Revelation Chapter 3-The remaining churches

Revelation 3 addresses the 3 other churches to which John wrote letters from Jesus Christ.
To the church is Sardis:

 v. 1 ... you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

•  The people are dead because they aren't living for Christ.
• wake up and repent, for if you don't, Christ will come at you like a thief and you won't know when
• those that walk with me will be dressed in white, and those that turn from their ways to follow me will be dressed in white:

v. 5... I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

To every church John writes something similar to the following: 
v. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. This is because Christ forgives those who repent and follow Him.


To the church in Philadelphia:
7-10 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. 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.  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. 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 on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

To the church of Laodicea:

v 15-18 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. 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. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

• this set of verses says that the church is doing some things good and some things not good. They aren't recognizing sin as wrong, but chosing their own path to follow. 
• The verses to not refer to literal riches- in terms of clothing- but rather walking in faith and truth, in light and acknowledgment of Christ Jesus
• These verses also don't refer to literal nakedness, but the nakedness Adam and Eve felt when their sins were revealed eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They hid away from God and for the first time felt shame and were punished.

v 19-21 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 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 that person, and they with me.To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

• Once again, this set of verses does not talk about literal eating. This talks about taking in the Spirit and living by the "fruit" or spirit that we gain through accepting Jesus Christ as our savior. We must believe, repent, and follow him by accepting Him into our hearts and allowing the Spirit to enter our hearts. Every heart has a door, and many ignore the figurative "knocking."
• Christ was victorious when He gave himself for the sins of the world, a blemish-less lamb, a perfect offering.
• We can be victorious when we live our lives for Christ, giving up our "rights" to worldly happiness in order to please Christ, which will also make us more joyful.

image from: http://www.reallynatural.com/archives/lamb.jpg

Revelation Chapter 2- Fear the Lord

I'm happy to say that Revelation chapter 2 is better than Rev one, because it actually reveals weakness in the church, and grounds upon which they can receive mercy.

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Revelation 2 reveals the letters from John to 4 of the 7 churches.  

The church of Ephesus:

• Is commended for enduring hardship in Christ's name, not tolerating the wicked and disproving false apostles. 
• The church of Ephesus is reprimanded for not loving Christ as they once did. The lampstand would be taken from them if they did not repent. Christianity is about living in faith, not just about following rules.

v 7 ...To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

To the church of Smyrna: 

• There is the devil living amongst the Jews resulting in slander. Some will be put in jail for 10 days and may even die. Those who suffer to the point of death or are tested and live will be given life (spiritual life). 

• To those who listen: The victorious will not suffer the second death (eternity in hell).

Romans 13:13

Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

 To the church of Pergamum:

• Christ thanks the church for being faithful even as his faithful servant Anitpas was killed.
• The church is reprimanded for some believing the teachings of Balaam, eating the food offerings to the idols and committing sexual immorality, and others following the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
• If the church didn't repent He would come and fight with the sword of his mouth.
• Those who are faithful will receive Manna and a stone with a new name.

To the church of Thyatira:

• Deeds: love, faith, service, perseverance 
• Sin: Jezebel a prophet is tolerated who leads others into sexual immorality and eating of food sacrificed to idols. He would punish her through suffering, and those who did not repent of their sin would suffer with her. All her children would be killed 

v 23...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.

v 26-29 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.