The Condition of the Church at the Second Coming of the Lord. 2. Sardis.
EV 3:1-6That which the assembly lacks is presented to each in the manner in which the Lord speaks of Himself. He addresses the church of Sardis as " He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars." Now, while we have not Jezebel and her doctrine in Sardis, we have not in her the unhindered and unquenched energy of the Spirit. There is truly "a name to live," but the power of life is always the energy of the Spirit, and that is wanting. However, we see that there is a measure of recovery from the doctrines of Thyatira, so that we have before us Protestantism in the church of Sardis, the second phase of the Church's condition at the coming of the Lord. His coming is referred to in what He says in verse 3. Doctrinal correctness is not enough. Hampered by human arrangements within, and clogged by state associations (i.e., by the world) without, the Spirit of God does not bring out and develop in the assembly the life proper to it. Hence the works are defective. " I have not found thy works perfect before God." The Spirit of God quenched, and human methods substituted to carry on the works within-all this, coupled with the worldly pride given by "a name to live," reduces the Church to the level of the world. Hence the Lord's coming bursts upon her, as upon it, "as a thief "-unexpectedly.
" I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." The coming of the Lord to be watched for as the hope of the Church is lost to it, and night and sleep have overcome her instead. But there are some in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with the Lord in white; for they are worthy. In these white garments the overcomer too will be arrayed.
Philadelphia. (Rev. 3: 7-13)
EV 3:7-13The Lord presents Himself here as the One who can open and shut; that is, whatever seems to oppose, He has all power, all ability in Himself. He commends the cleaving to the Word, and the non-denial of His name. We see here a great recovery from the Sardis condition.. Not only are the doctrines taught in Thyatira refused (for keeping His word implies this), but also the Spirit of God is controlling, so that the walk and ways, the character, and (including all) the name of Christ is not denied. He will accomplish all the rest. " Behold, I have set before thee an opened door, which no one can shut, because thou hast a little power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I make them of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie; behold, I will cause that they shall come and shall do homage before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial which is about to come upon the whole habitable world to try them. that dwell upon the earth. I come quickly: hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown."
There are the Word and the Name, and there is around us to-day a tendency to separate these two things—a great assumption of "keeping the Word," and but little understanding of not "denying His name." Now, the name not only brings before me a person, but always what characterized the person who bore the name. The Spirit by which He moved, and which stamped His path as one separated from all the self will that marks men, this Spirit ever guided the Lord here. But Christians bear that name, for by profession, they belong to Christ, and are professed followers of Christ. The word of God may be gloried in, but it must not be severed from the Holy Spirit, who alone can wield it, and who so wields it that He first forms me according to it. My path thus becomes very simple. The word of God has supreme authority, and the Spirit within me so uses it, that as I walk I do riot deny His name, who as Man was ever led and guided by the Holy Ghost, according to that Word, in a path well pleasing to God. May the Lord guide and exercise as to this both reader and writer, that this may be daily and more and more seen in us! When, through little strength, the tendency is to give up, the overcomer is characterized by "holding fast." Power is not in us. All power is in the Lord; we must be subject in the power of an ungrieved Spirit to the Word; He-does the rest. And the one who overcoming has learned it shall be made "a pillar, in the temple of my. God," the Lord says, "and he shall go no more at all out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven, from my God, and my new name."
Laodicea (Chapter 3:14-22)
EV 3:14-22The last of the four conditions in which the Lord will find the assembly is now before us. The' Lord presents Himself as the "faithful and true witness." This is what the professing Church has totally failed to be. He speaks from outside the assembly, the professing company on earth, although His proper place in the assembly is not outside, but "in the midst." (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)) He says, " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." He is not only outside; the door is also shut against Him. Within there is nothing but self-satisfaction and self-exaltation-the first man reigns supreme.
The Church is not only totally ignorant of her loss of the Lord's presence with her, but boasts that "she" is "rich, and increased with goods," and has "need of nothing." Rich, but without Christ; has no need, but with Christ outside the door. Alas! how Satan has wrought to manufacture a system that shall blind the eyes of his dupes! for who is disturbed? Are we not rich? Our goods multiply, and is not the "cause" triumphing? If we once numbered our missionaries by tens, do we not number them to-day by hundreds? Our places of worship increase. Our theological colleges, are they not springing up all over the land? Are they not filled with young men, all diligent students for the ministry? It is the voice of Laodicea, ignorant of the end in dishonor and shame of the Church's history on earth.
But the Lord is seeking individuals. "If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." If there is a heart desiring more of Himself, He will come in to refresh and satisfy that heart at a time when.indifference to the claims of the Lord, coupled with immense assumption, mark the professing assembly. This word of cheer is what the spring of the oasis is to the thirsting desert traveler. This the Lord to-day is for the individual soul who will hear "His voice, and open the door." But the end is not far off. It is when she is full of self-gratulation and indifference to Christ that her final rejection is pronounced. She is then repulsive to Him, and He says, " I will spue thee out of my mouth."
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
We close by drawing the special attention of the reader to these just quoted and final words of the Spirit, addressed to those who are part of "the things that are." Professing Christians, these words apply to us. We must fix our individual Christian positions to-day somewhere. We are somewhere in His sight, amidst "the things that are" -the professing Church on earth. Where are we? "All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." He knows exactly where each one stands, and He is (in these words) speaking to you and to me as individuals. It is, "He that hath an ear, let him hear; " and the voice is the Spirit's voice telling me the mind of CHRIST, "who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks" to-day. God give to us grace to respond to the voice, and not to turn away the ear to those who say, "Speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits." (Isa. 30) For now "the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision." (Ezek. 12:2323Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. (Ezekiel 12:23)) Moreover, the time is short. He whose messages to the churches we have been considering, He who "loved the Church, and, gave Himself for it," and He who "testifieth these things," saith, "Surely I come quickly." May the writer and reader be able truthfully to respond, in the conscious sense of being delivered through grace from that which the Lord here condemns, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Amen.
H. C. A.