~ 4 Current Christian
Churches ~
The Seven
Churches of Revelation 2-3 outline the history of the Christian Church from its
beginning until the Second Coming of Christ.
In a previous post we considered the three churches described in chapter
2. In this post we consider the final
four churches which are described—these
four types of churches are currently active and will continue to exist until
the end of this Christian dispensation or the millennium. All dates are approximate and refer to the
period where the particular church was dominate.
The Church In Thyatira (a.d. 590— a.d. 1000+) ~ With
regard to this church Jesus said, “And to the angel
of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has
eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works,
love, service, faith, and your
patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who
calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed
to idols. And I gave her time to
repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a
sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless
they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all
the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according
to your works. Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do
not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I
will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works
until the end, to him I will give power over the nations — ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they
shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’ — as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the
morning star. He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches”’” (Revelation
2:18-29).
During the period of the Dark Ages pagan ideas and
Christian doctrine were intermixed. This
corrupt church was burning incense and continuing to sacrifice (i.e., mass) which
is wrong—it is a picture of Romanism,
and of supreme rule. This period
included the rise of the papacy, and the Inquisition. In contrast the call is for a return to true
holiness.
The Church In Sardis (a.d. 1517— a.d. 1800+) ~ Jesus
continued, “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says
He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works,
that you have a name that you are alive,
but you are dead. Be watchful, and
strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found
your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have
received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come
upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have
a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall
walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot
out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My
Father and before His angels. He who has
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”’” (Revelation
3:1-6).
The church in Sardis was church which had escaped (The
Reformation) but overtime became a dead church—and is an overview of most of Protestantism. Unfortunately, after escaping Rome it did not
maintain the truth and simplicity of the Word of God. Continuing today Protestantism has largely
turned away from basic Christian truths such as our command to be constantly
watchful for the Second Coming of our Lord.
The call is to return to the basics of Christianity.
The Church In Philadelphia (a.d. 1750—Second Coming) ~ Philadelphia
is the revived church—the missionary church.
Jesus wrote to the faithful church in
Philadelphia, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These
things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He
who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens:” I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and
no one can shut it; for you have a
little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of
Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come
and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to
persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon
the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold,
I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your
crown. He who overcomes, I will make him
a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on 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 I will write on
him My new name. He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation
3:7-13).
Israel
always had a remnant that was true to God.
The Church has always had a faithful few—scattered throughout the
world. The church of Philadelphia (i.e.,
the church of brotherly love) is a picture of the Christian church beginning
around the early 1800s. These were days
of great revival. Today there continue
to be groups of revived believers within both Romanism and Protestantism. These revived believers seek whole-heartedly
to be true to the whole Word of God.
The Church
In Laodicea (a.d.
1900—Second Coming) ~ Laodicea, the city of compromise and great
wealth, has the apostate church. Jesus
now comments upon the final church—the church of the last days—our day and
time. “And to the angel of the church of
the Laodiceans write, ‘These things
says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of
God: “I know your works, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I could wish
you were cold or hot. So then, because
you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing”—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be
rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your
nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you
may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten. Therefore be zealous and
repent. Behold, I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears My voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with
Me on My throne, as I also 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”’” (Revelation 3:14-22).
The Laodiceans thought of themselves as righteous. But it was an era of people ruling, of
pleasing the crowd, of mob rule. It is a
time of backward movement, of lapse and apostasy. The time period this church dominates is
roughly from the early 1900s until the return of Jesus Christ (any time
now!). It is interesting to note that
such a falling away from sound doctrine and practice is common following a
revival period—there becomes an overemphasis on democracy where everyone has
their “rights” and there is “acceptance” of all beliefs. Laodicea represents the world-church.
In the seven churches of Revelation we have a historical
summary of the Christian church from its beginning to the present day—the last
days.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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