world has become so accepting of the false doctrines that they think a mixture is acceptable with God. The statement above is wonderful proof of our God’s total commitment to pure truth.
I often hear Christians erroneously say, “I eat the meat and spit out the bone.” These seven letters are positive truth that we should reject all Biblical error and have neither time nor space for heresy. The Philadelphia church period is extremely strong in denouncing the synagogues of Satan. A little error may not harm a few strong souls but always destroys a multitude in the end. Error progresses downhill and creates more and more damage as it worsens. The Lord promises great benefits and blessings to the defenders of His Infallible Word. He will show the world His love for His revelations.
Revelation 22
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:10-13
As I previously mentioned, the coming tribulation is evident all throughout these letters to the church. It has been made plain in the Second Testament that His saints are not appointed to wrath, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” I Thessalonians 5:9. The term overcomers was very appropriate as the constant reminder that something was pending, and being overcomers was a prerogative for His church. He told the church of Thyatira that those that loved the woman Jezebel and her deception were going to be cast into the Great Tribulation. There is only one Great Tribulation. He warned the church of Sardis that were overcomers, “I will not blot out his name.” We will discuss a similar warning to the church of Laodicea.
His promise of the Rapture before the Tribulation to the church of Philadelphia is one of the surest in the entire Second Testament. The words are plain that a great event is about to happen on this earth “which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.” The entire world and all of mankind is going to be put through the utter judgment to try their souls unto life or death. There is only one way of escape, and He made it clear that we are the company that has the privilege. Even within the church there is a narrow margin. A very specific crowd will escape, and He describes them plainly. “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour.” No way to doubt or to swing a deal. The overcomers will be out of here before the terrible wrath of God is poured on this earth. It is a powerful promise from the Lord of the church and cannot be broken.